SpaceX finishes busy week with successful launch of a third rocket
Elon Musk's company launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Base in Florida on Saturday. The rocket's booster successfully landed on a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.
SpaceX launches communication satellites from Florida
SpaceX successfully launched satellites aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and landed a booster on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – SpaceX finished up a busy week launching two communication satellites from Florida on Saturday, marking the company's third event in a week.
SpaceX originally tried Thursday evening to launch the Galaxy 33 and 34 satellites for Intelsat on a Falcon 9 rocket. However, 30 seconds before liftoff the mission was aborted. The company did target a Friday attempt, but a few hours before liftoff, SpaceX said it needed more time to insure the rocket was ready to launch.
The third time was a charm for Elon Musk's company as the Falcon 9 rocket illuminated the Florida sky around dusk.
The Falcon 9 delivered the satellites for Intelsat to geosynchronous orbit, providing communication services throughout North America.
After liftoff, the Falcon 9 booster landed on a droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. It was the 14th launch and landing for this particular booster.
Cosmonaut Anna Kikina after entering the International Space Station for the first time. (Image: NASA)
On Thursday, SpaceX successfully docked a Crew Dragon spacecraft with four astronauts at the International Space Station.
SpaceX and NASA launched four astronauts at noon Wednesday from Kennedy Space Center. The Crew-5 launch, comprised of American, Russian and Japanese space explorers, will be a 6-month mission to the International Space Station.
On the opposite side of the country, SpaceX launched a batch of Starlink satellites from California on Wednesday, just hours after SpaceX sent up the four Crew-5 astronauts from Florida.