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SpaceX snags second Falcon 9 booster in two weeks after Crew Dragon launch

Falcon 9 B1051 returned to Port Canaveral for the first time aboard drone ship Of Course I Still Love You on March 5th. (Pauline Acalin)

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SpaceX and the company’s drone ship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) have successfully wrapped up their second Falcon 9 recovery in less than two weeks, bringing booster B1051 back to Port Canaveral to be broken over and refurbished for a second launch.

Following its support of Crew Dragon’s thus far flawless launch debut, the booster will likely be exceptionally easy to turn around for its next flight. That second launch could occur as early as late April for Cargo Dragon’s 17th mission, a consequence of NASA’s desire to keep its SpaceX missions on boosters that are ‘in family‘ (i.e. only new boosters or flight-proven boosters that have only launched NASA payloads).

https://twitter.com/_TomCross_/status/1102944003358687232

Although B1051’s reentry profile was relatively slow and gentle with main engine cut-off (MECO) and booster separation occurring at ~1.9 km/s (4250 mph) and 85 km (53 mi), its recovery was made intriguingly difficult by high seas at drone ship OCISLY’s Atlantic Ocean station. These bad conditions were readily visible at several points during SpaceX’s DM-1 livestream, with OCISLY heeling several degrees as the Falcon 9 booster’s Merlin 1D engine lit up the surrounding area like a floodlight. In fact, B1051’s post-landing struggle could actually be seen live as the booster clearly slide several meters across the drone ship’s deck almost immediately after touching down.

This issue of boosters sliding about and generally being difficult to deal with is actually one of the leading motivations that lead to SpaceX developing Octagrabber, a tank-like robot used to remotely secure recovery Falcon 9 first stages while minimizing the risk to the recovery team. In a situation like DM-1, with B1051 already sliding around OCISLY’s deck immediately after a night landing, Octagrabber would nominally be remotely activated and controlled, crawling from its garage to grab Falcon 9’s hold-down clamps and secure the stage with its own weight.

It’s actually unclear whether Octagrabber is capable of this sort of remote operation without SpaceX technicians aboard OCISLY, nor if SpaceX – as of late – has even tried to attempt to secure Falcon 9 boosters at night. The process of transferring crew between ships in heavy seas is actually quite dangerous on its own, so it would be less than surprising to hear that SpaceX’s recovery managers have cut down on nighttime operations in bad weather if Octagrabber can only be operated with crew present on OCISLY. For B1051, the drone ship, a tugboat, and crew boat GO Quest remained in the vicinity of the landing target until the following morning (still March 2nd) before beginning the ~500 km (~300 mi) trek back to Port Canaveral. Greeted by moody low-hanging clouds and scattered showers, observers were actually able to capture the rare sight – as pictured above – of Octagrabber being driven back into its blast shield/garage.

Regardless, future Commercial Crew launches – aside, perhaps, from SpaceX’s second demonstration launch (DM-2) later this year – will likely be able perform return-to-launch-site (RTLS) landings at the company’s Florida landing zones, much like Falcon 9 boosters already do after Cargo Dragon (CRS) missions. According to VP of Mission Assurance Hans Koenigsmann, B1051 had to conduct a drone ship (ASDS) recovery at sea due to NASA’s desire for conservative performance reserves to guard against the potential (and extremely unlikely) failure of one or several Merlin engines during the launch’s boost stage. In 2012, Falcon 9 suffered its first and only (known) in-flight Merlin failure, an anomaly which the rocket’s autonomously avionics perfectly dealt with to save the primary mission (Cargo Dragon’s operational debut, CRS-1). A secondary Orbcomm communications satellite sadly failed to make it to its operational orbit, however, classifying the mission as a partial failure. More recently, there have been unconfirmed hints pointing to other potential in-flight Merlin 1D failures, albeit during booster recovery attempts instead of the main boost phase. Whether or not those anomalies actually occurred, NASA is clearly all about extreme conservatism and ‘safety first’ approaches for the Commercial Crew Program (or at least SpaceX’s side of it).

SpaceX’s successful recovery of B1051 marks the company’s third launch and landing of 2019, thus far averaging a relatively slow one mission per month. While schedules can change, it currently appears that Crew Dragon’s DM-1 orbital debut will be the only SpaceX launch in March, barring Falcon Heavy’s own commercial debut occurring in the last few days of the month. According to a SpaceX representative speaking earlier this year, the company is actually aiming to equal or even surpass its 2018 record – 21 launches – in 2019, requiring a minimum average of two launches per month for the remainder of the year.

Numbers aside, SpaceX’s 2019 calendar will undoubtedly aim to surpass the number of major company milestones in a single year, a hard act to follow after 2017 and 2018. Ranging from the first operational Starlink satellite launches and the first SpaceX launch with astronauts aboard to major flight test and developmental milestones for the company’s next-gen Starship spaceship and Super Heavy booster, there are an incredible wealth of events to look forward to.

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Eric Ralph is Teslarati's senior spaceflight reporter and has been covering the industry in some capacity for almost half a decade, largely spurred in 2016 by a trip to Mexico to watch Elon Musk reveal SpaceX's plans for Mars in person. Aside from spreading interest and excitement about spaceflight far and wide, his primary goal is to cover humanity's ongoing efforts to expand beyond Earth to the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere.

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SpaceX to expand Central Texas facility with $8M Bastrop project

Bastrop is already the site of several Elon Musk-led ventures.

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Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX is set to expand its presence in Central Texas with an $8 million project to enlarge its Bastrop facility, as per state filings. 

The 80,000-square-foot addition, which is scheduled to begin construction on September 24 and wrap in early January 2026, was registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and initially reported by My San Antonio

New investment

Bastrop is already the site of several Elon Musk-led ventures. The upcoming expansion will extend SpaceX’s office at 858 FM 1209, near Starlink’s operations and The Boring Company’s facilities. Just down the road, X is housed in the Hyperloop Plaza at 865 FM 1209.

SpaceX’s expansion reflects a steady buildup of resources in Bastrop since the private space firm established its presence in the area. The addition was praised by Tesla Governor Greg Abbott, who wrote on X that the expansion will “bring more jobs, innovations and will strengthen Starlink’s impact worldwide.” 

State support

In March, Gov. Greg Abbott announced a $17.3 million state grant to SpaceX for an “expansion of their semiconductor research and development (R&D) and advanced packaging facility in Bastrop.” The project is expected to create more than 400 new jobs and generate over $280 million in capital investment.

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Following the grant award, the Texas Governor also noted that SpaceX’s facility would be growing by 1 million square feet across three years to boost its Starlink program. SpaceX’s Starlink division is among the company’s fastest-growing segments, with the satellite internet system connecting over 6 million users and counting worldwide. 

Recent reports have also indicated that Starlink has struck a deal with EchoStar to acquire 50 MHz of exclusive S-band spectrum in the United States and global Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) licenses. This should pave the way for Starlink to provide 5G coverage worldwide, even in remote areas. 

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Starlink’s EchoStar spectrum deal could bring 5G coverage anywhere

The agreement strengthens Starlink’s ability to expand its mobile coverage worldwide.

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Credit: SpaceX/X

SpaceX has struck a deal with EchoStar to acquire 50 MHz of exclusive S-band spectrum in the United States and global Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) licenses, paving the way for its next-generation Starlink Direct to Cell constellation. 

The agreement strengthens Starlink’s ability to expand its mobile coverage worldwide. With the upgraded system, SpaceX aims to deliver full 5G connectivity to unmodified cell phones and eliminate mobile dead zones worldwide.

Expanding mobile coverage

Starlink’s Direct to Cell service was first launched in early 2024 with satellites designed to connect directly to standard LTE mobile devices. Within days of deployment, engineers demonstrated texting from unmodified phones, followed by video calling. Over the past 18 months, SpaceX has grown the system to more than 600 satellites, which now offer service across five continents. Today, Starlink Direct to Cell is considered the largest 4G coverage provider worldwide, connecting over 6 million users and counting, according to SpaceX in a post.

The constellation integrates with Starlink’s broader fleet of 8,000 satellites via a laser mesh network. Operating at 360 kilometers (224 miles) above Earth, the satellites connect directly to devices without hardware or firmware modifications. The system is already supporting messaging, video calls, navigation, social media apps, and IoT connectivity in remote areas.

Next-generation system

Through its new EchoStar spectrum acquisition, SpaceX plans to develop a second-generation constellation with far greater capacity. The upgraded satellites will leverage SpaceX-designed silicon and advanced phased array antennas to increase throughput by 20x per satellite and increase total system capacity by more than 100x. These enhancements are expected to support full 5G cellular connectivity in remote areas, with performance comparable to terrestrial LTE networks.

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Partnerships with major mobile carriers remain central to Starlink’s expansion. Operators including T-Mobile in the United States, Rogers in Canada, KDDI in Japan, and Kyivstar in Ukraine are integrating Direct to Cell services for coverage in rural areas and during emergencies. The service has already provided critical communication during hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, enabling millions of SMS messages and emergency alerts to be delivered when ground networks were unavailable.

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SpaceX Starship launches face pushback in Florida over noise, flights—and nudists

SpaceX is seeking permission to fly its fully reusable Starship system from Launch Complex 39A.

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Credit: SpaceX

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has wrapped up a series of public hearings on SpaceX’s proposal to launch its Super Heavy Starship rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC). 

The sessions, held both in-person and online, form part of the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) review that will determine whether SpaceX would be cleared to conduct Starship launches and landings from Florida’s Space Coast.

FAA review and Starship launch plans

According to the FAA’s draft EIS, SpaceX seeks permission to fly its fully reusable Starship system from Launch Complex 39A, where construction of a dedicated tower and infrastructure has already begun. Proposed operations could involve landings at KSC or droneships positioned across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. The FAA emphasized that final approval is not guaranteed with the completion of the EIS, as safety and financial requirements must still be met, as noted in a Space.com report.

Starship’s larger scale compared to Falcon 9 means expanded exclusion zones for air, sea, and beach access. The analysis also projected more than 60 annual closures of Playalinda Beach, alongside potential flight delays across Florida airports lasting 40 minutes to two hours. Port Canaveral would also be affected by maritime restrictions.

Local concerns

Public comments reflected a mix of optimism and unease. Aviation officials, such as Tampa International Airport COO John Tiliacos, warned of significant disruption to commercial flights. “There is the potential that there’s going to be significant impact to commercial aviation and the traveling public. That’s something that certainly the FAA needs to give consideration to and, frankly, come up with a plan to mitigate,” he stated. 

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Others raised health concerns, noting that chronic sleep disruption from launch noise could impact veterans and trauma survivors. Robyn Memphis, a neuroscience and psychology graduate student, stated that sleep disruptions from launch noise and sonic booms could carry lasting effects. “Chronic sleep disruption is not just inconvenient. This is directly linked to depression, anxiety… cardiovascular disease, even suicide risk. And being in Florida, we have many veterans and trauma survivors in the community,” she said.

Nudist protests and responses

Erich Schuttauf, the executive director of the American Association for Nude Recreation, also argued that places like Playalinda Beach, a nudist beach, are crucial for people who travel to places where public nudity is legal. His sentiments were echoed by fellow nudist Sue Stevens, who noted that “It’s probably a quarter million people that travel and think like I do, who look for destinations that are beautiful and surrounded by like-minded people.”

Photographer Max West, who plans to move to Florida to photograph Starship, noted that the spacecraft presents a notable step forward for humanity. And while its impact to communities is not marginal, the progress it offers is well worth it. “I’m not going to say that there is zero environmental impact there,” he said, though he also stated that there has to be some “little sacrifices along the way. “The turtles and the nudists will have to migrate. That’s the cost that you have to pay for this incredible stuff that’s happening.”

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