Key Takeaways
- SpaceX successfully launched 21 Starlink satellites aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
- The rocket’s first stage made a safe return and landing in the Atlantic Ocean, marking its eighth flight.
- This launch follows a test flight of the Starship megarocket, which ended in an explosion after its upper stage failed.
Launch Details
Early this morning, SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink internet satellites, just five days after a mixed-result test flight of the Starship megarocket culminated in an explosion. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:24 a.m. EST (0524 GMT), successfully carrying 21 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit.
Approximately eight minutes post-launch, the Falcon 9’s first stage touched down as planned, landing in the Atlantic Ocean on the drone ship named “A Shortfall of Gravitas.” This marked the eighth launch and landing for this particular booster, which has now completed four missions related to the Starlink program.
The upper stage of the rocket will facilitate the deployment of the 21 satellites around 65 minutes after lift-off. This launch represents the ninth Falcon 9 mission of the year to date and SpaceX’s tenth launch overall in 2025. The other mission included the seventh test flight of the Starship megarocket conducted on January 16 in South Texas, which has been characterized as a mixed success.
During the Starship test flight, the Super Heavy booster made a notable return to its launch site, caught by the tower’s “chopstick” arms. However, the upper stage of the Starship failed approximately 8.5 minutes into the flight due to a propellant leak, resulting in an explosion.
As SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of space exploration and satellite delivery, today’s successful Starlink launch adds to the company’s growing constellation, aimed at providing global internet coverage. With this mission, SpaceX further demonstrates its capability in the realm of satellite launches while recovering from the recent setbacks associated with the Starship program.
Prospective viewers can look forward to the expanding Starlink satellite train, a shining feature in the night sky, enhancing access to internet services worldwide.
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