SpaceX launches over 20 Starlink satellites into orbit VIDEO

The US space firm SpaceX successfully launched 23 Starlink internet satellites into orbit on July 27.

The mission marks a significant milestone in the company's ongoing efforts to revolutionise space travel and satellite deployment, Caliber.Az reports, citing the company’s website.

Falcon 9 returns to flight and delivers 23 @Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit pic.twitter.com/lLUk0ADIwY

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 27, 2024

The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 7:14 a.m. EDT (1114 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The rocket carried a fresh batch of Starlink spacecraft, further expanding SpaceX's ambitious broadband internet constellation.

Today's flight was particularly notable as it represented the first time a single Falcon 9 rocket has completed 22 launches and landings. Following the successful launch, SpaceX celebrated the achievement with a post on X, stating, "Falcon 9 lands on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, completing the first 22nd launch and landing of a booster!"

The mission proceeded smoothly, with the rocket's second stage separating from the first stage booster at 2 minutes and 34 seconds into the flight. The first-stage booster made its way back to Earth, landing on the "Just Read the Instructions" droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean just 8 minutes and 14 seconds into the mission.

SpaceX confirmed that the 23 Starlink satellites were successfully deployed into orbit just over an hour after liftoff. The first-stage booster used in today's mission has an impressive track record, having previously supported 15 Starlink missions along with three commercial satellite launches, two GPS spacecraft launches for the US Space Force, and two crewed missions: the all-civilian Inspiration4 flight and the Ax-1 mission to the International Space Station.