Key takeaways:
- The Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida hosted a doubleheader launch of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket carrying an X-37B spaceplane and a Falcon 9 rocket loaded with 23 Starlink internet satellites.
- The X-37B spaceplane is a reusable mini space shuttle used to carry classified experiments and is on its seventh mission.
- The successful launch of the X-37B spaceplane and the Falcon 9 rocket marks another milestone for SpaceX, the California rocket builder.
The Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida was the site of a doubleheader launch on Tuesday evening. A powerful SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket carried an unpiloted X-37B spaceplane into orbit for a classified, long-duration military mission. The launch was delayed by two weeks due to technical issues.
At the nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, another team of SpaceX engineers was counting down to launch of a single-core Falcon 9 rocket loaded with 23 Starlink internet satellites.
The X-37B space plane is a reusable plane resembling a mini space shuttle and is used to carry classified experiments. This is the seventh mission for the X-37B and is expected to last at least a couple of years.
The two flights marked the California rocket builder’s 95th and, if all goes well, 96th Falcon family flights so far this year. The Falcon Heavy rocket is the most powerful rocket in operation and is capable of carrying payloads of up to 63,800 kilograms into orbit.
SpaceX continues to make strides in the space exploration industry, launching a variety of payloads into orbit. The successful launch of the X-37B spaceplane and the Falcon 9 rocket marks another milestone for the company.
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