SpaceX was set to launch 52 Starlink satellites into lower Earth orbit today at 6:57pm ET, but delayed the launch by just over three hours due to “upper level winds”.
Eventually, at 10:14 p.m. ET, SpaceX launched 52 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, its 55th Starlink mission overall.
This particular Falcon 9 booster, B1073, successfully launched and landed for the third time. It previously launched SES-22 and now two Starlink missions.
You can see a replay of the launch below, with the booster successfully landing on SpaceX’s drone ship, A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the 35th first stage landing by SpaceX in 2022, yet another record.
Tonight’s launch marked the 135th landing of an orbital class rocket by SpaceX.
SpaceX also noted today Coconino County in Arizona now has 150 homes connected to Starlink, after a beta trial last year that saw 45 dishes sent out. The new connectivity brings high speed internet to Navajo Nation students.
Earlier today, SpaceX also successfully completed a static fire of a single Raptor engine on its Super Heavy Booster 7 at Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, at the site’s orbital launch pad.
Later, SpaceX shared it had also successfully had a static fire test of two Raptor engines on Starship 24 at Starbase as well:
Static fire test of two Raptor engines on Starship 24 pic.twitter.com/NNpViztphI
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 10, 2022
According to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, an orbital test flight of Starship will take place within the next 12 months.
