CRS-24

Dragon carried Light-1, the first Bahraini satellite — built in partnership with the UAE to study terrestrial gamma-ray flashes, the brief, intense bursts of high-energy radiation produced by lightning in thunderstorms.

The flight also gave booster B1069 a rocky debut. The first stage touched down successfully at sea, but rough seas during the return voyage slid the stage across the drone ship deck into the safety railing, damaging all nine engine bells and grounding the booster for eight months.