SpaceX Confirms Falcon 9 1st-Stage Landing Attempt on Land during Upcoming CRS-11 Mission

Today, SpaceX confirmed that the company is targeting the launch of CRS-11 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The instantaneous launch window is on Thursday, June 1, at 5:55 p.m. EDT.

If needed, a backup instantaneous launch window is on Saturday, June 3, at 5:07 p.m. EDT.

In addition to the primary mission of delivering critical supplies and payloads to the International Space Station, SpaceX is attempting the secondary mission of landing the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket on land at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Landing Zone 1. SpaceX has landed a first stage booster at Landing Zone 1 four times prior to this mission. SpaceX has successfully recovered Falcon 9 first stages from six missions at sea using the company’s Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ships. Landing Zone 1 is built on the former site of Space Launch Complex 13, a U.S. Air Force rocket and missile testing range.

As with the return of the first stage from the CRS-10 mission, there is the possibility that residents of Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the landing attempt. Residents of Brevard County are most likely to hear a sonic boom, although what residents’ experience will depend on weather conditions and other factors. A sonic boom is a brief thunder-like noise a person on the ground hears when an aircraft or other vehicle flies overhead faster than the speed of sound.

Residents may wish to follow the company’s launch webcast for real time information concerning Thursday’s launch. The webcast will be available at SpaceX.com/webcast beginning at approximately 5:35 p.m. EDT on June 1.