Perhaps, SpaceX will no longer throw missiles

SpaceX was the Falcon 9 launch at the beginning of last week, but because of the wind the launch was postponed. The second attempt was successful. Shortly after the launch on Thursday SpaceX announced that EchoStar XXIII confidently entered the geosynchronous orbit. Due to the complexity of the satellite launch SpaceX did not try to recover the first stage. Perhaps this sacrifice was for the last time.

EchoStar XXIII - commercial satellite Ku-band, supports data and video. This is the 25th satellite of this type deployed by, making it the fourth largest provider of geosynchronous satellites. Due to the nature of their work EchoStar XXIII must be located at a high altitude about 36 000 kilometers. To raise a large payload up, it takes a lot of energy, so the Falcon 9 left fuel on landing.

SpaceX knew all this when a missile launched from a historical launch pad 39A at Space Center. Kennedy (her second start here). Therefore, its rocket went into the ocean, as well as all the disposable rockets to it. The founder of SpaceX Elon Musk says it may have been the last time the company loses the first stage of the rocket. Future payloads of this type will go to the advanced Falcon 9 Block 5 or not yet tested a rocket Falcon Heavy. Falcon 9 Block 5 will be the final version of the project. It will be very similar to the current Falcon 9, but with a more powerful engine, outstanding great traction, improved landing gear and design changes so that it was easier to brush up on the new launch. Falcon Heavy (formerly known as the Falcon 9 Heavy) - is quite another. The basis of this transport will be the Falcon 9 with two accelerators attached to the sides. He will be able to display nearly 23,000 kilograms into geosynchronous orbit. Falcon Heavy and Falcon 9 Block 4 will have to start almost simultaneously at some point later this year.

Thanks to more powerful rockets, SpaceX will not have to choose between terminal payload into a higher orbit and the first stage of recovery equipment. It will be possible to do both, saving significant resources on each startup. Additional fuel for planting adds weight, but savings as a result of rocket recovery more than offset this cost. Most of these launches will take place on the launch pad 39A, which SpaceX will use as the main object to start in Florida.

In the end, this is an important step on the road to impossible colonization of Mars.