Falcon 9 Lifts Off
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches the Formosat-5 Earth-observation satellite on Aug. 24, 2017. Read our wrap story here.
Rising Through the Clouds
The Falcon 9 rises into the California sky.
Stage Separation
The Falcon 9’s first and second stages separate, as seen from a second-stage camera.
Going Up and Going Down
The Falcon 9’s first stage goes down for landing (left) as the second stage continues to power Formosat-5 to orbit (right).
Falcon 9 First Stage Heads Home
The Falcon 9’s first stage heads toward its ocean touchdown on the drone ship “Just Read the Instructions.”
Touchdown!
The Falcon 9’s first stage sits on the drone ship’s deck seconds after touching down.
Formosat-5 Deploys
The Formosat-5 satellite deploys from the Falcon 9 second stage.
Ready for Liftoff
The Falcon 9 and Formosat-5 sit poised for liftoff on Aug. 24, 2017.
Falcon 9 and Formosat-5 in the Fog
Early-morning fog obscures a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and its payload, the Formosat-5 satellite, at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base on launch day, Aug. 24, 2017.
Formosat-5 Static Fire Test 1
An Aug. 19, 2017, static-fire test of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, ahead of the planned Aug. 24 launch of Taiwan’s Formosat-5 satellite.
