SpaceX landed its second-ever rocket in the Bahamas on Thursday (February 19).
29 SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets star link Broadband satellite launched from Florida Cape Canaveral Space Force Station 8:41pm ET (0141GMT, February 20th).
This was the second time SpaceX has landed in Bahamian waters. first Occurred in February 2025which is also being launched by Starlink.
Most Falcon 9 boosters launched from the Space Coast land further north, in the open ocean of the Atlantic Ocean. But landing near the Bahamas has its advantages.
“New landing cooperation with Bahamas will allow Falcon 9 to launch into new orbits” SpaceX written via X In February 2025.
But less than a month later, SpaceX’s upper stage starship The giant rocket disintegrated over the Caribbean Sea during a test flight. Debris rains in the Bahamas. people Put partnership with SpaceX on hold He said he hopes to conduct an environmental assessment of all rocket landings in the region in April 2025.
Previous Booster 1077 launches
That work is done. The Bahamas Civil Aviation Authority announced on Tuesday (February 17): Cleared SpaceX Land the rocket again in the Exuma Strait.
Thursday’s touchdown was the 26th for this particular Falcon 9 first stage, designated 1077. Meanwhile, the rocket’s upper stage was scheduled to carry 29 Starlink satellites. low earth orbit Approximately 64 minutes after takeoff.
The spacecraft will join approximately 9,700 other satellites in the Starlink megaconstellation, the largest extraterrestrial network ever built.
Editor’s note: This article was updated on February 19th at 9:30pm ET with news of the rocket’s successful launch and landing.