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With the launch of its thirteenth Starlink mission of 2020, SpaceX successfully completed its 100th mission aboard a Falcon rocket since the first took off in September 2008.
The flight-tested Falcon 9 was launched from Cape Canaveral at 15:31 UTC on October 24 with 60 more satellites for the company’s Starlink constellation, a network of low-Earth orbit communication satellites that will provide global connectivity for broadband.
After a successful launch, the rocket booster recovered for the third time and landed on the Just read the instructions Droneship parked in the Atlantic. About an hour later, all 60 satellites flew safely away from the rocket’s upper stage.
The launch was the 100th mission SpaceX has launched aboard the company’s Falcon rockets.
The first two missions were completed aboard the Falcon 1 rockets in 2008 and 2009. Of apparently three Falcon Heavy missions launched between 2018 and 2019, the remainder were launched aboard the company’s cargo rocket, the Falcon 9.
During its more than a decade of launch operations, SpaceX has paved the way for reuse. The company remains the only launch provider to reclaim and reuse rocket propellants, a capability that several companies around the world are currently trying to replicate.
Of its 100 successful Falcon flights, SpaceX has recovered 63 thrusters and has re-flew the thrusters 45 times. This year alone, SpaceX has successfully launched two boosters on a sixth recovery mission, both safely after the momentous flights.
In addition to being the market leader in reuse, the Falcon 9 rocket has become the most flown operational rocket in the United States, having surpassed fans like Atlas V and Delta IV in more than 10 missions.
