SpaceX successfully launched a significant telecommunications satellite into orbit on the early morning of May 27, bringing them closer to achieving 200 successful landings of their first-stage rocket boosters. The mission involved a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Arabsat BADR-8 satellite, which took off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The first stage of the rocket landed on SpaceX’s droneship, Just Read the Instructions, approximately eight minutes and 46 seconds after liftoff.
This launch marked SpaceX’s 195th successful landing overall between their Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. Adverse weather conditions had forced SpaceX to postpone two previous attempts earlier in the week. However, the more favorable weather on the night of the successful liftoff allowed the mission to proceed through the humid skies of Florida’s Space Coast.
The Falcon 9 first stage used in this mission had previously flown on 14 missions, including the September 2021 Inspiration 4 and April 2022 Ax-1 private astronaut missions. Ax-1, operated by Axiom Space, sent four individuals to the International Space Station for a two-week stay. SpaceX recently launched Axiom’s second mission, Ax-2, on May 22, carrying another four crewmembers.
While this was not a record-breaking reuse for SpaceX, as the current record stands at 15 flights, the launch was still a significant achievement. The Arabsat BADR-8 satellite weighs approximately 9,900 pounds and is destined for a geostationary orbit around 22,200 miles above Earth. It is expected to take four to five months for the satellite to reach its operational orbit, after which it will provide TV broadcasting and telecom services to central Africa, Europe, and the Middle East on behalf of Saudi Arabia-based Arabsat.