Metis Technology Partners Pad Safety Contract team ended 2023 with some outstanding accomplishments: recovery of the SpaceX Dragon Capsule, and two launches in one evening. These two launches increased the total launches for 2023 on the Space Coast to 72, a new record. The team provided Operations Safety Managers (OSM) and Pad Safety Supervisors for the NASA Psyche launch from SLC 39A at Kennedy Space Center, and again that same day for the Starlink 6-22 launch from SLC 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
On December 22th, the SpaceX Station Resupply Capsule splashed down off the coast of Florida, and on December 26th, it was recovered at the wharf on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. On December 28th, SpaceX launched the Falcon Heavy USSF-52, following booster separation Falcon Heavy’s two side boosters landed at LZ1 and LZ2. Meanwhile, later that evening, SpaceX launched Starlink 6-36 which carried 23 more Starlink Satellites into orbit.
“These are exciting times to work at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station with the increase in launch tempo, new launch service providers coming on board, and new rockets,” said Metis Pad Safety Program Manager Tom Michaud. “My team and I are honored to be supporting our Space Launch Delta 45 customer as they continue to set the pace for space.”