SpaceX has yet another reason to celebrate. This time around, the space company has successfully launched a commercial satellite aboard the Falcon 9 rocket from Space Lodge Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
The GPS III Space Vehicle 05 mission has now been put in orbit. The same Falcon 9 booster used for this launch was used for launching the GPS III and Space Vehicle 04 in orbit.
Improved GPS capabilities on Earth
SpaceX has also confirmed that the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket has safely landed on its drone ship “Just Read the Instructions” in the Atlantic Ocean. Just 72 seconds after launch, the rocket reached its peak mechanical stress. After around two and a half minutes, the first stage main engine cut off, and just seconds later, the first and second stages of the rocket separated.
The GPS satellite is launched with an aim to upgrade GPS capabilities on Earth with improved redundancy and more accurate data. The space company has already put multiple payloads into orbit and has been successfully reusing its first stage rockets and landing them safely.
However, the same hasn’t been reflected with its testing of the much bigger and powerful Starship rocket that has failed several times resulting in explosions. SpaceX still maintains that vehicle loss is expected during early testing programs.
SpaceX future roadmap
Besides, Axiom Space has signed a “blockbuster deal” with SpaceX to ferry private crews to the International Space Station (ISS) by 2023. Both companies already had a deal for a Dragon spacecraft flight with 3 non-astronauts and a former NASA astronaut. The flight is scheduled for 2022, and with the new deal in place, the total has gone to 4 flights.
SpaceX has always encouraged space tourism and is also working on a space trip to send a group of artists around the Moon. The space company will be using its highly advanced Starship spacecraft.
SpaceX is also going forward with its plans to shift its wireless internet service. Apart from only focusing on rural areas, the internet service will also explore more commercial options by the end of this year.
