Enlarge / SpaceX successfully test-fired its rocket for the BulgariaSat-1 mission last week. (credit: SpaceX)
It’s a big weekend for SpaceX, the California rocket company that has already had a big year. On Friday, the company will attempt to launch BulgariaSat-1, a commercial communications satellite, to a geostationary orbit. On Sunday, the company will attempt to launch a second batch of Iridium satellites into low Earth orbit. If successful, this weekend would put the company on pace for a record-smashing number of missions this year.
Big weekend
The BulgariaSat-1 launch was delayed from earlier this week due to a payload fairing issue, but that appears to have been resolved. The flight is notable because it marks only the second time the company has flown a “used” rocket back into space. The five-month turnaround on this booster has been much shorter than SpaceX’s first reflight in March—this first stage was last used during a January 14th launch from California.
Friday’s launch will occur at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where weather conditions appear to be nearly ideal for a rocket launch. The launch window opens at 2:10pm ET (7:10pm BST), and will remain open for two hours. Following stage separation, and about eight minutes after today’s launch, the Falcon 9’s first stage will attempt a landing on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship.
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Source: Ars Technica – SpaceX goes for a launch doubleheader this weekend