We lost B1058 to rough seas:
https://nitter.net/SpaceX/status/1739458499334045809#m
The Falcon fleet’s life leading rocket completed its 19th and final launch and landing on December 23. This one reusable rocket booster alone launched to orbit 2 astronauts and more than 860 satellites — totaling 260+ metric tons — in ~3.5 years
Dec 26, 2023 · 1:29 AM UTC
https://nitter.net/SpaceX/status/1739458501703762367#m
During transport back to Port early this morning, the booster tipped over on the droneship due to high winds and waves. Newer Falcon boosters have upgraded landing legs with the capability to self-level and mitigate this type of issue
Dec 26, 2023 · 1:29 AM UTC
Infographic from rykllan of all missions this booster supported:
RIP B1058, you did well.
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Pretty crazy that losing a booster is exceptional now. This also gets me thinking about whether the final F9 life leader, as F9 retires, will be lost or recovered and still able to fly if it needed to. Either way it’s exciting to think about a future where Falcon is obsolete!
What do you think the serial number of the “last” Falcon booster will be? B1100? B1120? B1150?
They’ve flown B1081, with B1084 tested but not flown yet. With the exception of the occasional FH center core, it seems likely they’ll be able to get 20+ flights out of each booster. That means every five serial number increments represents ~100 flights.
They want to switch Starlink missions over to Starship as soon as possible, but that is still a year or two away.
Was this booster the life leader?
Yes it was. It flew its 19th flight on December 23rd. Second place is a three-way tie with B1060, B1061, and B1062 each having flown 17 flights so far.
Cool to see newer boosters are prepared for this.