
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
SpaceX launched two more batches of Starlink satellites today (Dec. 17), in a pair of launches from both U.S. coasts.
First up was a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 29 of the broadband internet relay units (Group 6-99) into low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The satellites were successfully deployed about an hour and five minutes after the 8:42 a.m. EST (1342 GMT) liftoff on Wednesday.
"Deployment of 29 Starlink satellites confirmed," SpaceX reported on social media.
The Florida flight's first stage booster (B1094) completed its sixth flight, landing on the "Just Read the Instructions" droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Then came 27 more Starlink satellites (Group 15-13), riding atop a Falcon 9 rocket launched from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Lifting off at 10:27 a.m. EST (1527 GMT or 7:27 a.m. PST local time), the mission was on track to deploy its payload about an hour after leaving the ground.
The California flight's first stage booster (B1063) performed its 30th propulsive landing, touching down on the droneship "Of Course I Still Love You" in the Pacific Ocean.
The California flight's first stage booster (B1063) performed its 30th propulsive landing, touching down on the droneship "Of Course I Still Love You" in the Pacific Ocean.
The 56 (in total) Starlink satellites launched on Wednesday add to SpaceX's megaconstellation, which now numbers more than 9,400 units in orbit. The network provides access to the internet to areas around the globe where other options for connectivity is sparse, as well as enables in-flight wifi and cell-to-satellite service on select carries.
Wednesday's dual launches were SpaceX's 164th and 165th Falcon 9 flight of the year.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
ChatGPT served as "suicide coach" in man's death, lawsuit alleges - 2
Tesla Germany Registrations Quadruple to 9,252 Vehicles in Best March Ever - 3
NASA's Apollo 8 moonshot saved 1968. Could Artemis 2 do the same in 2026? - 4
A single shot of HPV vaccine may be enough to fight cervical cancer, study finds - 5
This Is Canada's Only Province Without Any Bears
EU agrees on agriculture safeguards as fronts harden in Mercosur deal
4 Famous Gaming PCs of 2024: Execution, Versatility, and Advancement
The most effective method to Amplify Your Opportunity for growth in a Web-based Degree Program
10 Moves toward Start Your Own Effective Business
As reefs vanish, assisted coral fertilization offers hope in the Dominican Republic
The most effective method to Alter Your Savvy Bed for A definitive Rest Insight
After fleeing past Hezbollah fighting, some Israelis on northern border vow to stay
Lego's $650 Pokémon set is already sold out as demand, preorders surge
Muslim Brotherhood stole half a billion dollars in Gaza donations, Arab sources reveal












