SpaceX launched yet one more batch of its Starlink satellites to orbit right now (Sept. 20).
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 20 Starlink craft lifted off from Vandenberg Area Drive Base on California’s foggy central coast right now at 9:50 a.m. EDT (1350 GMT and 6:50 a.m. native California time).
The Falcon 9’s first stage got here again to Earth as deliberate, touchdown on the SpaceX drone ship “Of Course I Nonetheless Love You” within the Pacific Ocean about eight minutes after launch.
It was the thirteenth launch and touchdown for this explicit booster, in keeping with a SpaceX mission description. Ten of these flights have been Starlink missions.
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SpaceX has launched greater than 7,000 satellites to this point for Starlink, its megaconstellation in low Earth orbit that gives web service to prospects all over the world. Greater than 6,300 of these spacecraft are lively right now, in keeping with satellite tv for pc tracker and astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell.
13 of the 20 Starlink craft that went up right now can beam service on to cellphones, a comparatively new functionality SpaceX is constructing out in LEO. The primary direct-to-cell Starlink satellites went up in January 2024, and greater than 100 now circle Earth.
SpaceX has now launched 91 Falcon 9 missions in 2024, 62 of which have been Starlink flights.
The corporate’s launch tally general for the yr is 94. That quantity consists of one mission of its highly effective Falcon Heavy rocket and two check flights of Starship, the large new automobile SpaceX is creating with hopes of settling the moon and Mars.
