SpaceX Successfully Launches Starlink Satellites with Falcon 9

Early this morning, SpaceX orchestrated another successful deployment of its Starlink broadband satellites. A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 2:46 a.m. EDT, carrying 28 satellites into orbit.

Following the launch, the rocket’s first stage safely returned to Earth, landing on the drone ship “A Shortfall of Gravitas” in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 8.5 minutes later. This marks the eighth launch and recovery for the booster, designated B1090.

The Falcon 9’s second stage continued its journey towards low Earth orbit (LEO), where the satellites are scheduled to be deployed roughly 64 minutes after liftoff.

This launch represents SpaceX’s 126th mission of the year and the 130th overall since the company’s founding. In addition, four other missions involved suborbital tests of the Starship megarocket, which is being developed to support future missions to Mars. The fifth Starship test of the year is expected to take place soon, targeting a launch date of October 13.