Starlink satellites blast off into orbit on the 117th mission of a Falcon 9 rocket by SpaceX (video footage)
In a significant event today, a Falcon 9 rocket was launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 5:30 a.m. EDT (0930 GMT). This marked the 117th flight of the year for the Falcon 9, and the seventh launch and landing for the booster with the designation B1092.
The primary mission of this launch was to send 28 Starlink satellites towards low Earth orbit (LEO). The Starlink megaconstellation, the largest network of satellites ever assembled, is continuously growing, with nearly 8,400 active satellites currently in operation. SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, is the chief designer of the Falcon 9 rocket booster used for this launch.
The first stage of the rocket returned to Earth approximately 8.5 minutes after launch, landing on the SpaceX drone ship "Just Read the Instructions" in the Atlantic Ocean. The 28 Starlink satellites are being carried by the Falcon 9's upper stage and are scheduled to be deployed approximately 64 minutes after liftoff.
This launch also included the NROL-69, GPS III-7, and USSF-36 missions, but no new facts were provided about these missions.
The Starlink network consists of the satellites, not advertisements, and serves as a significant step towards SpaceX's goal of providing global broadband internet service.
For updates on rocket launches and skywatching events, subscribe to our website's Newsletter, where you can find the latest news about the Starlink megaconstellation. The launch was the 32nd Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-32) mission, sending the U.S. Space Force's X-37B space plane to orbit.
This was not the first time the booster B1092 has been used for a Starlink mission. In fact, it has been instrumental in contributing to the growth of the Starlink megaconstellation, with more than 70% of the Falcon 9 missions this year dedicated to building out the network.
As the Starlink megaconstellation continues to expand, it promises to revolutionise the way we communicate and access the internet, making it faster and more reliable for people around the world. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting development in space exploration and technology.
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