A single rocket booster can fly 34 times

For decades, the first stage of a rocket was a disposable piece of hardware designed to be discarded into the ocean after just a few minutes of use. Modern engineering has inverted this model by creating boosters capable of returning to Earth and landing vertically on four legs. One specific Falcon 9 booster, known as B1071, has completed its 34th successful mission, proving that orbital hardware can be as durable as a commercial aircraft.