Abdelrahman
SpaceX has once again set a new record for reusing its rockets.
This morning, a Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched 21 broadband satellites from the company’s Starlink program into orbit. The rocket lifted off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 1:14 a.m. EST (0614 GMT) on February 15.
Marking its 26th launch, this mission broke a reuse record that SpaceX had established just last month. Notably, 15 of these 26 launches were dedicated to deploying Starlink satellites, according to SpaceX’s mission report.
The rocket’s first stage returned to Earth as anticipated, landing on a platform in the Atlantic Ocean around eight minutes after launch.
According to a tweet from SpaceX, “Falcon 9 landed successfully on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, marking the 26th successful launch and landing of an orbital-class rocket.” The post included video footage of the rocket’s descent and landing.
The Falcon 9’s upper stage completed its mission by deploying the 21 Starlink satellites, 13 of which are equipped with direct-to-cell technology, into low Earth orbit approximately 65 minutes following the launch as scheduled.
Explore More: How to See and Track the Starlink Satellite Train
Today’s launch signifies the 20th Falcon 9 mission this year and the 14th aimed at enhancing the Starlink broadband network. Starlink represents the largest collection of satellites ever deployed, currently featuring nearly 7,000 active satellites.
This particular Falcon 9 first stage last flew just over a month ago, on January 10. That mission, the 25th for the booster, was also a Starlink mission.
