SpaceX launched another batch of Starlink internet satellites from Florida in the early hours of Wednesday morning (July 3), after a two-hour delay.
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 20 Starlink spacecraft, including 13 with direct communications capabilities, lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Station on Wednesday at 4:55 a.m. ET (0855 GMT). While the launch was delayed due to technical issues, the three-hour launch window opened at 2:57 a.m. ET (0601 GMT).
The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket returned to Earth about eight minutes after launch. It will land on a drone ship called Zero Gravity, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Related: SpaceX unveils new Starlink Mini antenna for internet users on the go
Wednesday’s launch was the 16th launch and landing of this particular booster, according to SpaceX Mission DescriptionOf its 15 flights so far, 10 have been Starlink missions.
Meanwhile, the Falcon 9’s upper stage continued to deliver 20 satellites to low Earth orbit, where they were deployed about 61 minutes after liftoff.
A Falcon 9 rocket launched 20 Starlink satellites into orbit from Florida, including 13 with direct cellphone capabilities. These satellites act as cellphone towers in space, eliminating dead zones without phone modifications or special apps pic.twitter.com/DXTaCokOyEJuly 3, 2024
Wednesday morning’s launch was the Falcon 9’s 67th mission of 2024. More than 70 percent of the rocket’s launches this year are dedicated to building the ever-growing Starlink constellation, which currently consists of more than 6,150 operational satellites.
In addition to the Falcon 9 missions this year, SpaceX conducted one launch of its powerful Falcon Heavy rocket and two test flights of Starship, the next-generation spacecraft the company is developing to help humanity get a foothold on the moon and Mars.
This story was updated at 8 a.m. ET with news of the successful launch.
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