Two SpaceX Falcon 9 launches were successfully completed by the giant independent American space company. Elon Musk's agency was also able to complete two rocket booster recoveries on the same day of the launches.
Elon Musk, CEO of Space Exploration Technologies Corp, speaks during a news conference at the National Press Club April 5, 2011 in Washington, DC. Elon Musk, CEO of Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX) and Tesla Motors, held the news conference to announce SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket which could complete missions to the International Space Station and Moon and should be ready for use by the end of 2012.
On Dec. 18, SpaceX sent 52 new Starlink satellites into Earth's orbit, adding to ongoing sat constellation formation. The latest Falcon 9 activities marked the 29th and 30th flights of SpaceX's advanced rocket this 2021.
Meanwhile, they also mark the California-based space agency's 134th Falcon 9 flight ever since the spacecraft's first launch back in 2010.
Two SpaceX Falcon 9 Sends 52 Starlink Sats Into Orbit!
According to CBS News' latest report, the new Falcon 9 flights sent 52 Starlink sats into outer space. These new internet cube sats will join the Starlink satellites already orbiting the Earth.
People line the A.Max Brewer Causeway to watch the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida May 30, 2020 in Titusville, Florida . American astronauts Bob Behknen and Doug Hurley are aboard the crew Dragon capsule on a mission to link up with International Space Station. This is NASA's first crewed launch from U.S. soil since 2011 at the ending of the Space Shuttle program.
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Right now, SpaceX's Starlink rockets are already more than 1,600. Yes, this Dec. 18 Falcon 9 flights are quite amazing. However, the total number of the space company's broadband sats is still far from its goal.
Space.Com recently reported that Musk's agency aims to form a megaconstellation of cube sats outside the planet. This internet sat system would consist of around 42,000 satellites.
This simply means that SpaceX still hasn't reached 50% of its actual broadband cube sat goal. It would still take years before this artificial megaconstellation is completed. However, the growth of the independent space agency could still make this internet innovation quicker to build.
Turkish Communications Sat Also Included
Aside from SpaceX's own Starlink sats, the giant space company also sent a Turkish communications satellite into orbit.
Thanks to the agency's efforts, it was able to finish its second flight for the Turksat Satellite Communications and Cable TV Operations Co.
For the past few months, SpaceX allowed other broadband satellites from different countries in its Falcon 9 launches.
In other news, the NASA Mars Ingenuity helicopter was able to stay afloat for 30 minutes on the Red Planet, reaching a new record. On the other hand, ESA's "Apollo Can Opener" would soon be used to open containers from the old Apollo 17 mission.
For more news updates about SpaceX and its upcoming activities, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
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Written by: Griffin Davis
