The full story of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launches – The Verge

SpaceX resumes Falcon 9 launches after the FAA clears it for flight

2024-08-31T11:49:47-04:00

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cleared SpaceX's reusable Falcon 9 rocket for flight on Friday after temporarily grounding it following a failed landing earlier this week. The company has already pulled off two launches since the FAA's decision, putting 42 more Starlink satellites into orbit, it announced in a post on X today.

The agency said that while the investigation of the landing incident remains open, flights can continue, "provided all other license requirements are met," according to CNN. SpaceX had requested a return to flight on Thursday, the same day the FAA initially grounded the rocket, reports Reuters.

Falcon 9 de …

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SpaceX completes its first Space Station resupply since rocket explosion last June

2016-04-10T09:34:00-04:00

SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station on Friday afternoon, and at 7:23AM ET on Sunday morning, the crew aboard ISS captured the rocket's payload in space. This marks the first time the company has successfully sent cargo to the station after its last resupply mission failed in June.

The Dragon is filled with nearly 7,000 pounds of supplies for the station

Riding on top of the vehicle was the company's Dragon cargo spacecraft, filled with nearly 7,000 pounds of supplies for the station. Making up more than 3,000 pounds of that cargo is the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, or the BEAM - an expan …

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SpaceX releases photos of its rocket launch and first-ever sea landing

2016-04-09T17:18:20-04:00

In case you somehow missed it, SpaceX made history yesterday afternoon when it successfully landed one of its Falcon 9 rockets on a remotely-piloted barge at sea. The success came after a few failed attempts over the past year, but it represents a major milestone in the company's efforts to lower the cost of spaceflight by reusing rockets for multiple launches. We already watched the landing live, and it's been immortalized in GIFs and a crisp 4K video, but there's nothing like still photography to appreciate the moment. SpaceX has published a series of photos to let you take it all in - you can enjoy them below.

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Watch SpaceX’s historic ocean landing in crystal-clear 4K

2016-04-09T11:23:34-04:00

Still haven't had enough of SpaceX's rocket landing in the middle of the ocean? Well, new 4K video is here to satisfy you and then make you hungry for more. Late last night, SpaceX released high-definition footage taken from a chase plane, showing the Falcon 9's delicate descent onto the autonomous drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You."

The extra detail gives you a nice glimpse into how the rocket's legs deployed just prior to landing (and that one of the legs seemed to lag behind the rest). It also shows how the vehicle landed a little off its mark. SpaceX probably didn't want to show off too much by hitting the bulls eye. That just woul …

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Why did you delete this sick tweet, Elon Musk?

2016-04-08T21:50:16-04:00

Elon Musk's SpaceX just landed a rocket on a drone ship, so what better way to take a victory lap than to invoke T-Pain? Just watch the video that Musk tweeted, and then deleted for some mysterious reason. It's like The Lonely Island knew the future and wrote this song just for this rocket.

It's okay man, you can kick your feet up and relax. You just made history. Un-delete that tweet!

Bwahaha, apparently @elonmusk tweeted this and then deleted it xD https://t.co/Kaqag4a7bx
(Shouldve just let it stay mate ;D)
- Glytch 'Danger' Tech (@GlytchTech) April 9, 2016

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Relive SpaceX’s rocket launch and landing in GIFs

2016-04-08T19:00:15-04:00

SpaceX made history today when its Falcon 9 rocket epically landed on a drone ship in the ocean. The feat was not only impressive but also felt like one big sigh of relief. SpaceX has been trying to pull of this ocean landing for the past year and a half. I've watched numerous rockets launch and then try to touch down on one of the company's two autonomous ships in the ocean. Some of those tries came close! But all of them ultimately exploded.

That's why watching this Falcon 9 finally nail the landing felt like getting one big hug. I don't know about you, but I need to see that SpaceX launch and landing again, yeah? Let's relive it together …

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Elon Musk says the landed SpaceX rocket could relaunch by May or June

2016-04-08T18:47:40-04:00

The Falcon 9 rocket that SpaceX landed today may be the first of the company's vehicle to relaunch into space, CEO Elon Musk said today at a NASA press conference. That would make it the first orbital rocket of its kind to travel to space a second time.

Musk said the company will first stabilize the rocket by welding it down to the deck of the drone ship it landed on. Then, the ship will transport the vehicle to port by Sunday. Once the Falcon 9 gets back to land, SpaceX will conduct a series of test fires on the rocket to see how its engines are working. Musk said the company will fire the engines 10 times in a row, and if everything is wo …

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SpaceX successfully lands its rocket on a floating drone ship for the first time

2016-04-08T16:54:44-04:00

SpaceX has finally landed its Falcon 9 rocket on a drone ship at sea, after launching the vehicle into space this afternoon. It's the first time the company has been able to pull off an ocean landing, after four previous attempts ended in failure. Today's success is a crucial milestone for SpaceX, as it shows the company can land its rockets both on solid ground and in the ocean.

The company can land its rockets both on solid ground and at sea

This is the second time SpaceX has successfully landed one of its rockets post-launch; the first time was in December, when the company's Falcon 9 rocket touched down at a ground-based landing site in …

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Watch SpaceX resupply the space station for the first time since last June’s rocket failure

2016-04-08T08:28:00-04:00

SpaceX has its next rocket launch on Friday, and it's one that holds extra significance for the company. Its Falcon 9 vehicle is scheduled to take off from Cape Canaveral, Florida at 4:43PM ET, lofting nearly 7,000 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station. It's the first time that SpaceX will resupply the ISS since the company's last cargo mission in June - a launch that ended in failure.

SpaceX will attempt once again to land the Falcon 9 at sea

Shortly after Friday's launch, SpaceX will attempt once again to land the majority of the Falcon 9 on a drone ship floating on the ocean. It's a feat that the company has tried during four …

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SpaceX will resupply the space station for the first time since June explosion

2016-03-18T11:06:54-04:00

SpaceX will get back to restocking the International Space Station with its next cargo resupply mission slated for April 8th, NASA confirmed today. The company's Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida at 4:43PM ET that Friday.

SpaceX will also attempt one of its famous rocket landings

This will be the first time that SpaceX resupplies the ISS since the company's last attempted cargo mission in June 2015. That launch ended in failure, when SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket disintegrated a little over two minutes after take off. The accident prompted SpaceX to ground its rocket fleet, but the company returned to flight in D …

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