SpaceX is revolutionizing spaceflight

SpaceX LLC
Ryan Bale // Spaceflight News

SpaceX launched the SES-10 satellite Thursday, March 30th from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida from Launch Complex 39a and carried it to its Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) making the mission a success. SES-10 is a television and video broadcasting satellite that orbits in the same spot above the equator and should be operational sometime in mid-May. One of the crucial parts of this mission was the relaunch of an already used booster that has been flight proven through tests. The first stage used to launch SES-10 was also the same booster that launched CRS-8 to the ISS back in April of 2016.

Elon Musk and Martin Halliwell at the Post-launch conference
Walter Scriptunas II / Scriptunas Images

After examination of the first stage and various tests of the engines at their test facility in McGregor, Texas, the stage was ready to relaunch and SES chose to be their first customer to use a flight proven booster. "We don't believe we're taking an inordinate risk here," said SES CTO Martin Halliwell stated at a press conference, SES is very confident in the work that SpaceX has put into it to ensure the flight goes smoothly. After launch, the first stage reentered the atmosphere for the second time and made another successful landing on the droneship "Of Course I Still Love You" and is returning back to port on April 3rd. After arriving at Port they will lift it off the droneship, remove the legs, move it horizontally onto the transport trailer, and bring it back to the CCAFS. Elon musk stated this mission as being a "huge

SES-10 launched from LC-39a
Credit // SpaceX

revolution in spaceflight" as it will cut the costs of launches and make space more accessible to smaller companies. The refurb time on this booster took about 4 months, but they hope to bring that time down to 2 months and even down to 1 day.