SpaceX has successfully launched its first Falcon 9 rocket of the year. The rocket blasted off on Friday from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The mission's main goal was to deliver the Thuraya 4 satellite into a geosynchronous orbit. The launch kicked off what is expected to be another busy year for Elon Musk's space exploration company. Satellite details Falcon 9 booster's successful return and recovery Eight minutes and 40 seconds after launch, the Falcon 9 booster successfully returned to Earth, landing on SpaceX's droneship "A Shortfall of Gravitas" in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the 20th flight and recovery for this specific Falcon 9 first stage booster, adding to SpaceX's remarkable record of recovering an orbital-class rocket for the 341st time. The recovered boosters comprised both Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy variants. Mission record