SpaceX successfully launched two Falcon 9 rockets within an hour early Saturday, delivering 42 Starlink satellites into orbit and achieving back-to-back booster landings.
The launches, from Florida and California, followed a recent failure where a booster landed unsuccessfully on August 28.
The Florida mission, carrying 21 satellites with new “Direct to Cell” capabilities, saw its booster land on the Atlantic drone ship “Just Read The Instructions.”
The California launch also placed 21 satellites into orbit, with its booster landing on the Pacific drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You.”
The successful missions came a day after the FAA cleared SpaceX to resume launches despite ongoing investigations into the previous failure, Space.com has reported.
SpaceX is also preparing for its first crewed spaceflight, Polaris Dawn, which has been delayed due to weather and additional checks.
Written by B.C. Begley
