SpaceX Breaks Record: 56-Hour Launchpad Turnaround

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SpaceX just broke their own launchpad turnaround record—Falcon 9 roared to life only 56 hours after the previous launch from the same pad.

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The midnight Starlink mission blasted off at 12:26 a.m. EDT on June 28, carrying 27 satellites to orbit and shattering the previous March record by nearly 30 minutes.

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What makes this 56-hour turnaround so impressive? Normal rocket launch sites typically need weeks between launches for refurbishment and safety checks.

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Weather almost derailed the record attempt—severe thunderstorms swept through Florida's Space Coast earlier that evening before clearing just in time for launch.

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The veteran Falcon 9 booster (B1092) was making its fifth flight, having previously supported missions including CRS-32 and GPS III SV08.

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After delivering its payload, the booster made a precise landing on "A Shortfall of Gravitas" drone ship—marking the vessel's 115th successful recovery.

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This launch was the first half of a planned "doubleheader," with another Starlink mission scheduled from California later the same day.

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The timing was meaningful—it marked the 497th Falcon 9 flight and fell on the 10-year anniversary of the CRS-7 mission failure that led to critical rocket improvements.

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SpaceX's rapid reusability achievements have drastically cut launch costs, enabling more frequent missions and accelerating their plan to provide global internet access via 7,900+ satellites.

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