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SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography)

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First Stage Sticks the Landing, Second Stage Engine Cuts Off

The first stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that launched the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite returns to landing zone 4 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The first stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that launched the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite returns to landing zone 4 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Dec. 16, 2022.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage has successfully landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base’s landing zone 4 in California. Meanwhile, the engine in the Falcon 9’s second stage has cut off.

The rocket’s upper stage and the spacecraft are now in a parking orbit, and in approximately 35 minutes, the engine will restart for a six-second burn.