SpaceX launched one other batch of its Starlink web satellites on Tuesday evening (June 4), together with 13 that may beam service on to smartphones.
The Starlink spacecraft took flight atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Area Pressure Station in Florida tonight at 10:16 p.m. EDT (0216 GMT on June 5).
The Falcon 9’s first stage returned to Earth about 8.5 minutes after launch as deliberate, touchdown on the SpaceX droneship Simply Learn the Directions within the Atlantic Ocean.
Associated: Starlink satellite tv for pc practice: Tips on how to see and monitor it within the evening sky
Falcon 9’s first stage lands on the Simply Learn the Directions droneship, finishing our first launch and touchdown this month pic.twitter.com/T42up3gKfhJune 5, 2024
It was the twentieth launch and touchdown for this explicit booster, in line with a SpaceX mission description. That is only one shy of the corporate’s reuse document, which it set on a Starlink launch final month.
The Falcon 9’s higher stage, in the meantime, continued carrying the 20 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, the place they have been deployed about 52 minutes after liftoff.
Thus far in 2024, SpaceX has launched 58 orbital missions, 41 of which have been devoted to constructing out the large and ever-growing Starlink megaconstellation.
SpaceX is gearing up for a way more dramatic launch this week — the fourth check flight of its Starship megarocket. That extremely anticipated mission is scheduled to raise off from the corporate’s Starbase website in South Texas on Thursday morning (June 6).
Editor’s word: This story was up to date at 1:40 a.m. ET on June 5 with information of profitable launch, rocket touchdown and satellite tv for pc deployment.