While F&M students were all on spring break, Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) was working hard to perform several successful launches.
The first notable launch lifted off from Texas on March 14. It was the Starship’s third launch and served as a test to help in its development. The Starship entered space for the first time and provided valuable data on heating and vehicle control during hypersonic reentry. Though it did break apart upon re-entry, SpaceX viewed it as a successful test.
The second launch came after a lot of delays. Lifting off from Florida, this Starlink 6-44 mission launched a Falcon 9 rocket that deployed a batch of satellites into low-Earth orbit. This mission was scheduled to occur on March 13, but was scrubbed with two minutes and three seconds left on the countdown clock. No reason was given for that abandonment, but the launch was then rescheduled for the next day. With two minutes and one second left on that countdown clock, the mission was scrubbed again. This time, it was due to an issue with the transporter erector’s cradle arms. It was rescheduled a second time for the following day, March 15, and finally lifted off.
The next Falcon 9 rocket carrying Starlink satellites lifted off from California on March 18.
On March 21, SpaceX launched its 30th resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA. This Dragon capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket delivered cargo consisting of experiments, food, and a camera.
SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 launch carrying satellites was scheduled to lift off March 22, but stormy weather prevented the launch and prompted a scrub. It finally launched on March 23 at 11:09 PM, almost three hours after its scheduled liftoff time.
There are more launches set for later this month and next month. The much more distant future includes plans from SpaceX to use the Starship to get humans back on the moon and – eventually – onto Mars.
Photo from March 15 launch, credit to Emily Myers
Freshman Emily Myers is a Staff Writer. Her email is emyers3@fandm.edu.