A SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage booster designated B1067 completed its 35th mission on Monday morning, launching 29 Starlink satellites from Florida. The booster, which first flew more than five years ago, landed safely on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
The vehicle, known as B1067, debuted in June 2021 with a cargo mission to the International Space Station. It has since flown mostly Starlink missions and now holds the record as the fleet leader for SpaceX. SpaceX is working toward a goal of qualifying Falcon 9 boosters for 40 missions each. The company has continued to fly experienced boosters safely, raising the possibility that the target could be extended further. For context, United Launch Alliance has completed 29 launches with its Atlas V, Vulcan, and Delta IV Heavy vehicles since B1067 began flying in 2021. This single reused booster has delivered more mass to orbit than those expendable rockets combined. The success of the Falcon 9 program underpins SpaceX operations, including crew and cargo flights for NASA as well as the deployment of the Starlink constellation.
