On February 23, SpaceX launched 22 Starlink Internet satellites into orbit during the 19th re-entry flight of the first stage of a Falcon 9 rocket, Space reports.
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 Starlink satellites was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 06:11 Kyiv time.
This was the 19th mission for the Falcon 9 first stage, matching the rocket reuse record set by SpaceX with the Starlink launch in December 2023.
The first stage of the Falcon 9 returned to Earth about 8.5 minutes after launch and landed on the Of Course I Still Love You platform in the Pacific Ocean.
Of Course I Still Love You will deliver the rocket’s first stage to land for inspection, repair, and most likely another flight.
The upper stage of the Falcon 9 launched 22 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit about 62 minutes after launch.
Currently, the Starlink mega constellation in low Earth orbit consists of more than 5,400 operating satellites, and their number continues to grow.
