On Tuesday, June 18, SpaceX successfully launched a batch of 20 Starlink broadband satellites including 13 with direct-to-cell capabilities from California, marking the company's 61st orbital liftoff this year.
The launch, which took place at 11:40 p.m. EDT (8:40 p.m. local California time), ended a 10-day spaceflight drought for SpaceX.
The Falcon 9 rocket carrying the satellites lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base and touched down on the SpaceX droneship "Of Course I Still Love You" in the Pacific Ocean just 8.5 minutes later. This marked the fifth successful launch and landing for the booster.
Starlink satellite stack on second stage of Falcon 9 before deployment. (Image credit: SpaceX)
The satellites will join over 6,000 operational satellites in the Starlink mega-constellation, which provides global internet coverage. SpaceX averages one launch every 2.8 days in 2024, making the brief pause in launches a notable exception to their usual pace.
The launch was originally intended to be part of a doubleheader, but the first leg of the mission, launching the Astra 1P telecom satellite for SES, was postponed due to high winds at the launch site in Florida.
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