With latest Starlink launch, SpaceX sets fast reuse record

SpaceX continues to make progress in pushing the boundaries of reusing the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket.

On Wednesday morning, the company plans to launch its next batch of 60 Starlink satellites, reusing booster No. 1051. This will actually be the eighth flight of this Falcon 9 first stage rocket, setting a new record for the number of uses of any single rocket core. SpaceX plans to hit the 10-use milestone for at least one Falcon 9 first stage later this year.

The next launch attempt is also noteworthy as it would represent a quick turnaround for this first stage. The rocket last flew on December 13, launching the Sirius XM-7 mission into geostationary transfer orbit. This 38 day period would significantly beat the previous rotation margin for a Falcon 9 first stage, which is 51 days. This suggests that the company’s engineers and technicians continue to educate themselves on best practices for rocket recovery and refurbishment.

The Starlink mission is scheduled to launch Wednesday at 8:02 a.m. EST (1:02 p.m. UTC) from the Cape Canaveral space station in Florida. Its launch was initially delayed by 24 hours from Monday due to adverse weather conditions in the offshore recovery area, where Just read the instructions will wait for the return of the first stage. The company then delayed the mission for an additional day, saying more time was needed for “pre-launch inspections”. It is not clear whether this was the rocket or the payload.

This will be the 16th launch of “operational” Starlink satellites, in addition to an earlier launch of test satellites. Already the largest satellite operator in the world, this mission will bring the total number of Starlink satellites launched by SpaceX to more than 1000. Some of these satellites are no longer operational and are in the process of being or have already been de-orbited.

As they begin to build this constellation, SpaceX has started offering a public beta in parts of North America and is expected to offer more coverage later this year. First impressions have generally been positive.

At the same time, SpaceX has also worked to address concerns from scientists who fear that large constellations of satellites broadcasting the Internet from space will spoil the night sky and interfere with astronomical observations. Last year, the company started adding “visors” to reduce the reflectivity of its satellites. However, a recent analysis of these “DarkSats” suggests that more effort may be needed.

Weather conditions for Wednesday’s launch appear favorable for the mission, both at the launch site and in the recovery area. SpaceX’s show is expected to go live about 15 minutes before liftoff.