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SpaceX Falcon 9 comes home after successful satellite launch SpaceX Falcon 9 comes home after successful satellite launch
(35 minutes later)
Space X’s Falcon 9 rocket has taken off from Cape Canaveral with the JCSAT 16 communications satellite in tow. After launching the Japanese satellite into orbit, the rocket landed on a floating drone ship.Space X’s Falcon 9 rocket has taken off from Cape Canaveral with the JCSAT 16 communications satellite in tow. After launching the Japanese satellite into orbit, the rocket landed on a floating drone ship.
After the cargo was delivered into space, the rocket successfully completed the now traditional Space X rocket landing mere minutes after takeoff, with the majority of the vehicle landing on one of Space X’s floating drone ships.After the cargo was delivered into space, the rocket successfully completed the now traditional Space X rocket landing mere minutes after takeoff, with the majority of the vehicle landing on one of Space X’s floating drone ships.
The JCSAT 16 satellite was put into so-called geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), which makes landing the rocket a challenge, and therefore requires the drone ship to be employed. According to Space X, the rocket “will be subject to extreme velocities and re-entry heating,” which also necessitates the use of the drone ship for landing. The JCSAT 16 satellite was put into so-called geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), which makes landing the rocket a challenge, and therefore requires the drone ship to be employed.
According to Space X, the rocket “will be subject to extreme velocities and re-entry heating,” which also necessitates the use of the drone ship for landing.
A landing on land would would also have been fine, but SpaceX opted for the ship because these missions consume a great deal of fuel during takeoff, leaving precious little for a landing, and the rocket uses less when it can land on a drone ship.A landing on land would would also have been fine, but SpaceX opted for the ship because these missions consume a great deal of fuel during takeoff, leaving precious little for a landing, and the rocket uses less when it can land on a drone ship.
READ MORE: SpaceX fails to land Falcon 9 rocket, satellite launch successful
SpaceX already has some success under its belt with Falcon 9s going into GTO before. The latest was a May launch of another JCSAT satellite. Tonight, it has achieved victory for the sixth time with the successful launch and landing.SpaceX already has some success under its belt with Falcon 9s going into GTO before. The latest was a May launch of another JCSAT satellite. Tonight, it has achieved victory for the sixth time with the successful launch and landing.