SpaceX breaks annual launch record with 133rd Falcon 9 flight
What's the story
SpaceX has set a new milestone by successfully launching its 133rd Falcon 9 rocket of the year. The historic launch took place on Wednesday from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base. The mission, which lifted off at 7:16am PT, carried 28 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit (LEO).
Booster achievement
First-stage booster successfully landed on droneship
The first-stage booster of the Falcon 9 rocket successfully landed on SpaceX's droneship, "Of Course I Still Love You," stationed in the Pacific Ocean. This particular booster has now completed its 21st flight, having previously launched missions for SDA-0A, SARah-2, Transporter-11 and 18 Starlink missions. After inspection and refurbishment, it will be ready for another mission soon.
Launch strategy
Six more Falcon 9 launches planned for October
SpaceX has been breaking its own launch records with the Falcon 9 rocket every year since 2020. The company has six more launches planned for this month alone, most of which will be deploying more Starlink internet satellites. Apart from Starlink deployments, Falcon 9 also launches satellites of different sizes for companies, organizations and governments around the world. It also ferries crew and cargo to the International Space Station (ISS).
Future developments
Meanwhile, SpaceX is also working on Starship
While the Falcon 9's launch frequency remains high, SpaceX is also investing a lot of time in developing its next-generation Starship rocket. This massive vehicle generates 10 times more thrust at launch than the Falcon 9 and has flown 11 times so far. The company is preparing it for crew and cargo flights to the Moon, Mars, and possibly beyond.