SpaceX launched one other batch of its Starlink web satellites to orbit from Florida’s House Coast this afternoon (Oct. 30).
A Falcon 9 rocket topped with 23 Starlink spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral House Drive Station at the moment at 5:10 p.m. EDT (2110 GMT).
The Falcon 9’s first stage got here again to Earth for a vertical landing about eight minutes after liftoff as deliberate. It landed on the SpaceX droneship “A Shortfall of Gravitas,” which was stationed within the Atlantic Ocean.
It was the 14th launch and touchdown for this specific booster, in accordance with a SpaceX mission description.
The Falcon 9’s higher stage continued its trek skyward. It should deploy the 23 Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) about 64 minutes after liftoff, if all goes in accordance with plan.
SpaceX has already launched greater than 100 Falcon 9 missions in 2024, about two-thirds of them dedicated to constructing out the Starlink megaconstellation.
Elon Musk’s firm at present operates almost 6,500 Starlink satellites in LEO, and extra are going up on a regular basis, as at the moment’s liftoff exhibits.
