SpaceX aims to level up next year. Elon Musk's spacecraft manufacturer and satellite communications company announced that it will make more flights next year with the goal of making a dozen launches per month.
SpaceX To Make More Flights Next Year
SpaceX plans to increase its previously unheard-of launch frequency to astounding new levels. This year, Elon Musk's business has already launched 74 orbital missions, more than any other private organization has ever accomplished in a calendar year. In contrast, there should be greater spaceflight activity over the next 2.5 months. SpaceX's previous record was 61.
The vice president of build and flight reliability at SpaceX, Bill Gerstenmaier, stated during a hearing of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday (Oct. 18) that they aim to make 100 flights in 2023 and will increase their flight rate next year by making 12 flights per month for a total of 144 flights in a year. He added that they wanted to promote safety, innovation and competitiveness in the commercial human space activities.
It would take a dramatic increase in launch frequency, from one mission every 3.9 days to one every 2.8 days, to reach the century milestone this year.
However, SpaceX is undoubtedly capable of reaching that latter figure. The corporation has launched two missions on the same day numerous times; in March of this year, it launched two Falcon 9 rockets less than 4.5 hours apart.
SpaceX has an abundance of payloads ready for launch. With roughly 5,000 operating satellites, the business is expanding its Starlink internet-satellite megaconstellation. Additionally, SpaceX has been given permission to launch 12,000 Starlink satellites, and the corporation has also requested authorization to launch a further 30,000 spacecraft. About 60% of the company's launches have been dedicated to Starlink.
SpaceX Launched Falcon Heavy For Psyche Asteroid Mission
Over the weekend, NASA's Psyche finally launched atop SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The space probe had been delayed for a year.
In addition to closely examining the metal-rich asteroid, the spacecraft is carrying a technology demonstration for Deep Space Optical Communications, which aims to increase bandwidth compared to traditional radio frequency communications. Scientists hope that by studying the metal-rich asteroid, they will learn more about how rocky planets form.
Psyche is now in the commissioning phase of its journey to an asteroid, which it will eventually arrive at in 2029 with the help of Mars' gravitational pull in 2026. In roughly six weeks, the science equipment will be actively tested, and in roughly three weeks, engineers will be able to test the optical communications technology demonstration.
Meanwhile, SpaceX is working on the second test flight for Starship. Gerstenmaier stated during the hearing on Wednesday that SpaceX is still awaiting a launch license from the United States Federal Aviation Administration even though the vehicle has been prepared to launch for more than a month.
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