SpaceX launched its record-setting 139th mission of the yr as we speak (Oct. 23).
SpaceX additionally launched the primary Spainsat NG satellite tv for pc, which lifted off atop a Falcon 9 this previous January.
If all goes to plan as we speak, the Falcon 9’s higher stage will deploy the Spainsat NG-2 satellite tv for pc right into a geosynchronous switch orbit about 36 minutes after liftoff.
The rocket’s first stage, in the meantime, didn’t come again to Earth for a secure landing as we speak — a rarity lately for Falcon 9 missions. The booster was in expendable mode “because of the extra efficiency required to ship this payload to orbit,” SpaceX wrote in a mission description.
This mission was the twenty second for this booster, the corporate added.
As we speak’s flight was the 139th of 2025 for SpaceX, setting a brand new mark for the corporate. SpaceX has now launched 134 Falcon 9 missions this yr — additionally a document — and 5 suborbital take a look at flights of its Starship megarocket.
In 2024, SpaceX carried out 132 Falcon 9 flights, 4 Starship take a look at launches and two liftoffs of its highly effective Falcon Heavy rocket.
Editor’s be aware: This story was up to date at 9:45 p.m. ET on Oct. 23 with information of profitable launch.
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