In a significant milestone for SpaceX, the company is set to launch 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Florida on Monday afternoon. This launch marks the second part of a planned spaceflight doubleheader, with an earlier launch of two Earth-observation satellites for Maxar from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Falcon 9 First Stage Landing
Following the Starlink launch, the Falcon 9’s first stage will return to Earth for a vertical landing on the SpaceX droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas, which will be positioned in the Atlantic Ocean. This will mark the 19th launch and landing for this specific booster, as per a SpaceX mission description. One more successful landing would equal the company’s rocket reuse record, which was established last month.
Starlink Constellation Expansion
Starlink, SpaceX’s broadband constellation in low Earth orbit, currently boasts over 5,800 active satellites. In recent developments, SpaceX has launched 43 orbital missions in 2024, with 29 of these missions dedicated to expanding the Starlink megaconstellation.