First Stage Main Engine Cutoff; First, Second Stages Separate

NASA · October 1, 2026 · blog

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 […]— NASA

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