#crs8

Falcon 9 completes static fire ahead of first reflight mission.

SpaceX is preparing for one of their most significant rocket launches later this week, the SES-10 mission March 30th. SES-10 will mark the first time ever that the company will have reached its goal of reusability, using the Falcon 9 first stage initially launched on the CRS-8 mission in April, 2016.

Earlier today, March 27, the flight-proven Falcon 9 was erected on LC-39A for the prelaunch static fire test. The booster still shows signs of charring from its first flight into space as evidenced by the washed-out grey areas near the interstage and Octaweb. Liftoff is slated for 6:30pm EDT on Thursday, March 30. Eight minutes after launch, the rocket will perform a droneship landing on Of Course I Still Love You, downrange in the Atlantic ocean. Although it will be the rocket’s second barge landing, OCISLY will have new technology on board to assist its capture of the rocket - a roomba-like device dubbed Optimus Prime. The robot will maneuver itself underneath the landed rocket and will attach on to its pad hold-down points. This will better stabilize the vehicle during its voyage back to Port Canaveral. Below, the robotic Falcon 9 stabilization droid, Optimus Prime, is seen undergoing final checkouts atop Of Course I Still Love You last week ahead of its first use on the SES-10 mission.

Two of the rarest vehicles in existence -  used rockets. 

Located at Kennedy Space Center’s LC-39A, the two recovered Falcon 9 first stages are being kept in the Horizontal Integration Facility. Here, the Orbcomm OG2 stage has been undergoing inspection and disassembly of its engines. The CRS-8 stage will undergo initial inspection here before being prepared for a series of static fires at the renovated pad in the upcoming months.

In the foreground is the Falcon 9 first stage from the CRS-8 mission, which performed the first-ever successful sea landing on the Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship.

In the background is the first stage from the Orbcomm OG-2 mission, which marked the first time in history an orbital-class rocket was recovered following its flight, landing back at Cape Canaveral at LZ-1.

One by land and one by sea - two recovered Falcon 9 rockets.

Now that the CRS-8 first stage has arrived at LC-39A's Horizontal Integration Facility, SpaceX has two flown and reusable rockets at their disposal. A goal the company has strived for since 2011 – safely landing the Falcon 9 first stage for reuse – was achieved in December 2015 and April 2016 when the above rockets were recovered on land and on sea after their respective flights.

But what will happen to these two paradigm-shifting feats of technology and engineering? Because of its role in history, Elon Musk stated that the Orbcomm stage, seen on the left partially disassembled in the photo above, will go on display outside the company's headquarters and factory in Hawthorne, California.

The 131-foot tall rocket will be displayed vertically, and will be visible across the region as the tallest structure for miles. Currently, the stage is still undergoing disassembly and inspection in Florida, but the company hopes to have it on display by the end of 2016.

Although historic for the first ASDS landing at sea, the CRS-8 stage will test the ability to refly a booster. After ten static firings of the vehicle's 9 Merlin 1D engines, it will be manifested for a launch in late summer, becoming the first rocket in history to be reused on an orbital flight. During the static firings, the vehicle will validate renovated systems at LC-39A, which SpaceX significantly modified from the Space Shuttle for their Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets.

SpaceX hopes to recover enough rocket stages to offer flights significantly cheaper than the current nearly $65 million. This would change the launch services industry, opening up access to space for smaller companies and institutions.