Last Updated on 12/02/2021 by Khushi
Elon Musk owned SpaceX set a new record on Sunday, for the most number of spaceships ever deployed with respect to a single mission. SpaceX aerospace company made this new record by launching 143 spacecraft into space.
At 10 am EST, the reusable rocket, Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from the SpaceX Launch Complex 40, located at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
The rocket had 133 commercial and government spacecraft alongside 1 Starlink satellite onto it. It is a step ahead as a part of SpaceX’s SmallSat Rideshare Program launched in 2019.
It is a program that provides a solution to reduced costs by deploying multiple spacecraft to a single rocket, serving as a carpool. Through this initiative, it allows small satellite companies to avail access to space at cheaper rates, starting at $1 M for the first 485 pounds. This saves a lot of cost as the companies allow their small satellites to hitch a ride to space with other spacecraft in place of availing an entire rocket, adding on to its investment. Thereon, the program serves as a much more reliable and cost-efficient measure towards successful launches.
After a failed attempt on Saturday with respect to unfavourable weather, SpaceX carried forward the launch to Sunday.
Elon Musk went on to twitter to say the following: “Launching many small satellites for a wide range of customers tomorrow. Excited about offering low-cost access to orbit for small companies!”
SpaceX launched satellites totalling up to 800 before Sunday’s event. These 800 satellites were amongst the several others, launched into space to aid broadband internet globally, which could provide a return of $30 billion on the overall investment which is worth $10 billion. A major proportion of this would help in funding the interplanetary rocket program under Elon Musk’s SpaceX, named Starship.
