SpaceX Makes Waves with Record-breaking Rocket Launches
SpaceX, the aerospace company founded by Elon Musk, has been making headlines with its record-breaking number of rocket launches this year. The 42nd rocket launch of the year, carrying Starlink satellites, recently took place, marking a milestone for the company. What is even more impressive is that SpaceX is launching at a rate of one mission every 2.7 days in 2021, surpassing the total number of launches worldwide in any given year from the 1980s through the 2010s.
Adding to their list of achievements, SpaceX recently achieved its 300th successful first-stage landing with the Falcon family of rockets, which includes Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy boosters. The company has also made significant strides in recycling rockets, with about 85 percent of all Falcon rockets launched being successfully landed, saving 2,700 Merlin rocket engines in the process.
The Falcon 9 rocket, in particular, has been a workhorse for SpaceX, having launched nearly 350 times. It is on track to potentially surpass the Russian Soyuz rocket, which has launched more than 1,700 times, as the most-flown rocket of all time. However, SpaceX’s larger Starship rocket may eventually reduce the demand for the Falcon 9 in the future. Nonetheless, the Falcon 9 is expected to continue flying through at least the 2030s.
With its groundbreaking accomplishments, SpaceX continues to push boundaries in the aerospace industry and revolutionize space travel. As the company looks towards the future with plans for even more ambitious projects, it seems that the sky is not the limit for Elon Musk and his team at SpaceX.
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