The newest model of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will make its debut today (May 10) and you can see the whole thing happen in live time. The first “Block 5” Falcon 9 is launching the Bangabandhu 1 communications satellite for the government of Bangladesh today at 4:12 p.m. EDT from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, reports Space.com. After separation, the first stage of the two-stage rocket will attempt to land on a robotic “drone ship” off the Florida coast shortly. There is a 20 percent chance that bad weather will scotch the attempt, however. If it does go as planned, you can watch the launch via Space.com or directly via SpaceX’s website.
The Block 5 features a number of upgrades that should increase the rocket’s reliability and reusability, SpaceX reports. The hope is that the Block 5 will be able to lift off 10 times, with just inspections between landing and launch, and up to 100 times with occasional refurbishment. The rocket was also designed to meet NASA’s stringent crew-carrying requirements. SpaceX, which holds a multibillion-dollar NASA contract to fly astonauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS), wants to use its Dragon capsule and the Block 5 Falcon 9 to fulfill the contract.
The Bangabandhu 1 will provide broadcast and communications services to Bangladesh. It is the country’s first communications satellite.
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