SpaceX To Launch A New Rocket Today

It’s become normal for SpaceX to launch previously flown hardware that it’s strange to hear that the company is launching a completely new rocket today. SpaceX is become extremely well adept at landing its first-stage Falcon 9 rockets and reusing its capsules. Today a brand-new Falcon 9 rocket will pushing the Dragon cargo capsule into orbit on a NASA contracted flight to deliver supplies to the ISS.

The Dragon cargo capsule has over 7300 pounds of supplies and new experiments that will be delivered to the crew aboard the ISS. The capsule will take two days to reach the space station, and the launch is set to begin at 1:29 PM EDT Thursday from launchpad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The launch marks SpaceX’s 22nd resupply mission to the ISS and the 17th launch of the year overall. Currently, there’s a 60 percent chance of favorable weather conditions to launch the mission, with the primary concern being clouds and rain showers around the launch site. This flight will be number 17, and the previous 16 flights by Falcon 9 rockets have happened since January 1. This flight is using a brand-new first stage booster that just rolled out of the SpaceX factory.

Its unflown status is highlighted by its bright white paint, which gets stained after it’s flown multiple times. The new booster carries designation B1067 and will attempt to land on an autonomous drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean after the flight. The rocket will be refurbished and will fly again with the next Crew Dragon flight to the ISS in October.