SpaceX launched 20 more of its Starlink satellites tonight (July 11), including 13 with direct-to-cell capabilities.
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Starlink spacecraft lifted off tonight from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base at 10:35 p.m. EDT (7:35 p.m. local California time; 0235 GMT on July 12). That was one day later than originally planned; SpaceX didn’t give a reason for the slip.
The Falcon 9’s first stage returned to Earth as planned; it touched down about eight minutes after launch on the SpaceX droneship Of Course I Still Love You, which was stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
It was the 19th launch and landing for this particular booster, according to a SpaceX mission description. The record for a Falcon 9 first stage is 22 flights, which SpaceX set late last month.
The Falcon 9’s upper stage continued hauling the 20 satellites to low Earth orbit tonight, where it will deploy them bout 59 minutes after liftoff.
SpaceX has now conducted 69 Falcon 9 launches in 2024. Forty-nine of those missions have been devoted to building out the Starlink megaconstellation, which currently consists of more than 6,150 operational satellites.
More than 100 of those spacecraft have direct-to-cell capability, but that number will continue to rise for the foreseeable future, as will the overall Starlink tally.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-starlink-launch-group-9-3
