SpaceX launched 23 Starlink satellites into orbit on May 28, 2024.
SpaceX plans to launch about 150 missions this year, with many more flights dedicated to building out its Starlink megaconstellation.
The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 10:24 a.m. EDT (1424 GMT).
The upper stage continued carrying the satellites to low Earth orbit for deployment about 65 minutes after liftoff.
This marked the tenth launch and landing for this particular first stage of the Falcon 9, and sixth Starlink mission of the year.
SpaceX launched a batch of 23 Starlink satellites into orbit from Florida on May 28, 2024. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 10:24 a.m. EDT (1424 GMT), marking the company's fifth orbital mission of the year dedicated to expanding its Starlink megaconstellation, which currently consists of nearly 6,000 operational satellites.
The first stage of the Falcon 9 returned to Earth about eight minutes after launch and landed on droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. This marked the tenth launch and landing for this particular first stage, according to SpaceX's mission description. Six of its nine flights to date have been Starlink missions.
The Falcon 9's upper stage continued carrying the 23 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, where they were expected to be deployed about 65 minutes after liftoff.
SpaceX plans to launch about 150 missions this year, with many more flights dedicated to building out its Starlink megaconstellation. The company's ultimate goal is to provide global broadband internet coverage from space.
Related: Starlink satellite train: How to see and track it in the night sky
SpaceX launched 23 Starlink satellites on May 23, 20XX from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A.
SpaceX's Starlink project was inspired by the failure of past ventures like Teledesic.
Elon Musk spoke at the Satellite 2020 conference in March 20XX after launching about 300 Starlink satellites and expressed the importance of having more than zero in the ‘not bankrupt’ category. (OneWeb filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection a few weeks later)
As of now, SpaceX has launched over 6,500 Starlink satellites.
Accuracy
The date of the SpaceX launch varies between articles: May 23, 20XX (article) vs. May 28, 2024 (other articles)
The number of satellites launched in one mission differs: 23 (article) vs. 60 (other articles)
SpaceX launched 23 Starlink satellites from Florida on May 28, 2024.
The first stage of the Falcon 9 returned to Earth and landed on droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. (This is a unique fact as not all articles mention this specific droneship name)
Six of its nine flights to date have been Starlink missions for this Falcon 9.
