SpaceX Successfully Launches 23 Starlink Satellites into Orbit
SpaceX continues its rapid expansion of the Starlink internet satellite constellation with yet another successful launch early Thursday morning. A Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 23 Starlink spacecraft, took off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 12:07 a.m. EST, marking SpaceX’s 90th orbital mission of 2023.
Following the launch, the rocket’s first stage performed a flawless vertical landing on the SpaceX droneship “Just Read the Instructions” in the Atlantic Ocean. This marked the ninth successful landing for the booster, demonstrating SpaceX’s reusability capabilities.
Approximately 65 minutes after liftoff, the 23 Starlink satellites were deployed from the Falcon 9’s upper stage into low Earth orbit. This expansion adds to SpaceX’s ever-growing broadband megaconstellation, which currently consists of more than 5,100 active satellites that provide internet service to users around the world.
SpaceX’s ambitious launch cadence has been setting records, with the company surpassing its previous annual mark of 61 launches last year. Looking ahead, SpaceX representatives have expressed their goal of achieving 144 launches in 2024.
The successful launch and deployment of these Starlink satellites further solidify SpaceX’s position as a leader in the space industry and pave the way for continued expansion of internet connectivity across the globe.