On June 12, SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 rocket. As part of the Transporter-8 mission, it successfully launched 72 satellites provided by various customers. But this event was notable not for its payload but for its round number. The fact is that this is the 200th time SpaceX has landed an orbital rocket stage within its borders.
Since the development of the Falcon 9, SpaceX has been aiming to return its first stages to Earth for reuse. Initially, it was planned to use a combination of a lightweight heat-shielding coating and parachutes. But this strategy did not pay off. The Falcon 9 stages collapsed in the atmosphere before the parachutes opened.
After that, SpaceX relied on a controlled landing using engines. It took the company several years of testing to perfect the procedure and make the necessary changes to the rocket design. The first successful landing of the Falcon 9 took place on December 21, 2015. The first successful boarding of the barge was on April 8, 2016.
Since then, SpaceX has made a total of 200 first-stage landings. According to the company, about 90% of the launches since the beginning of 2022 have used accelerators that have previously flown and have completed more than 100 missions.
It is also worth noting that the last launch was the 40th SpaceX mission in 2023. On average, the company is now launching a new orbital launch every four days.
*In the header to the article, broadcast of the launch of the Transporter-8 mission
