The next batch of Starlink satellites for SpaceX’s satellite internet service rose into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket Monday night from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Liftoff occurred at 11:20 PM EDT (0420 UTC) as the Falcon 9 rocket broke through a thin layer of cloud while heading on a southerly trajectory as it aimed for a 43 degree inclined orbit.
The first stage booster flying on this mission, numbered 1062, made its 17th flight. It has previously supported two crewed missions with the Ax-1 private astronaut mission to the International Space Station as well as the Inspiration4 mission.
The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket landed on the “just read the instructions” drone ship about eight and a half minutes after launch. The unmanned vehicle, a converted ocean barge, is one of three operated by SpaceX, and has been stationed about 420 miles (620 km) east of the Bahamas. The two payload halves parachuted a little further away where they were to be picked up by SpaceX’s “Bob” support ship.
SpaceX confirmed in a social media post that 23 Starlink satellites were deployed as planned from the Falcon 9 second stage just over an hour into the mission. The successful flight will bring the total number of Starlink satellites launched to 5,514.
Starlink 6-30 in numbers
It was this:
- Starlink’s 57th mission of 2023
- 277 Falcon 9 launches to date
- Launch of the 83rd Falcon 9 rocket in 2023
- SpaceX’s 87th orbital launch in 2023
- SpaceX’s 94th orbital launch in the last 365 days
- SpaceX’s 157th orbital launch from pad 40
- Mass orbital launch No. 212 from pad 40
- Sixty-sixth orbital launch from Cape Canaveral