SpaceX is launching so many Falcon 9 rockets that it’s almost become routine. However, each shot remains a spectacular event and Elon Musk has just reminded us of this with a tweet of which he has the secret. The billionaire shared video of an onboard view showing the disintegration of the second stage of a Falcon 9.
The definition of the image is not exceptional, but what is remarkable is that it was filmed from the point of view of a Starlink satellite. In the video clip, you have to look past the series of satellites floating in space and spot a small white object in the upper right corner. At first it seems to float, then it spins and disintegrates.
It happens as follows: the Falcon 9 rocket uses two stages. The first takes care of the takeoff and returns to Earth to be reused. The second stage carries the payload into orbit. It is the latter that is destined to burn up in the earth’s atmosphere.
CNET.com article adapted by CNETFrance
Image: SpaceX/Flickr