The launch takes place on a milestone date, marking 20 years since the STS-114 space shuttle mission took off from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39B. The launch of Discovery on the STS-114 mission on July 26, 2005, marked the return to flight for the space shuttle after the Columbia tragedy investigation.

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket in the early hours of Saturday morning from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Port Canaveral, Florida. The mission was the 91st Falcon 9 launch of the year so far.