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SpaceX has re-used a first stage once, several times now. Has it re-used the same first stage twice yet? If not, has a particular mission been named that will be the first second re-use?

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    $\begingroup$ More than one reflight will be done once Block 5 is operational. Will find a source later. $\endgroup$
    – Hobbes
    Feb 8, 2018 at 7:09
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    $\begingroup$ Update from the future: currently there are 7 times used block 5 boosters. $\endgroup$
    – peterh
    Dec 21, 2020 at 0:28
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    $\begingroup$ Just a small update. As of july 2021, they have reused boosters up to 10 times(10 flights, 9 reuses, for booster B1051). Including launching a crewed mission to ISS on a reused booster. $\endgroup$
    – CuteKItty_pleaseStopBArking
    Jul 13, 2021 at 16:08

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Yes. As of December 3rd, 2018, SpaceX successfully launched the same first stage (B1046) 3 times and retrieved it twice. It supported the Bangabandhu-1 mission in May 2018, Merah Putih mission in August (setting the current record for fastest turnaround time of 3 months), and then the SmallSat Express mission on December 3rd 2018.

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    $\begingroup$ But I think there needs to be some more work on the translation; I don't think "have cash mission" and "Putin mission" and "Smallest mission" are what you mean. $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Dec 30, 2018 at 0:40
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    $\begingroup$ Fixed mission identifications and added links. Welcome, Normen! $\endgroup$
    – Russell Borogove
    Dec 30, 2018 at 2:34
  • $\begingroup$ @RussellBorogove you're a "good samaritan badge" candidate, thanks! $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Dec 30, 2018 at 3:45
  • $\begingroup$ Retrived it twice? Didn’t they land it the third time as well? spacenews.com/spacex-launches-all-smallsat-falcon-9-mission $\endgroup$
    – lijat
    Dec 30, 2018 at 7:41
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No. The cores used are tracked at Reddit, among other places. There are no plans to reuse a booster for a third time. There are 3 booster now that have been reused

  • B1021- Will be displayed at cape, retired.
  • B1029- Likely mothballed.
  • B1031- This one just landed today, not sure of it's fate yet.

It will likely be a while before a second reuse is done, but they are slowly inching forward in that direction. I would guess one of the Block IVs, maybe B1042.

EDIT:

The current plan is to only reuse more then once the Block 5s. Currently SpaceX is working on expending all of the Block 3 and 4s in existence, to focus on Block 5, for a number of reasons. One of the most important is NASA wants to use Block 5 for the crewed missions, and needs 7 successful missions in a row before they will allow it to be used for manned missions.

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    $\begingroup$ I knew the answer was no because I would have heard about it, but I'm really amazed at what the guys at Reddit have done... $\endgroup$
    – PearsonArtPhoto ♦
    Oct 12, 2017 at 2:50
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    $\begingroup$ I would like to mention, doing similars on the StackExchange would be closed/downvoted/deleted on most sites without major trickery and meta lobbying. $\endgroup$
    – peterh
    Feb 8, 2018 at 6:07
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    $\begingroup$ @uhoh sorry both comments seem a random word list to me now, but afterI woke up maybe I can decode them again $\endgroup$
    – peterh
    Apr 4, 2018 at 6:20
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    $\begingroup$ @PearsonArtPhoto you should update your answer it looks like B1046 has been used twice and is being prepped to be used a third time $\endgroup$
    – Mark Omo
    Nov 12, 2018 at 20:00
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    $\begingroup$ yay! time for an update? $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Dec 3, 2018 at 23:46

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