SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink internet satellites from Florida’s Space Coast on Saturday evening (October 26).
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 Starlink spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 5:47 p.m. EDT (2147 GMT).
Regarding the plan, the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket returned to Earth about eight minutes after liftoff. The plane landed on the “Just Read Instructions” drone ship, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
This was the 19th launch and landing of this booster specifically, and the 15th Starlink mission overall, according to SpaceX mission description.
Meanwhile, the Falcon 9 rocket’s upper stage continued to ferry Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO), where they were scheduled to deploy about 64 minutes after liftoff.
Related to: Starlink Space Train: How to See and Track It in the Night Sky
Starlink launches are fast and accelerating these days: SpaceX has launched 100 Falcon 9 missions so far in 2024, including 66 Starlink missions.
The massive Starlink constellation, which broadcasts Internet service to customers around the world, currently consists of more than 6,400 active satellites, according to Astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell.
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