SpaceX has some ambitious plans for 2022, as it has been revealed it’s aiming for a staggering 52 launches this year.
That’s according to panel member Sandra Magnus, during a meeting of NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) on Thursday, reports CNBC.
Magnus, an astronaut, said there is “an ambitious 52 launch manifest” by SpaceX for this year, calling it, “an incredible pace.”
SpaceX launches in the past couple of years has been at:
This year, SpaceX will also launch multiple crewed spaceflight missions, including for NASA. There will also be numerous Falcon Heavy rockets set to launch this year. SpaceX is still awaiting approval for the first orbital launch of its Starship prototype rocket.
“Both NASA and SpaceX will have to ensure the appropriate attention and priority are focused on NASA missions, and the right resources are brought to bear to maintain that pace at a safe measure,” said Magnus.
The company’s been able to reuse the first stages of its Falcon 9 rockets, as they land autonomously back to Earth, reducing the cost of launches over time; top fairing halves that protect payloads also are recovered when they separate and fall back into the ocean.
SpaceX was set to launch 49 Starlink satellites on Thursday, but the mission was delayed to Friday, due to “unfavorable weather”.
