Private space tech company SpaceX is stepping up its at-sea rocket recovery programme, planning five recoveries in two weeks, including three Falcon 9 cores, two fairings, which protect the payload during takeoff, and a Dragon cargo capsule. The first of these launches will take place on Saturday from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with another launch scheduled for Sunday at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Construction of an additional droneship has been temporarily paused due to a reduction in expected launches of large geostationary communications satellites in 2019.
Private space tech company SpaceX is stepping up its at-sea rocket recovery programme, planning five recoveries in two weeks, including three Falcon 9 cores, two fairings, which protect the payload during takeoff, and a Dragon cargo capsule. The company uses a fleet of recovery vessels for the operations, consisting of two autonomous spaceport droneships (ASDS), a fast supply vessel and four crew boats, sailing out of ports on both the US east and west coasts. Construction of an additional droneship has been temporarily paused due to a reduction in expected launches of large geostationary communications satellites in 2019.