On Tuesday evening, one of the first-stage boosters was sent up in the sky. Unlike its previous flights, it didn't come back.
At 9:57 p.m., the mission was launched from Space Launch Complex 40. The night sky was lit up by the rocket.
Thirty-five minutes after the launch, the second stage of the Falcon 9 deployed a communications satellite for Eutelsat.
The Telstar 18V and Iridium-8 missions were supported by the first stage of the Falcon 9.
There wasn't enough fuel for the booster to come back after the satellite was put into space.
It doesn't need to build a brand new rocket for each mission if it uses the same section over and over again. Sometimes it's not possible to bring it home.
This was the 52nd mission in which a falcon 9 rocket has been used, with 12 more planned before the end of the year. The busiest year for Falcon 9 missions so far was last year, when 31 were launched.
The more powerful Falcon Heavy rocket was launched for the first time in three years at the start of this month.
When it eventually lifts off, the next-generation Super Heavy rocket will be the most powerful rocket ever to fly. The first woman and first person of color will be on the lunar surface in the Artemis III mission, which is scheduled for 2025.
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