On Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 4:34 a.m., we witnessed SpaceX’s 60th launch of 2022. The clear conditions made for optimal viewing from Lake Nona as Falcon 9 arched over The Wave Hotel, illuminating the early morning skies. The payload included 54 Starlink satellites that were delivered to low Earth orbit. This was the first mission dedicated to the second-generation Starlink constellation.
Just nine minutes after liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station from pad 40, the booster landed on the bullseye of the drone ship “A Shortfall of Gravitas,” which was stationed approximately 410 miles away – just northeast of the Bahamas. This marked the 11th launch and recovery of Falcon 9 first stage B1062.
Shortly after the second stage’s MVac ignition, the reusable fairings separated and parachuted down to the Atlantic Ocean for a soft touchdown in the water. SpaceX’s recovery ship “Doug” successfully recovered the two fairings and transported them back to Port Canaveral the following day for future reuse.
