SpaceX has successfully launched a double-header Starlink mission overnight from Florida and California and deployed a total of 46 Starlink internet satellites to low-Earth orbit.
SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites from Florida
SpaceX has launched 23 Starlink satellites on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at 7:05 p.m. EDT (23:05 UTC).
A Falcon 9 rocket of SpaceX has carried these Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida to low-Earth orbit.
Watch the launch of this mission if you missed it:
This was the 11th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-5, GPS III Space Vehicle 06, Inmarsat I6-F2, CRS-28, Intelsat G-37, NG-20, and now five Starlink missions, according to the statement from SpaceX.
The first stage booster is the reusable part of the Falcon 9 rocket. After stage separation, the first stage booster came back to Earth and landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Only the second stage (upper stage) of the Falcon 9 rocket carried these satellites to the low-Earth orbit from the stage separation and deployed them about 65 minutes after liftoff.
SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites from California
SpaceX has launched another batch of 23 Starlink satellites on Monday, March 11, 2024, at 12:09 a.m. EDT (04:09 UTC).
Another Falcon 9 rocket of SpaceX has carried these Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California to low-Earth orbit.
Watch the launch of this mission if you missed it:
This was the 17th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, Transporter-7, Iridium OneWeb, SDA-0B, and now 12 Starlink missions, according to the statement from SpaceX.
After stage separation, the first stage booster came back to Earth and landed on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which was stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
Only the second stage (upper stage) of the Falcon 9 rocket carried these satellites to the low-Earth orbit from the stage separation and deployed them about 62 minutes after liftoff.
Know about Starlink satellites
Starlink is the world’s first and largest satellite constellation, located in the low-Earth orbit, which provides high-speed satellite internet from space to almost anywhere on Earth. Currently, it’s providing satellite internet access to over 71 countries.
See the map where Starlink satellite internet is currently available.
As of March 10, 2024, SpaceX has launched 5965 Starlink satellites, of which 5568 are in low-Earth orbit and 5506 are in operational state, according to the report in Jonathan’s Space Pages. SpaceX has decided to deploy around 12,000 Starlink satellites in total.
The growing number of Starlink satellites in the low-Earth orbit is currently creating controversy because the bright train of Starlink satellites will interfere with night sky observation from the ground.
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