#f9028

The first stage of JCSAT-16′s Falcon 9 was transported from Port Canaveral to the Horizontal Integration Facility at LC-39A yesterday, August 25. SpaceX has been performing the standard post-recovery operations on the landed stage, which lofted the JCSAT-16 satellite into orbit on August 14. These included safing of the vehicle’s systems, removal of landing legs, and initial inspections. Of Course I Still Love You, the Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship which the booster landed on, arrived at the Port August 17. JCSAT-16 marked the first time SpaceX has used the former 76-wheeled Orbiter Transporter, which it acquired from NASA in 2015. Measuring 106 feet long, the transporter used to carry the shuttle orbiters from the Orbiter Processing Facility to the Vehicle Assembly Building in between flights. SpaceX will now use the transporter to carry recovered Falcon 9 rockets from the ASDS wharf at the Port to the HIF at LC-39A. Previous ocean-recovered rockets were transported using a modified semi truck. P/c: Bob Richards (Moon Express CEO)

P/c: For All Mankind/Joey Vars

SpaceX workers inspecting the JCSAT-16 Falcon 9 first stage at Port Canaveral earlier today. The rocket stands nearly 123 feet fall, with the landing legs having a span of around 50 feet.

Three and a half days after successfully launching the JCSAT-16 satellite into orbit and landing on the droneship, the first stage of F9-028 arrived at Port Canaveral earlier today, August 17th. Nine minutes after a 1:26am liftoff, the first stage touched down nearly dead-center on Of Course I Still Love You, located a few hundred miles off the Florida coast. SpaceX technicians will now transfer the rocket to a shore-based work platform where they will further safe the vehicle, remove the landing legs, and prepare for transport to LC-39A’s HIF. P/c: We Report Space, Malcolm Denmark, Scott Murray.

P/c: SpaceX.

T-20 minutes A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is set to launch the JCSAT-16 communications satellite at 1:27am EDT. Watch live at SpaceX.com/webcast