SpaceX Sets Record with 10 Launches in January, Unlikely to Repeat in February
SpaceX, the aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company founded by Elon Musk, achieved a significant milestone in January by completing 10 launches and landings in a single calendar month. This broke the company’s own record for the most launches in a month. However, due to weather challenges and logistical issues related to upcoming missions, it is unlikely that SpaceX will be able to repeat this feat in February.
Despite facing multiple scrubs and delays caused by weather violations, SpaceX managed to set several milestones in January. One of the notable achievements was the launch of Falcon 9’s 300th mission, which occurred on February 15 with the launch of the Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission. Additionally, booster B1082 successfully completed SpaceX’s 200th landing since the last failed one during the Starlink Group 7-14 mission.
SpaceX came close to launching a Falcon 9 from each of its three key launch pads within eight hours on the busy evening of February 14. However, the initial attempt of the Starlink Group 7-14 mission had to be scrubbed while on the pad. Nevertheless, SpaceX managed to reset the record for the shortest amount of time between three consecutive launches of Falcon to almost 23 hours when that mission flew the next day.
In the coming weeks, SpaceX has two non-Starlink missions planned from the east coast. The most highly anticipated mission is SpaceX’s eighth crew rotation mission to the International Space Station (ISS), which will carry commander Matthew Dominick, pilot Michael Barratt, and mission specialists Jeanette Epps and cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. This crew will not only conduct their mission on the ISS but also witness cargo arrivals from Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus, SpaceX’s Cargo Dragon, and Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane. They will also have the opportunity to greet the crew of Boeing’s Crew Flight Test when Starliner arrives in April.
In addition to these missions, SpaceX has several other launches scheduled. One of them is the launch of a new high-throughput communications satellite for Indonesia, which aims to strengthen the country’s communications architecture across the archipelago. SpaceX will also deploy another batch of Starlink satellites into the Group 6 shell.
Meanwhile, Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket is set to launch Astroscale’s ADRAS-J demonstration mission. This mission aims to make advancements in the removal of large-scale space debris from low-Earth orbit. The spacecraft will demonstrate a safe and methodical approach toward an unresponsive object in orbit, capturing images and other data as it orbits around the stage.
Lastly, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing to launch its first Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) rocket since May 2023. The rocket will deliver the successor to the INSAT-3DR weather research satellite, which will provide meteorological and disaster warning services to India from a geostationary orbit.
As SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of space exploration and commercial spaceflight, it is clear that the company is setting new records and achieving significant milestones. While it may be unlikely for SpaceX to repeat its 10-launch record in February, there are still numerous exciting missions on the horizon that will further solidify the company’s position as a leader in the space industry.