Photos: Previously-flown Falcon 9 booster ready for second launch

A Falcon 9 rocket is standing on launch pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for liftoff Thursday to carry the SES 10 communications satellite into orbit on the first mission SpaceX has attempted to re-fly one of its used boosters.

Standing 229 feet (70 meters) tall, the slender white booster shows signs of its up-and-down flight in April 2016 that sent a Dragon supply ship toward the International Space Station. SpaceX cleaned off the first stage, inspected, refurbished and retested it ahead of Thursday’s flight.

The rocket’s tail number — No. 21 — is visible at the base of the first stage booster. The marking is located between the rocket’s four landing legs.

Liftoff is set for 6:27 p.m. EDT (2227 GMT) Thursday at the opening of a two-and-a-half hour launch window. It will be the 32nd flight of a Falcon 9 rocket overall, and the fourth Falcon 9 launch of the year.

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Credit: Walter Scriptunas II / Scriptunas Images
Credit: Walter Scriptunas II / Scriptunas Images
Credit: Walter Scriptunas II / Scriptunas Images
Credit: Walter Scriptunas II / Scriptunas Images
Credit: Walter Scriptunas II / Scriptunas Images
Credit: Walter Scriptunas II / Scriptunas Images
Credit: Walter Scriptunas II / Scriptunas Images

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