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Kicking off the new year on the heels of a record-breaking 2023, SpaceX is maintaining its rapid pace with the Space Coast’s first launch of 2024 scheduled for Wednesday evening.
SpaceX back with 1st Space Coast launch of the year
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Hey everyone! Guess what? SpaceX is starting off the new year with a bang! After a super successful 2023, they are not slowing down one bit. They have their first launch of 2024 scheduled for Wednesday evening from right here in Florida. How cool is that?
What’s the mission?
So, this time, SpaceX will be launching a telecom satellite for a private Swedish company called Ovzon. The satellite, called Ovzon 3, is pretty special because it’s the first privately-funded and developed Swedish geostationary satellite ever to be launched. It’s headed for a geostationary orbit over 22,000 miles above the Earth’s surface.
Launch details
The launch will happen at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. The window for the launch opens at 6:04 p.m. on Wednesday, but don’t worry if it doesn’t happen then because there’s a backup window on Thursday. The weather forecast is looking pretty good, with a 90% chance of favorable conditions.
What about the rocket?
The rocket that SpaceX will be using is called Falcon 9. It’s actually the 10th time this particular first-stage booster is flying, which is pretty impressive. After it launches the satellite, it will attempt to land back on Earth at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. And guess what? When it comes back down, we might be able to hear a double sonic boom! How cool is that?
SpaceX’s amazing year
Last year, SpaceX had an incredible year. They launched a total of 68 missions from right here on the Space Coast, including some really powerful Falcon Heavy flights and even three crewed missions to the International Space Station. They also had 28 more launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Talk about busy!
What’s next for SpaceX?
Well, they’re not slowing down, that’s for sure. In fact, SpaceX’s founder, Elon Musk, has big plans for this year. He wants to increase the number of launches to 12 per month, which would be a total of 144 launches for the year. That’s a lot of rockets! And he’s not even counting the launches of their upcoming Starship rocket.
Exciting future
Speaking of Starship, SpaceX is already working on a launch tower for it right here at Kennedy Space Center. They’re also putting the final touches on a new crew access arm at Space Launch Complex 40, which will allow astronauts to launch from both here and KSC. This is all in preparation for the future when SpaceX brings their Starship and Super Heavy rocket to the Space Coast.
Conclusion
So, there you have it! SpaceX is starting off the year with a bang, launching a telecom satellite for a Swedish company. They had an amazing year in 2023 and have even bigger plans for 2024. It’s an exciting time for space exploration, and I can’t wait to see what SpaceX and other companies have in store for us in the future!
FAQ’s
1. What is SpaceX launching for their first mission of the year?
SpaceX will be launching a telecom satellite called Ovzon 3 for a private Swedish company called Ovzon.
2. Where is the launch taking place?
The launch will happen at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40.
3. What is the rocket that SpaceX will be using?
SpaceX will be using Falcon 9, which will be flying for the 10th time.
4. How many launches did SpaceX have in 2023?
SpaceX had a total of 68 launches from the Space Coast and 28 launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
5. What are SpaceX’s plans for 2024?
Elon Musk plans to increase the number of launches to 12 per month, totaling 144 launches for the year. SpaceX is also preparing for the launch of their Starship rocket.
Links to additional Resources:
SpaceX Official Website NASA Official Website Space.com.Related Wikipedia Articles
Topics: SpaceX, Falcon 9 (rocket), Starship (spacecraft)SpaceX
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. commonly referred to as SpaceX, is an American spacecraft manufacturer, launch service provider, defense contractor and satellite communications company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. The company was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and ultimately developing a sustainable colony...
Read more: SpaceX
List of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches
Since June 2010, rockets from the Falcon 9 family have been launched 318 times, with 316 full mission successes, two failures, and one partial success. Designed and operated by SpaceX, the Falcon 9 family includes the retired versions Falcon 9 v1.0, v1.1, and v1.2 "Full Thrust" (blocks 3 and 4),...
Read more: List of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches
SpaceX Starship (spacecraft)
Starship is a spacecraft and second stage under development by American aerospace company SpaceX. Stacked atop its booster, Super Heavy, it composes the identically named Starship super heavy-lift space vehicle. The spacecraft is designed to transport both crew and cargo to a variety of destinations, including Earth orbit, the Moon,...
Read more: SpaceX Starship (spacecraft)
