SpaceX just had another out of this world record! Its engineers were able to successfully test-fire a used SpaceX booster, an orbit class rocket, last week in McGregor, Texas.
According to an article written by Physics, SpaceX engineers were researching for a reuse mission of SpaceX's Falcon 9's first stage booster. The said booster was initially launched into space in April 2016 and is planned to have a relaunch as early as next month. Space enthusiasts are looking forward to this endeavor of SpaceX as this will be the first ever reuse mission that will ever happen.
In this interest to have a reuse mission, SpaceX engineers studied the anatomy of the CRS-8 Falcon 9 that they've recovered 8 minutes after the said rocket had a propulsive soft landing. The said mission was actually for a signed project between SpaceX and Luxembourg-based telecommunications company SES.
In earlier news, the Falcon 9 reuse mission was supposed to be done before 2016 ended. However, due to an accident in September last year, the said Falcon 9 exploded and caused major damages to the facilities at the Space Launch Complex-40 located at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
After the test fire, SpaceX is planning to have the reuse mission in the historical pad 39A. The mission of SpaceX's Falcon 9 was supposed to be done in pad 40, however, it is still under reconstruction. A lot of historical events happened in the pad 39A which includes the launches of several NASA missions such as the Apollo.
Earlier this year, SpaceX already kicked off with a launch of another Falcon 9 into space to set up 10 satellites, according to CNN. The said project was in partnership with the data company Iridium.
SpaceX is definitely having a jam-packed 2017 with its Falcon 9 projects. There have been reports from SpaceX about a Falcon Heavy project this year and just stay tuned here in Science Times for more updates.
