<h2>Acceleration Platform</h2>
European rocket manufacturer ArianeGroup and French space agency CNES debuted a reusable rocket design last week called ArianeWorks — and it looks very reminiscent of SpaceX&#8217;s Falcon 9.
&#8220;To be fair, the European rocket builders have not sought to hide their emulation of SpaceX,&#8221; <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/02/europe-unveils-design-of-reusable-rocket-that-looks-a-lot-like-a-falcon-9/">wrote Eric Berger</a> for Ars Technica, pointing out that CNES officials had been very forthcoming about how plans for a hopper vehicle in 2012 were very similar to SpaceX&#8217;s work.
<h2>Ariane Grande</h2>
According to the <a href="https://www.ariane.group/en/photo-video/arianegroup-and-cnes-launch-arianeworks-acceleration-platform/">promotional video</a>, the <a href="https://spacenews.com/arianegroup-supplier-gkn-to-3d-print-turbines-for-reusable-prometheus-engines/">Prometheus engines</a> that powers the new space vehicle features 100 tons of thrust uses a mix of oxygen and methane as fuel — meaning it could make future rocket launches up to ten times cheaper.
The rocket itself will cost an estimated <a href="https://spacenews.com/esa-kickstarts-prometheus-reusable-engine-with-first-funding-tranche/">$1.1 million U.S.</a> and will feature <a href="https://spacenews.com/arianegroup-supplier-gkn-to-3d-print-turbines-for-reusable-prometheus-engines/">3D printed parts</a>. Plans by the European Space Agency call for the use of the Prometheus rocket for the successor of the <a href="https://spacenews.com/frances-prometheus-reusable-engine-becomes-esa-project-gets-funding-boost/">Ariane 6</a> — a non-reusable launcher that <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2014/12/01/les-europeens-s-appretent-a-mettre-ariane-6-en-chantier_4532259_3234.html">costs substantially more</a>.
<h2>Head Start</h2>
SpaceX&#8217;s Merlin 1D rocket used for Falcon 9 rocket launches has some very similar specs — up to 914 kilonewtons or 93 tons of thrust — as Ars pointed out. The rocket shown in the promotional video also features four landing legs — just like the Falcon 9.
But SpaceX has a massive head start: last week, the Elon Musk-led space company launched the same Falcon 9 rocket for a <a href="https://www.space.com/spacex-rocket-fly-fourth-time-soon.html">record-breaking fourth time</a>. So far, all we&#8217;ve seen of Ariane&#8217;s new platform is a fancy animation.
READ MORE: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/02/europe-unveils-design-of-reusable-rocket-that-looks-a-lot-like-a-falcon-9/">Europe unveils design of reusable rocket that looks a lot like a Falcon 9</a> [Ars Technica] 

More on ArianeGroup: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/europe-extract-rocket-fuel-lunar-surface">Europe Wants to Extract Rocket Fuel From Lunar Surface in 2025</a>

SpaceX's Merlin 1D rocket used for Falcon 9 rocket launches has some very similar specs.

Europe's new reusable rocket design borrows heavily from SpaceX

ArianeWorks

Europe debuted a reusable rocket design last week called ArianeWorks — and it looks very reminiscent of SpaceX's Falcon 9.

Europe’s New Reusable Rocket Design Borrows Heavily From SpaceX

"To be fair, the European rocket builders have not sought to hide their emulation of SpaceX."

<h2>Demonstration Mission 1</h2>
All  systems are go.
SpaceX&#8217;s Crew Dragon passenger spacecraft is launching atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida on March 2 — but with only a spacesuit-wearing dummy on board.
It will then attempt to autonomously dock with the International Space Station after reaching orbit early Sunday morning.
NASA and SpaceX officially decided to <a href="https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/category/spacex/">proceed with plans</a> yesterday for the first ever test flight, dubbed Demo-1 (or DM-1), of SpaceX&#8217;s <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-crew-dragon-vertical-first-test-launch">Crew Dragon passenger spacecraft</a>.
SpaceX&#8217;s Crew Dragon went vertical for the first time earlier this year at Cape Canaveral, readying itself for the test launch. Demo-1 was originally planned to take place on <a href="https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2018/12/18/spacex-demo-1-spacecraft-and-rocket-at-launch-pad/">January 17</a>.
<h2>Ready to Launch</h2>
SpaceX <a href="https://futurism.com/spacex-test-fire-falcon-9-crew-dragon">successfully test fired</a> the Falcon 9 rocket that will hopefully launch Crew Dragon to space on January 25.
If all goes according to plan, SpaceX could make history by sending astronauts to space from American soil for the first time since the Space Shuttle’s last trip back in 2011. Since then, NASA has been relying on the use of Russian Soyuz spacecraft to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station.
The Crew Dragon capsule can seat up to seven astronauts. One giant screen takes care of almost all control features of the futuristic spacecraft.
The dummy that will fly on board the Dragon during Demo-1 is outfitted with a number of sensors to collect vital data during launch.
&#8220;I fully expect we&#8217;re going to learn something on this flight,&#8221; Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for NASA Human Exploration and Operations, said during a <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-to-provide-coverage-of-spacex-commercial-crew-flight-test">news conference yesterday</a>.
&#8220;I guarantee that everything will not work exactly right, and that&#8217;s cool — that&#8217;s exactly what we want to do.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/22/18236771/nasa-spacex-dragon-commercial-crew-dm-1-test-flight">NASA gives SpaceX the okay to launch new passenger spacecraft on uncrewed test flight</a> [The Verge] 

More on Crew Dragon: <a href="https://futurism.com/spacex-test-fire-falcon-9-crew-dragon">SpaceX Just Test Fired the Rocket That’ll Launch Its Crew Dragon</a>

SpaceX successfully test fired the Falcon 9 rocket that will hopefully launch Crew Dragon to space on January 25.

NASA clears SpaceX Crew Dragon's first test flight

Crew Dragon

NASA and SpaceX decided to proceed with plans yesterday for the first ever test flight, dubbed Demo-1, of SpaceX's Crew Dragon passenger spacecraft.

NASA Clears SpaceX Crew Dragon’s First Test Flight

All systems are go for just one week from now.

<h2>Making History</h2>
It&#8217;s official: Israeli space company SpaceIL&#8217;s <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/lunar-lander-private-spacex-launch">lunar lander Beresheet</a> just <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1098760732152279040">launched into space</a> aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket this evening, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. SpaceX <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1098772221693067265">confirmed</a> the successful deployment just after 9:30pm EST.
If all goes well, the dishwasher-sized spacecraft will be the first private spacecraft to ever reach the lunar surface.
<h2>A Long Way to Go</h2>
SpaceIL is planning for the spacecraft, which is called the Beresheet, to land in April after slowly expanding its elliptical path around the Earth until it&#8217;s close enough to the Moon. It will circle the Moon several times before making its way down to the surface.
NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine congratulated the Israeli team. &#8220;This is a historic step for all nations and commercial space as we look to extend our collaborations beyond low-Earth orbit and on to the Moon,&#8221; he said <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-administrator-statement-on-israeli-moon-mission">in a statement</a>.
<h2>Time Capsule</h2>
On board the Beresheet is a time capsule filled with digital files including the Torah, the Israeli flag, a variety of national artwork — and a digital copy of the entirety of the English-language Wikipedia encyclopedia, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/21/science/spacex-launch-israel.html">according to the New York Times</a>.
Once Beresheet has completed its mission, it will not attempt to return to Earth. But it will map the Moon&#8217;s magnetic field and take some snapshots using on-board scientific instruments.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/21/science/spacex-launch-israel.html">SpaceX Rocket Carries Israeli Lunar Lander Into Orbit</a> [New York Times]
More on the lander: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/lunar-lander-private-spacex-launch">First Private Lunar Lander Passes Launch Tests at SpaceX Facility</a>

Also on board is a time capsule filled with digital files including the Torah, the Israeli flag, a variety of national artworks.

SpaceX just launched the first commercial lunar lander, ever

World First

It's official: Israeli space company SpaceIL's lunar lander Beresheet launched into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

SpaceX Just Launched the First Commercial Lunar Lander, Ever

It could become the first privately built vehicle to reach the lunar surface in human history.

<h2>Crew Dragon Test Fire</h2>
SpaceX just completed a test fire of the Falcon 9 rocket that will hopefully launch the space company&#8217;s <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-crew-dragon-vertical-first-test-launch">futuristic Crew Dragon</a> spacecraft into space.
If all goes well — SpaceX still has a number of tests planned — it could be the first time astronauts launch into space from American soil since the Space Shuttle&#8217;s last trip back in 2011.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Static fire test complete—targeting February launch from historic Launch Complex 39A for Crew Dragon’s first demonstration flight! <a href="https://t.co/sJF24U3UOM">pic.twitter.com/sJF24U3UOM</a>
&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1088633393149968384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The rocket in question stood proud at Launch Pad 39A at NASA&#8217;s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral yesterday. All nine first-stage engines were briefly ignited.
<h2>Dragon Breath</h2>
In a <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1088671896332165120">joyous and emoji-laden tweet</a>, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk promised that the first astronauts could be going to the International Space Station as soon as this summer — that is, if February&#8217;s test flight goes according to plan.
It&#8217;s an important first step, and if the <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/21/18151626/spacex-falcon-9-gps-iii-launch-air-force-watch-live">21 successful Falcon 9 launches</a> in 2018 alone are anything to go by, chances are pretty good that SpaceX can pull this off.
<h2>Higher Stakes</h2>
Rather than only carrying cargo and scientific experiments aboard an otherwise empty Dragon spacecraft, human lives are at stake this time around.
SpaceX plans to run an <a href="http://www.parabolicarc.com/2018/11/28/how-spacex-conduct-inflight-abort-test-crew-dragon/">in-flight abort test</a> before it allows any astronauts inside the Crew Dragon.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.space.com/43122-spacex-test-fires-crew-dragon-falcon9-rocket.html?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social">SpaceX Test Fires Rocket for 1st Crew Dragon Launch in February</a> [Space.com] 

More on Crew Dragon: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-crew-dragon-vertical-first-test-launch">SpaceX&#8217;s Crew Dragon Goes Vertical for First Test Launch</a>

But it's only the first of a series of tests before astronauts are allowed to climb on board.

SpaceX just test fired the rocket that'll launch its Crew Dragon

Crew Dragon Test

SpaceX completed the first test fire of the Falcon 9 rocket that will hopefully carry the groundbreaking Crew Dragon spacecraft into space.

SpaceX Just Test Fired the Rocket That’ll Launch Its Crew Dragon

SpaceX plans to launch the first astronauts from American soil since 2011.

<h2>Shine Bright</h2>
A photo posted to SpaceX&#8217;s<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BsPUmuFl9Gs/"> Instagram account</a> on Friday showed a raised a Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, eight years since the last space shuttle launched from the same pad.
Once the company&#8217;s <a href="https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/01/03/spacex-crew-capsule-falcon-9-rocket-roll-out-to-pad-39a-in-florida-for-tests/">first space-worthy</a> Crew Dragon vehicle undergoes a series of fit checks it will be set to take off for its first orbital test flight. The initial launch will be an un-crewed test flight intended to be a demonstration of the Crew Dragon&#8217;s capabilities. Known as Demo-1, the test flight was originally targeted for <a href="https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2018/12/18/spacex-demo-1-spacecraft-and-rocket-at-launch-pad/">January 17th</a> meaning we may see the Crew Dragon spacecraft take flight for the first time within the next couple of weeks. If all goes well with Demo-1, and an additional upcoming abort test, SpaceX will have completed a significant milestone in preparing to shuttle NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) in a launch slated to take place in June 2019.
<h2>Flight of The Dragon</h2>
Crew Dragon was developed as part of NASA&#8217;s Commercial Crew Program which challenged American aerospace companies to create innovative methods of shuttling astronauts to and from the ISS. The program allows NASA to focus its attention on vehicle design and deep space missions while remaining committed to the ISS, which the agency <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/content/commercial-crew-overview">considers important</a> to future research. A successful crewed mission would restore American launch capabilities and end NASA&#8217;s dependence on Russian Soyuz spacecraft for transporting its personnel.
Aerospace industry giant Boeing is also working on a spacecraft as part of the Commercial Crew Program. It&#8217;s CST-100 craft, which shares <a href="http://www.boeing.com/space/starliner/">some similarities</a> with the Crew Dragon, is scheduled for an un-crewed launch in March 2019 and a crewed launch in August 2019, <a href="https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2018/11/21/nasas-commercial-crew-program-target-test-flight-dates-5/">according to NASA</a>. If all goes well with both companies tests, we may see the first crewed missions take place later this summer.
READ MORE: <a href="https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/01/03/spacex-crew-capsule-falcon-9-rocket-roll-out-to-pad-39a-in-florida-for-tests/">SpaceX crew capsule, Falcon 9 rocket roll out to pad 39A in Florida for tests</a> [Spaceflight Now]
More on Crew Dragon: <a href="https://futurism.com/spacex-crewed-dragon-spacecraft">Here’s What We Know About SpaceX’s Crewed Dragon Spacecraft</a>

It could end American dependence on Russian transportation.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon goes vertical for first test launch

Off World

SpaceX's Crew Dragon vehicle is undergoing a series of fit checks before it will be set to take off for its first ever orbital test flight.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Goes Vertical for First Test Launch

Like a gem on a crown.

<h2>Liftoff!</h2>
After a week of delays, SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket on Sunday morning at 8:51 a.m. EST, it&#8217;s <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/21/18151626/spacex-falcon-9-gps-iii-launch-air-force-watch-live">21st launch</a> of the year.
Carried to orbit atop the Falcon 9 rocket was a GPS III SV01 advanced GPS satellite, part of a network of next-generation satellites being installed in orbit by the U.S. Air Force.  The mission, originally awarded to SpaceX in <a href="https://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/gps_iii_press_kit_12.20.pdf">April, 2016</a>, is considered a National Security Space mission, critical to national defense and is SpaceX&#8217;s first such mission.
<h2>Ground Control to Major Tom</h2>
The new GPS III SV01 satellite is part of a planned series of upgrades to the U.S. GPS network. Currently the Air Force <a href="https://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/space/">maintains 31 GPS satellites</a>, the first iteration of which launched between 1990 and 1997, while the most recent was launched in 2016. The GPS III SV01, with its state of the art technology, is the first of the next generation of satellites with more planned launches in 2019.
GPS III SV01, nicknamed Vespucci, in honor of Italian cartographer and explorer Amerigo Vespucci, will enable the Air Force to provide positioning, navigation, and timing information <a href="https://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/space/">three times more accurate</a> than that of data provided by other satellites in the GPS network. The information will help everyone from soldiers in the field to those trying navigate a new town.
<h2>Farewell and New Beginnings</h2>
Normally SpaceX attempts to land Falcon 9 first stages once they&#8217;ve separated from the rocket&#8217;s second stage. This time the weight and high altitude orbit of the payload meant most of the Falcon 9&#8217;s fuel would be expended during launch, leaving too little left to recover the rocket.
Despite not recovering the Falcon 9, SpaceX&#8217;s successful 21st launch smashed the company&#8217;s previous record of 18 launches in one year and having completed a mission deemed critical to national security is a sort of badge of honor to the pioneering rocket company. SpaceX will take on four additional GPS III missions, all of which will be launched on Falcon 9 rockets later in 2019.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.space.com/42774-spacex-launches-next-gen-gps-satellite.html">SpaceX Launches Super-Accurate Next-Gen GPS Satellite for US Air Force</a> [Space]
More on SpaceX: <a href="https://futurism.com/spacex-smashed-record-commercial-space-launches">SpaceX Smashed the Record for Commercial Space Launches This Year</a>

SpaceX launches next-generation Air Force GPS satellite

After a week of delays, SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket on Sunday morning at 8:51 a.m. EST, its 21st launch of the year.

SpaceX Launches Next-Generation Air Force GPS Satellite

The launch marks SpaceX's 21st successful mission this year.

<h2>Rocket Man</h2>
A San Francisco-based company called Elysium Space plans to launch the cremated remains of 100 people into space on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
For $2,500, the company will launch your ashes — along with those of 99 of other deceased people — in a four-inch satellite called a CubeSat, which will be released into orbit along with other companies hitching a ride on the Falcon 9, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/02/us/elysium-space-memorial-launch/index.html">CNN reports</a>. It&#8217;s expected to burn up in the Earth&#8217;s atmosphere in about four years.
<h2>Where Some Have Gone Before</h2>
The launch was originally slated for November 19, but the company pushed it back and no date is currently set. The off-world memorial does have precedent, though: in 2012, a different startup called Celestis <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2012/05/24/showbiz/spacex-scottys-ashes/index.html">sent the remains</a> of 320 people, including &#8220;Star Trek&#8221; actor James Doohan, into orbit.
It&#8217;s a nice image to know that your loved ones, some of whom may have once dreamed of being astronauts, are floating serenely through the night sky — even if each CubeSat is shared with 99 other people&#8217;s ashes.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/02/us/elysium-space-memorial-launch/index.html">The cremated remains of 100 people are going to be launched into space on a SpaceX rocket</a> [CNN]
More on the funerals of the future: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/klf-build-pyramid-cremated-fans">Pop Band &#8220;The KLF&#8221; to Build a Pyramid out of 35,000 Cremated Fans</a>

Now you can spread your loved ones' ashes farther than ever before.

Elysium and SpaceX are about to launch the cremated remains of 100 people into orbit

See you, Space Cowboy

100 capsules of cremated remains are about to be packed into a CubeSat and launched into orbit, fulfilling the last wishes of many who wanted to see space.

Elysium and SpaceX to Launch Cremated Remains of 100 People Into Orbit

A small cubesat will carry capsules of ash through the heavens.

<h2>It&#8217;s a Celebration</h2>
Break out the champagne.
On Thursday, SpaceX representatives announced that NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP) certified its two-stage Falcon 9 as a Category 3 rocket. That&#8217;s the categorization needed to handle expensive or sensitive missions, such as the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope and the Mars Curiosity rover.
<h2>Made the Grade</h2>
The LSP is responsible for choosing the launch vehicles that will carry out NASA missions focused on science and exploration. It categorizes vehicles on a scale of 1 to 3 based on their reliability.
NASA considers Category 3 vehicles to be the most dependable, with a demonstrated reliability rate between 90 and 95 percent. They&#8217;re the only ones certified to carry out NASA&#8217;s most expensive or sensitive missions, and now the Falcon 9 has joined their ranks.
<h2>Reliable Rocket</h2>
In 2015, NASA certified SpaceX&#8217;s Falcon 9 as a <a href="https://spaceflightnow.com/2015/05/15/spacex-gets-certified-to-launch-nasa-science-missions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Category 2 vehicle</a>, meaning it demonstrated reliability 80 to 90 percent of the time. Three years later, the Falcon 9 has moved up in NASA&#8217;s rocket hierarchy, and the significance of this reclassification is not lost on SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell.
&#8220;LSP Category 3 certification is a major achievement for the Falcon 9 team and represents another key milestone in our close partnership with NASA,&#8221; said Shotwell in a statement, as <a href="https://www.space.com/42387-spacex-falcon-9-rocket-nasa-certification.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported by Space.com</a>. &#8220;We are honored to have the opportunity to provide cost-effective and reliable launch services to the country’s most critical scientific payloads.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.space.com/42387-spacex-falcon-9-rocket-nasa-certification.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SpaceX&#8217;s Falcon 9 Rocket Certified to Launch NASA&#8217;s Most Precious Science Missions</a> [Space.com]
More on the Falcon 9: <a href="https://futurism.com/falcon-9-launch-light-sky-california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Falcon 9 Launch Lights up the Sky in a Stunning Display</a>

The agency trusts the rocket to carry its most critical payloads.

NASA certifies SpaceX’s Falcon 9 to launch its top missions

Moving on Up

SpaceX's Falcon 9 is now certified as a Category 3 rocket, meaning it can support NASA's more expensive and sensitive missions.

NASA Certifies SpaceX’s Falcon 9 to Launch Its Top Missions

The rocket now boasts NASA's top reliability rating.

BLAST OFF. At 1:18 AM E.T., SpaceX&#8217;s Falcon 9 rocket took off from Cape Canaveral in Florida. Its primary purpose is to launch a 5.8-ton satellite called Merah Putih intended to improve telecommunications in Indonesia, India, and much of Southeast Asia.
But for SpaceX aficionados, the most exciting part of this launch is that we&#8217;ve seen part of it before. Yes, the first stage was just used in <a href="https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/05/11/watch-a-replay-of-the-first-falcon-9-block-5-launch/">a launch back in May</a> that sent Bangladeshi communications satellite Bangabandhu into orbit.
Now, just a few months later, it&#8217;s back again. The dream of cost-effective reusable rockets might not be so far-fetched, after all.
<figure id="attachment_135366" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-135366 size-large" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2018/08/Screen-Shot-2018-08-07-at-1.16.09-AM-1200x871.png" alt="" width="1200" height="871" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">The Falcon 9 rocket shortly before liftoff. Screenshot from SpaceX livestream by Alexandra Ossola</figcaption></figure>
REUSE, REUSE, REUSE. This launch is the first to employ a reused <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJSPcVTmZIs">Block 5</a> — the first stage of the rocket. The Block 5, <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/spacex-is-about-to-launch-its-final-block-4-falcon/">unlike previous models</a>, is designed to need little taking-apart and refurbishment in between launches. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk <a href="https://spacenews.com/musk-details-block-5-improvements-to-falcon-9/">has called Block 5 </a>&#8220;the most reliable rocket ever built.&#8221;
But SpaceX engineers needed to actually make sure that was true, that after its first use Block 5 would be ready to get out there again. So after the May launch, Musk said, &#8220;Ironically, we need to take it apart to confirm it does not need to be taken apart,&#8221; as <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/08/tonight-spacex-to-reuse-its-first-block-5-variant-of-the-falcon-9/">Ars Technica reports</a>. Though SpaceX hasn&#8217;t released much about what they found when they did take the Block 5 apart, the quick turnaround between launches indicates that Block 5 seems to be living up to that promise.
STICK THE LANDING. If SpaceX has its way, this won&#8217;t be the last mission for this Block 5, either. The  first stage successfully landed on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You, which was waiting in position in the Atlantic Ocean (a camera feed loss at the moment of landing created a bit of extra drama).
If it works, we may very well see the same Block 5 again, perhaps in just a few short months. If that happens, we&#8217;d see the same Block 5 launch a whopping three times in just one year.
Update 1:46 AM ET: We&#8217;ve just completed the second burn. The Merah Putih satellite is ready to be deployed.
Update 1:50 AM ET: Merah Putih is in position. The successful mission is complete. 
READ MORE: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/08/tonight-spacex-to-reuse-its-first-block-5-variant-of-the-falcon-9/">SpaceX set to re-fly a Block 5 rocket for the first time tonight</a> [Ars Technica]
MORE ABOUT SPACEX: <a href="https://futurism.com/falcon-9-block-4-launch-spacex/">SpaceX Will Be Ready to Transport Humans in April 2019, NASA Estimates</a>

SpaceX just launched a rocket with a critical reused part

SpaceX just launched a Falcon 9 rocket. Most notable: it's not the first time we've seen this first stage. This marks the first launch for a reused Block 5.

SpaceX Just Launched A Rocket With A Critical Reused Part

This mission's success shows that the dream of reusable rockets might not be so far-fetched, after all.

SAYING GOODBYE. At 5:42 am EDT Friday, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida&#8217;s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Everything went according to plan; the only things that blew up were the ones that should blow up. At the time of writing, the rocket is helping its payload — the Dragon capsule — enter low Earth orbit. By Monday, it should rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS), dropping off 5,900 pounds&#8217; worth of supplies and gear in what&#8217;s now become a somewhat-routine mission for SpaceX.
While the objective itself isn&#8217;t necessarily anything out of the ordinary, today&#8217;s launch was special for SpaceX: it marked the last time the company would launch a Falcon 9 Block 4.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FALCON 9. The Falcon 9 is SpaceX&#8217;s workhorse rocket, completing 55 successful missions since its initial launch in 2010. In December 2015, the launch of the Falcon 9 v1.2, also known as the Falcon 9 Full Thrust, kicked off the era of the reusable rocket.
SpaceX started launching updated versions of the first Falcon 9 Full Thrust, known as Block 3, in 2017, eventually landing on its Block 4 design. SpaceX had already <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2016/spacex-elon-musk-geeks-out-mars-reddit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced in 2016</a> that it had plans for a Block 5 version, and the company <a href="https://www.space.com/40582-elon-musk-explains-spacex-falcon-9-block-5.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">successfully launched</a> the first Falcon 9 Block 5 on May 11 this year.
A BETTER BLOCK. In a <a href="https://www.space.com/40582-elon-musk-explains-spacex-falcon-9-block-5.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">briefing with reporters</a> just prior to the first Falcon 9 Block 5 launch, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said it would be the final version of the Falcon 9. He also described the various ways it was an improvement over its predecessors.
Block 5 is about twice as powerful as the Falcon 9 that first launched in 2010, according to Musk. It is also far more reusable than the Block 3 and Block 4 versions. SpaceX has never launched a Falcon 9 rocket more than twice (though Musk estimates a Falcon 9 Block 4 could probably launch upwards of 10 times with enough maintenance).
In contrast, a Block 5 should be able to launch 10 times with no refurbishment — just like an airplane. With some refurbishment every 10 or so launches, Musk estimates the rocket could handle 100 flights. The potential cost savings for a rocket that reusable <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/9/17254384/spacex-falcon-9-block-5-upgrade-rocket-reusability-savings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are staggering</a>.
LOOKING AHEAD. Now that SpaceX is officially retiring Block 4, it can focus on completing the seven successful launches Block 5 needs for NASA to allow it to carry people. SpaceX&#8217;s goal is to knock those out by December so it can launch its first crewed <a href="https://futurism.com/spacexs-dragon-capsule-was-recovered-from-the-pacific-after-a-successful-mission/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dragon capsule</a> before the <a href="http://www.spacex.com/dragon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">end of the year</a>. So, while today&#8217;s launch marked an end to one era of SpaceX rocketry, it opens the door for us to enter the next.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/spacex-is-about-to-launch-its-final-block-4-falcon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SpaceX Is About to Launch Its Final Block 4 Falcon</a> [Wired]
Update June 29, 2018 at 5:54 AM ET:
The Dragon capsule has successfully entered orbit to rendezvous with the ISS in a matter of three days, and has unfurled its solar arrays to power its three day trip. By Monday morning Pacific time (about 5:30 AM ET), it should be close enough for the Canadarm of the ISS to pluck it out of empty space.

The next version of the rocket should be far more reusable.

The Digest: SpaceX just launched a last-of-its-kind falcon rocket

Today marked the final launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 4 rocket, with all future Falcon launches to make use of a Block 5 version.

/Falcon 9

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