And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Monday, February 23, 2026
Falcon 9 rocket sets new reuse record on SpaceX's 2nd Starlink launch of the day
First up at 4:04 a.m. EST (0904 GMT or 1:04 a.m. PST local time), a Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Twenty-five (25) Starlink satellites (Group 17-25) were lofted part of the way into space by a booster (B1063) making its 31st flight.
Then, at 10:47 p.m. EST on Saturday (0347 GMT on Feb. 22), another Falcon 9 took flight from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. That booster (B1067) carried 28 satellites (Starlink Group 6-104) on its record-setting 33rd trip to space and back.
Excellent. SpaceX really gets it. Aside from the truly remarkable achievements in testing and test flights, they got it right so far, they industrialized low earth orbit space operations. No turning back now. Adios legacy space. Just superb. Way back when Tony Bruno was dissing Elon and Falcon reusability Elon stated 50 launch and landings for the boosters. Bruno then commented Falcon could only be reliably reusable if they made 10 complete launch/landing cycles. Yeah, about that Mr. Bruno, pass you Elon's beer if it helps legacy coping any. He griped similar regarding Raptor III, stating what was running on the vertical test stand was not a complete engine. The additive fabrication of Raptor III seriously provides an almost quantum leap in regards to reliability, I think, in concert with, reducing cost per lb to orbit just inside the upper realm of civilian passenger flight costs. Awesome. Next SuperHeavy/Starship. And pretty soon too.
Good old B1067 now -33. Went out in the yard to watch the launch - gorgeous - and a rattle from the engines that lasted until well after landing on ASOG. Must have been a few hundred miles down range by then.
Google says that SpaceX's cost per launch is down to $15M. With ESA charging $120M to launch, SpaceX charging $70M, undercutting ESA by $50M and making $55M in profit per launch. What an awesomely amazing time to be alive.
The audacity of Space X and Statlink is refreshing.
ReplyDeleteExcellent. SpaceX really gets it. Aside from the truly remarkable achievements in testing and test flights, they got it right so far, they industrialized low earth orbit space operations. No turning back now. Adios legacy space. Just superb. Way back when Tony Bruno was dissing Elon and Falcon reusability Elon stated 50 launch and landings for the boosters. Bruno then commented Falcon could only be reliably reusable if they made 10 complete launch/landing cycles. Yeah, about that Mr. Bruno, pass you Elon's beer if it helps legacy coping any. He griped similar regarding Raptor III, stating what was running on the vertical test stand was not a complete engine. The additive fabrication of Raptor III seriously provides an almost quantum leap in regards to reliability, I think, in concert with, reducing cost per lb to orbit just inside the upper realm of civilian passenger flight costs.
ReplyDeleteAwesome.
Next SuperHeavy/Starship. And pretty soon too.
Good! My starlink is getting slow....
ReplyDeleteAnd, Boeing's Artemis can't take a fueling without leaks or frozen fuel pumps....
ReplyDeleteGood old B1067 now -33. Went out in the yard to watch the launch - gorgeous - and a rattle from the engines that lasted until well after landing on ASOG. Must have been a few hundred miles down range by then.
ReplyDeleteGoogle says that SpaceX's cost per launch is down to $15M. With ESA charging $120M to launch, SpaceX charging $70M, undercutting ESA by $50M and making $55M in profit per launch. What an awesomely amazing time to be alive.
ReplyDeleteSo…is that what I can feel frying me…occasionally?
ReplyDelete