SpaceX Successfully Lands 50th Rocket In 5 Years
SpaceX launched another cargo mission to the International Space Station Friday, successfully landing the flight's rocket booster for the 50th time in the last five years, the Associated Press reported.
The commercial rocket company sent its "Dragon" capsule from Cape Canaveral to the International Space Station for its 20th ISS resupply mission, according to a press release from SpaceX. The spacecraft is carrying more than two tons of equipment and experiments. It's expected to arrive at the space station Monday.
The rocket lifted off to a countdown and cheers from an audience at SpaceX's headquarters in California, but the largest cheers came for the successful landing of the rocket's first-stage booster. After falling away from the Dragon capsule, the "Falcon 9" touched back down on the landing pad, amid flashes of bright light and smoke.
"And the Falcon has landed for the 50th time in SpaceX history!" announced lead engineer Jessica Anderson on a livestream from SpaceX HQ. The night's windy conditions were a new challenge for the spacecraft.
The company puts an emphasis on creating rapidly reusable rockets. Its goal is to reduce the cost of space travel, and to eventually make the practice as accessible as modern air travel.
https://www.npr.org/2020/03/07/813214937/spacex-successfully-lands-50th-rocket-in-5-years
