SpaceX ties its record for most launches in a year [Updated]

Enlarge / A Block 5 variant of the Falcon 9 rocket launches the Telstar 19 mission in July. (credit: Trevor Mahlmann)

4:20pm ET Update: Another mission success for SpaceX. Not only did the rocket's second stage successfully deploy the Es'hail-2 satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit on Thursday, the rocket's first stage also safely landed on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

With Thursday's launch, SpaceX has now flown 18 mission this year, tying its record set in 2017. The company could fly as many as four more rockets this year.

Original post: In 2017, SpaceX finally answered critics of the company who said it had not delivered on the promise of a high flight rate for its low-cost launch program.

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