Back on Earth, the Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage completed its landing at SpaceX’s Landing Zone 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The Falcon 9’s second stage has shut down, and soon Dragon will separate from second stage and continue its journey to the International Space Station.
The Falcon 9 rocket has reached first stage main engine cutoff, or MECO, and the first and second stages have separated. Next, the Falcon 9’s second-stage engine will ignite.
After separation, the Falcon 9 first stage performs a boostback burn and begins its journey back toward Earth for a landing at SpaceX’s Landing Zone 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket has reached Max Q, or maximum dynamic pressure.
Max Q marks the moment of peak aerodynamic stress on the rocket. This happens as the vehicle is accelerating and climbing through thick lower atmosphere, creating a peak in the force of air pushing against the rocket’s structure.
