SpaceX Achieves Major Milestones

SpaceX achieved two significant milestones in the realm of spaceflight on the night of September 27, 2023, during a dazzling launch from California. The company successfully deployed its flight-proven Falcon 9 rocket booster for the astounding 350th time in program history while simultaneously completing its 300th successful booster landing.

Launch Details

The Starlink 9-14 mission lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base at precisely 7:05 p.m. PST (10:05 p.m. EST, 0305 UTC). Despite the excitement surrounding the launch, SpaceX curiously omitted livestream details from its announcements, leading to uncertainty about public viewing. This decision drew some confusion, especially given that the company provided live streams for previous launches from California.

Contrasting Promotions

Interestingly, on the same day, SpaceX promoted the planned launch of the SiriusXM SXM-9 satellite scheduled for the next day at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. This mission came with a clear livestream link and extensive social media coverage, contrasting sharply with the low-key promotion of the Starlink flight.

Delayed Livestreams

In a somewhat puzzling turn of events, the livestream for the Starlink 9-14 mission only became active approximately 44 seconds after the rocket's liftoff, continuing a trend of delayed broadcasts from Vandenberg. Regardless of the technical hiccups, the Falcon 9 first stage booster, designated B1081, triumphantly completed its twelfth launch, showcasing its exceptional reusability.

Successful Landing