SpaceX Uses a Thrice-Launched Booster to Send 64 Satellites Into Space.

By Matthew Williams December 3, 2018
SpaceX Uses a Thrice-Launched Booster to Send 64 Satellites Into Space.

The first attempt to "catch" a fairing with Mr. Steven took place shortly thereafter, and was unsuccessful. This was attributed to the fairing's chutes, which Musk decided to enlarge for future missions. This time around, the fairing once again landed in the water, but were retrieved by the ship's crew. As Musk tweeted at 11:49 am PST (02:49 pm EDT):

"Falcon fairing halves missed the net, but touched down softly in the water. Mr Steven is picking them up. Plan is to dry them out & launch again. Nothing wrong with a little swim."

This launch was mission of multiple firsts and a major milestone for SpaceX and commercial aerospace in general. In addition to bringing us one step closer to full-reusability, this was the first time that an entire rocket payload consisted of small satellites, which are traditionally relegated to secondary payloads. These developments will serve to reduce the associated costs of space exploration further while opening up new opportunities for business and research.

The launch and retrieval of the rocket was broadcast live via webcast. To watch a replay of the event, check out the video below:

Matthew Williams

Matthew Williams

Matt Williams is a space journalist, science communicator, and author with several published titles and studies. His work is featured in The Ross 248 Project and Interstellar Travel edited by NASA alumni Les Johnson and Ken Roy. He also hosts the podcast series Stories from Space at ITSP Magazine. He lives in beautiful British Columbia with his wife and family. For more information, check out his website.