The booster that recently launched CRS-21 also happens to be the same booster used to launch SpaceX’s DM-2 mission with NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken. To commemorate the mission, SpaceX painted NASA’s iconic worm and meatball logos on each side of the booster.
NASA’s worm logo is rarely seen on the Falcon 9 first stage booster by the public, however, due to how the booster is positioned on the launch pad and on the booster when it returns to Port Canaveral after a mission.
During offloading from the autonomous droneship after the latest mission, however, the booster actually spun around very briefly displayed the unmistakable red symbol that was recently revived. It could be seen from public areas from across the water in Port Canaveral in Florida.
Enjoy these rare shots and more by Space Explored’s Daryl Sausse:
This particular Falcon 9 first stage known as booster B1058.4 has flown astronauts, non-NASA missions, and became the first booster used by NASA after a non-NASA mission. NASA and SpaceX has since moved the worm logo on boosters since Crew-1 from the first stage to the second stage of the Falcon 9 rocket — making B1058.4 especially unique.
More
- NASA revives iconic ‘worm’ logo to mark return of human spaceflight from America since Shuttle era
- Miss the historic NASA astronaut launch? SpaceX has a 5-hour replay
- CRS-21: SpaceX Falcon 9 and Dragon 2 lift off on a mission of firsts
Enjoy reading Space Explored?
Help others find us by following in Apple News and Google News. Be sure to check us out on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, join our Discord, and don’t forget the Space Explored podcast!