SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched 60 Starlink internet satellites into orbit on early Thursday morning, at 1:19am EST, from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The Starlink-18 mission saw a night launch for its Falcon 9 booster, and after sending the payload into orbit, this particular rocket, serial B1060, aced its fifth landing, onto the drone ship, Of Course I Still Love You in the Atlantic Ocean.
As of writing, 60 Starlink satellites are still travelling to their final destination before being deployed. Check out the video that’s still live as of writing, below:
SpaceX was set to launch its Starlink-17 mission later on Thursday, less than five hours after this Starlink-18 mission, but the former was pushed back to Friday to allow for extra time for pre-launch checks. Starlink-17 is targeting a launch at 5:14am EST on Friday, from Launch Complex 39A, at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said this morning’s mission “was a tough one”, citing “high seas and wind” as challenges for the landing of Falcon 9.
This was a tough one https://t.co/beY7peFpCj
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 4, 2021
High seas & wind
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 4, 2021
Update: Deployment of 60 Starlink satellites confirmed!
Deployment of 60 Starlink satellites confirmed pic.twitter.com/96pHRHXZi0
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) February 4, 2021
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