SpaceX's Launch Milestone

In an exciting milestone for space exploration, the Space Coast achieved its 72nd launch of the year on Wednesday evening, matching the total number of orbital missions completed in 2023—with still ten weeks left on the calendar.

The milestone was marked by a successful liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9, which had initially targeted a Tuesday launch but was delayed due to unfavorable weather conditions in the recovery area for the booster.

The rocket finally took off at 5:47 p.m. Eastern Time from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, utilizing Space Launch Complex 40, and carried a payload of 23 Starlink satellites—an integral part of SpaceX's mission to provide global internet coverage.

Successful Booster Recovery

Impressively, this mission featured a first-stage booster that made its 18th flight, successfully recovering the booster on the droneship "A Shortfall of Gravitas" stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This marks another feather in SpaceX's cap, as they have been highly successful in reusing their rockets, contributing to significant cost savings and sustainability in space travel.

Launch Statistics

Of the 72 launches this year, SpaceX has conducted all but five from either Cape Canaveral or the neighboring Kennedy Space Center. The Falcon 9 rocket has been the backbone of these missions, with 65 launches so far, while only two launches were made using the more powerful Falcon Heavy.

Competition from ULA

In addition to SpaceX's impressive record, United Launch Alliance (ULA) has been active as well, flying two new Vulcan Centaur rockets, alongside two Atlas V rockets, and the final Delta IV Heavy for the year. With a third Vulcan Centaur poised for its inaugural national security mission for the U.S. Space Force, ULA continues to contribute to the growing launch landscape.

Growing Launch Landscape

Across the U.S., including launches from California, SpaceX has successfully flown its Falcon family of rockets a remarkable 101 times. This year also marked the beginning of test launches for their in-development Starship and Super Heavy rockets from SpaceX’s Texas facility, Starbase.

Future Prospects

At the beginning of 2023, SpaceX had set its ambitious goal of averaging 12 launches per month—totaling 144 by year-end. With an eye on breaking the 100-launch threshold for the Space Coast region, the roster still includes upcoming launches from SpaceX, ULA, and potentially the long-anticipated debut of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket.

As we move deeper into the fall and the space industry gears up for an exciting future, more launches are on the horizon, promising to propel the Space Coast to new heights in space exploration. Don’t miss out on the upcoming events that could redefine our understanding of what's possible!