SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Tuesday, sending 114 small satellites into polar orbit for customers in 23 countries. The payloads on the mission included technology demonstrations, Earth observation devices, and communication equipment.
The launch marked the first of up to 100 planned missions for SpaceX in 2023, following a record 61 launches in the previous year. The U.S. Space Force is preparing for a total of 87 launches from Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center in 2023. The Falcon 9’s first stage, tail number B1060, made its 15th successful launch and landing, tying a record for the most-flown booster in SpaceX’s inventory.
The payloads on the mission came from a variety of countries including Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Kuwait, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay.
Approximately 8 minutes after the launch, the first stage of the Falcon 9 returned to Earth and made a successful landing on Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, marking the 161st landing of an orbital class booster.
