SpaceX sends 23 more Starlink satellites into orbit on Leap Day

2024.03.02 2 min read

SpaceX sent 23 more Starlink high-speed internet satellites into orbit on Leap Day.

The satellites were launched from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 10:30 a.m. yesterday, bringing the current total to 5,504. SpaceX hopes to have 42,000 satellites in low Earth orbit to build a mega constellation that will provide high-speed internet access to anyone.

The Falcon 9 rocket launched from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida at Cape Canaveral.

Deployment of 23 @Starlink satellites confirmed following launch from Florida→ https://t.co/bJFjLCilmc pic.twitter.com/jhTaXV9N74

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) February 29, 2024

The mission, known as Starlink 6-40, was set to be the first of two launches in a 24-hour period for SpaceX.

However, the NASA Crew-8 mission, which was set for launch just after midnight this morning, was postponed to Saturday night, March 2, after rough offshore weather posed concerns during launch abort scenarios, according to Space.com.

Following the successful launch of Falcon 9 and the completion of stage separation that put the 23 satellites into low Earth orbit, the booster returned to Earth in just over eight minutes. It landed on the drone ship “Just Read the Instructions,” which was located in the Atlantic Ocean:

After a quick leap, Falcon 9’s first stage has completed its 11th mission, landing on the Just Read The Instructions droneship in the Atlantic Ocean pic.twitter.com/OFrx4S2zbj

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) February 29, 2024

This is the first Starlink launch since February 25, and this mission had Version 2 Mini satellites aboard.

This was the 11th flight for this Falcon 9 first stage, which has been a part of five other Starlink missions.

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