SpaceX has landed a rocket in The Bahamas for the second time, according to the company's latest mission update. The landing occurred on Tuesday at 10:47 a.m. Eastern Time, with the Falcon 9 first stage touching down at the company's private landing zone on Great Exuma Island. This follows a similar landing in the region during a Starlink mission in March 2023. The achievement highlights SpaceX's progress in refining reusable rocket technology, which has become a cornerstone of the company's operations.
The successful landing was part of a mission to deploy 52 Starlink satellites into orbit, continuing SpaceX's efforts to expand global broadband coverage. The rocket's first stage separated from the second stage approximately eight minutes after liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Engineers monitored the landing in real time from SpaceX's mission control in Hawthorne, California.
Brevard County officials celebrated the milestone, noting the region's role in supporting SpaceX's operations. “The Space Coast is home to the launch pads and infrastructure that make these missions possible,” said Brevard County Commissioner Barbara Peters. “Seeing reusable technology tested in new locations shows how far we've come.”
The landing in The Bahamas adds to SpaceX's growing list of oceanic and remote landing sites, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. The company has conducted over 150 successful landings globally since 2015, with each mission contributing data to improve rocket recovery processes.
SpaceX did not immediately comment on the significance of the second landing in The Bahamas. However, the mission underscores the company's strategy to use alternative landing zones to reduce risks during launches. The next Starlink mission is scheduled for early next month, with another Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral.