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In the beginning of 2023, SpaceX had its sights set on reaching 100 Falcon rocket launches by December 31. It breezed previous its present annual report of 60 launches in September, however appears to be like set to simply fall in need of its formidable goal for this yr.
Within the SpaceX’s busiest 12-month interval since launching the primary Falcon rocket in 2010, it’s thus far achieved 90 flights utilizing its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket and 4 missions utilizing its Falcon Heavy rocket, which is mainly three Falcon 9 boosters linked collectively.
Earlier than the top of the yr, SpaceX plans to fly another Falcon Heavy rocket mission and two extra Falcon 9 missions, taking its complete variety of Falcon flights to 97. If you wish to throw in its Starship missions as effectively, each of which failed quickly after launch, then the whole will increase to 99 liftoffs accomplished by SpaceX in 2023.
SpaceX has come a great distance since its maiden Falcon launch 13 years in the past. The corporate’s objective was at all times to design a spaceflight system able to touchdown the 41.2.-meter-tall booster upright again on land or on a floating barge in order that it may reuse the element for a number of missions.
SpaceX achieved its first profitable booster touchdown in 2015, and nowadays efficiently lands nearly all of its Falcon rockets quickly after launch. On Saturday, a Falcon 9 mission deploying extra satellites for SpaceX’s internet-from-space Starlink system noticed it land a first-stage booster for a report nineteenth time. The reusable system developed by SpaceX has enabled it to supply extremely aggressive launch charges, opening up area to extra corporations and organizations eager to ship small satellites to orbit.
In its most up-to-date mission on Sunday, a Falcom 9 launched a satellite tv for pc from the Vandenberg Area Power Base in California for the German Intelligence Service. SpaceX shared some photos displaying the early phases of the mission:
Extra photographs of immediately's Falcon 9 launch and touchdown pic.twitter.com/JH9Koqxha1
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 24, 2023
After a brief Christmas break, the SpaceX workforce will get again to work to complete the yr with three launches, two involving the Falcon 9 and one utilizing the Falcon Heavy.
It’s been the busiest yr but for SpaceX, however with 2024’s launch calendar quickly filling up, and the main focus shifting to getting its mighty Starship rocket to orbit, subsequent yr appears to be like set to be even busier.
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