Double success for SpaceX; preps Intelsat launch
October 6, 2022
By Chris Forrester
SpaceX launched four NASA astronauts to the international space station on October 5th from Cape Canaveral. A few hours later, from the Vandenberg Space Force base in California, another Falcon 9 rocket lofted 52 Starlink satellites into orbit. Both rocket boosters made pinpoint landings on their floating barges a few minutes after launch.
The Starlink mission was yet another record breaker. It was the fifth use of the Falcon 9 rocket booster and was the 45th launch of the year, and the second of the day.
SpaceX also plans to launch another mission today (October 6th), sending two Intelsat communications satellites aloft from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 7:07 pm EDT. The two Intelsat satellites help fulfil the operator’s obligations for C-band transmissions to cable head-ends in the US.
The Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this Intelsat previously launched GPS III-3, Turksat 5A, Transporter-2, and 10 Starlink missions. After stage separation, the first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.