SpaceX completes 2nd launch in less than 16 hours
Capitalism in space: SpaceX tonight successfully completed its second Falcon 9 launch in less than 16 hours (the company’s shortest time between launches), putting the communications satellite Turksat-5B into orbit.
The first stage successfully landed on the drone ship, completing its third flight. Both fairings flew their second flight.
More important, this was the 30th successful launch for SpaceX in 2021, which not only continues to extend its record for the most launches ever in a single year by a private company, it also exceeds the company’s prediction of 29 launches for ’21.
The leaders in the 2021 launch race:
48 China
30 SpaceX
22 Russia
6 Europe (Arianespace)
5 ULA
5 Rocket Lab
China now leads the U.S. 48 to 47 in the national rankings. This was the 126th successful launch in 2021, putting it in a tie for the third best year in rocketry since Sputnik.
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Capitalism in space: SpaceX tonight successfully completed its second Falcon 9 launch in less than 16 hours (the company’s shortest time between launches), putting the communications satellite Turksat-5B into orbit.
The first stage successfully landed on the drone ship, completing its third flight. Both fairings flew their second flight.
More important, this was the 30th successful launch for SpaceX in 2021, which not only continues to extend its record for the most launches ever in a single year by a private company, it also exceeds the company’s prediction of 29 launches for ’21.
The leaders in the 2021 launch race:
48 China
30 SpaceX
22 Russia
6 Europe (Arianespace)
5 ULA
5 Rocket Lab
China now leads the U.S. 48 to 47 in the national rankings. This was the 126th successful launch in 2021, putting it in a tie for the third best year in rocketry since Sputnik.
Readers!
Every February I run a fund-raising drive during my birthday month. This year I celebrate my 72nd birthday, and hope and plan to continue writing and posting on Behind the Black for as long as I am able.
I hope my readers will support this effort. As I did in my November fund-raising drive, I am offering autographed copies of my books for large donations. Donate $250 and you can have a choice of the hardback of either Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8 or Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space. Donate $200 and you can get an autographed paperback copy of either.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
I’m seeing that SpaceX will be launching to the ISS on the 21st as well.
And 99th successful landing.
Yes, Diane Wilson, that 100th recovery will be a truly amazing milestone, especially since nobody else has done it, except with a big fat * beside it!
* suborbital inverted bungee-jump
If is wasn’t for the LOX/transport/Covid crap, we’d be ahead.
The 99th recovery is not exactly unremarkable.
With the upcoming launch on Tuesday using a new core, this year will have flown 2 new cores, and 29 reflights. That is quite an accomplishment as well.
29/30 so far have succesfully landed (only one not landed this year).
Total lbs to orbit is 289tons (minus CRS on Tuesdays mass).
Compared to last years 250t, and prior to that, the previous 3 years were about 90t each year. So 3 times the payload to orbit of just last year.
Quite impressive. And one core at 11 flights, one at 10, and 2 at 9 is also quite impressive.
Some amazing stats on this year.
Bill Whittle, Steve Green, and Scott Ott talk about why Elon Musk is the Man of the Century:
https://rumble.com/vqy1p6-calling-out-senator-karen-why-elon-musk-is-the-man-of-the-century.html (15 minutes)
“He’s done it. He’s made it cool to be educated, intelligent, ambitious, rich, aggressive, and not put up with any crap from these politicians who’re constantly trying to snuff out people like him. I don’t think he’s ever won a participation trophy in his life.”
They like his attitude and his leadership. In essence, Musk brings world-changing ideas to life.
SpaceX has launched twice in 16 hours. It was only a few years ago that ULA bragged about launching twice in six days, and like these Falcon launches, one was from the Eastern Range and one from the Western Range.
It has been a long time since space exploration has advanced this much, and the rest of the world is advancing with it.
Iron Man (2008)
“Tony Stark Was Able To Build This…” scene
https://youtu.be/H4oHU3RXjiM
This guy is thinking big thoughts about Starship.
https://caseyhandmer.wordpress.com/2021/11/17/science-upside-for-starship/
amazing that no one else is even close to reusable rockets even after 99 recoveries
not even a full-scale test in the planning stage