SpaceX wins US military approval to launch on reused Falcon boosters - Teslarati

Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center has been traditionally launched on new expendable boosters.

In June, the third GPS III vehicle launched on a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Walt Lauderdale, Space and Missile Systems Center Falcon Systems and Operations Division chief said in a statement provided by The U.S.

Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center.

The new modification to the GPS III launch services contract permits the Falcon 9 boosters to not only be recovered but to be launched on previously flown boosters.

The plan to launch the series of GPS III satellites on reused Falcon 9s was originally intended to begin during Phase 2 of the launch services contract in 2021.

Later that evening the encapsulated payload was captured by Twitter user GoalieBear88 during its transfer from a nearby processing facility to the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to be mated with the Falcon 9 booster.