A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carried an Argentinian Earth-observation satellite into space Sunday and for the first time landed a first-stage booster back at its California launch site.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carried an Argentinian Earth-observation satellite into space Sunday and for the first time landed a first-stage booster back at its California launch site.
The primary purpose of the mission was to place the SAOCOM 1A satellite into orbit, but SpaceX also wanted to expand its recovery of first stages to its launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles.
SpaceX had previously flown first-stage rockets back to land after Florida launches but had not done so on the West Coast.
The Air Force last week advised residents on the central California coast they might see multiple engine burns by the first stage and hear one or more sonic booms as it returned.
SpaceX also has successfully landed Falcon 9 first stages on so-called drone ships off the coasts of Florida and California, all as part of its effort to decrease the cost of space launches by reusing rockets rather than allowing them to fall into the ocean.
The satellite is the first of two for Argentina's space agency, Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales, and will work in conjunction with a constellation of Italian space agency satellites.
Its name is short for Satelite Argentino de Observacion Con Microondas.
SAOCOM 1A carries a high-resolution instrument called a synthetic aperture radar that will be used for emergency management during disasters and for land monitoring. The second satellite will be SAOCOM 1B.
Liftoff and landing pic.twitter.com/IXN0NQIC1L
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 8, 2018
1. Falcon 9's first West Coast land landing
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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carried an Argentinian Earth-observation satellite into space Sunday and for the first time landed a first-stage booster back at its California launch site.
2. 30th successful landing of a rocket booster
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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carried an Argentinian Earth-observation satellite into space Sunday and for the first time landed a first-stage booster back at its California launch site.
3. Falcon 9 rocket carried an Argentinian Earth-observation satellite
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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carried an Argentinian Earth-observation satellite into space Sunday and for the first time landed a first-stage booster back at its California launch site.
4. SpaceX's launch pad at Vandenberg
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Falcon 9 and SAOCOM 1A are vertical on SpaceX's launch pad at Vandenberg AFB. Following today’s launch at 7:21 p.m. PDT, SpaceX will attempt to land Falcon 9's first stage on Landing Zone 4.
5. SpaceX's West Coast landing Zone
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Falcon 9 and SAOCOM 1A are vertical on SpaceX's launch pad at Vandenberg AFB. Following today’s launch at 7:21 p.m. PDT, SpaceX will attempt to land Falcon 9's first stage on Landing Zone 4.
6. T-60 minutes until Falcon 9 launch of SAOCOM 1A
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Falcon 9 on Landing Zone 4 after delivering SAOCOM 1A to low Earth orbit, marking the 30th successful landing of a rocket booster.
7. Second stage engine burns underway
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Main engine cutoff and stage separation confirmed. Second stage engine burns underway. Falcon 9 on Landing Zone 4 after delivering SAOCOM 1A to low Earth orbit, marking the 30th successful landing of a rocket booster.
8. Successful deployment of SAOCOM 1A to low Earth orbit confirmed
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Falcon 9 on Landing Zone 4 after delivering SAOCOM 1A to low Earth orbit, marking the 30th successful landing of a rocket booster.
9. Falcon 9 on Landing Zone 4 after delivering SAOCOM 1A to low Earth orbit
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Falcon 9 on Landing Zone 4 after delivering SAOCOM 1A to low Earth orbit, marking the 30th successful landing of a rocket booster.
