SpaceX launches nearly 30 Starlink satellites

CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — Those who woke up early on Thursday morning got a treat as SpaceX launched nearly 30 Starlink satellites. 


What You Need To Know

  • The Falcon 9 rocket sent up Starlink 10-61 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 

The Falcon 9 rocket sent up Starlink 10-61 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 5:30 a.m. ET, stated SpaceX.

The launch window opened at 5:30 a.m. ET and was scheduled to close at 9:30 a.m. ET.

The 45th Weather Squadron is giving a 65% chance of good liftoff conditions, with the only concerns being the cumulus cloud rule. 

Find out more about the weather criteria for a Falcon 9 launch.

Lucky 7 launch?

This will be the seventh mission for this Falcon 9’s first-stage booster called B1092.

Its previous missions include the following:

  1. Starlink 12-13 mission
  2. NROL-69 mission
  3. Bandwagon-3 mission
  4. GPS III-7 mission
  5. Starlink 10-34 mission
  6. USSF-36 mission

After the stage separation, the first-stage rocket landed on the droneship Just Read the Instructions that will be in the Atlantic Ocean.

About the mission

The 28 satellites from the Starlink company will be joining thousands of their mechanical brothers and sisters in low-Earth orbit.

Once deployed and in their orbit, they will provide internet service to many parts of Earth.

SpaceX owns Starlink.

Dr. Jonathan McDowell, of Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, has been recording Starlink satellites.

Before this launch, McDowell recorded the following:

  • 8,405 are in orbit
  • 7,576 are in operational orbit

 

Anthony Leone

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