Image: SpaceX on YouTube
At 2:42 a.m. EDT Sunday morning, SpaceX launched another 60 Starlink satellites into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
This will be the tenth flight for the Falcon 9 first stage rocket booster supporting this mission
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 8, 2021
The mission saw a successful liftoff, a smooth landing and recovery of the first stage booster, and prompt deployment of its 60-satellite payload. The Falcon 9 first stage booster that carried this mission is SpaceX’s first orbital class rocket booster to complete ten successful launches and landings.
Falcon 9 lifting off:
Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/MZ4ct2Spnj
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 9, 2021
Separated first stage booster successfully landing on the Just Read the Instructions autonomous droneship:
Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, completing this booster’s 10th launch and landing! pic.twitter.com/8KeEAfHgWF
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 9, 2021
60 Starlink satellites deployed into orbit:
Deployment of 60 Starlink satellites confirmed pic.twitter.com/RarbrcfUml
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 9, 2021
Check out a full replay of the mission below:
Getting more Starlink satellites up and running is a top priority for Starlink at the moment, as the high-speed satellite broadband provider has already received well over 500,000 orders (with $99 USD deposits each) for its service.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said in a tweet that all of the initial 500,000 orders will “most likely” receive service, even though the $99 deposit on Starlink orders doesn’t guarantee service and is fully refundable.
With 240 Starlink satellites deployed in March alone, SpaceX can be seen ramping up operations to meet demand.
