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Live coverage: Falcon 9 rocket on track for Sunday launch
SpaceX rolled out a Falcon 9 rocket to launch pad 39A early Tuesday for a prelaunch hotfire test before this weekend's liftoff with a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, the U.S. government spy satellite agency. The static fire test was completed at 3:02 p.m. (1902 GMT).
Musk wants to make Falcon rockets fully reusable
SpaceX chief Elon Musk said last week he is "fairly confident" his company's Falcon rockets can be made fully reusable within a couple of years, suggesting a renewed emphasis on outfitting upper stages for a scorching re-entry after engineers shelved the idea to focus on landing the launcher's bigger booster stage.
Photos: SpaceX booster lands for second time on drone ship
SpaceX's reused Falcon 9 first stage booster returned to a landing on an ocean-going platform a few minutes after launching March 30 with the SES 10 communications satellite, then returned to Port Canaveral early Tuesday.
Musk previews busy year ahead for SpaceX
There's a lot on SpaceX's agenda this year if the company can maintain its pace, including refinements of the Falcon 9 rocket to hasten refurbishment between flights and the debut of the long-delayed Falcon Heavy launch vehicle with two side boosters recycled from previous missions, Elon Musk said after last week's successful liftoff of a previously-flown rocket.
Photos: SpaceX’s photos from Thursday’s reflight of Falcon 9 booster
Remote sound-triggered cameras around launch pad 39A captured stunning views of Thursday evening's launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on the first reflight of a commercial orbital-class booster.
SpaceX flies rocket for second time in historic test of cost-cutting technology
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket sporting a fresh cleaning and several refurbishments took off Thursday from a seaside launch pad in Florida to send an SES communications satellite into space, then landed on a platform in the Atlantic Ocean to repeat a feat the same booster achieved nearly one year ago.
Photos: Press site views of SpaceX’s rocket relaunch
These photos of Thursday evening's successful relaunch of a Falcon 9 rocket booster, which returned to Earth after a maiden mission last year, were taken at the Kennedy Space Center press site about 3.1 miles from launch pad 39A.
Falcon 9 launch to landing replay
Video from the SpaceX webcast, featuring the launch of the SES 10 satellite atop a previously-flown Falcon 9 rocket, followed by a successful barge landing by the first stage.
Watch replay of Falcon 9 launch as seen from the press site
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, powered by a previously-flown booster, lifts off from launch pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:27 p.m. EDT (2227 GMT) on March 30, 2017, carrying the SES 10 communications satellite. The launch marked the first time SpaceX has reused the first stage of one of its Falcon 9 rockets.
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.