Cape Canaveral, Florida – SpaceX celebrated a milestone on Tuesday night with the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This launch marked the 14th anniversary of Falcon 9’s inaugural flight, a momentous occasion as the rocket has since completed over 340 missions, with 285 of those using reused boosters.
The Starlink 8-5 mission, which took off at 10:16 p.m. EDT, carried 20 Starlink V2 Mini satellites, including 13 with direct-to-cellphone capabilities. The first stage booster, known as B1067, made its 20th flight and successfully landed on the SpaceX droneship ‘Just Read the Instructions’ approximately 8.5 minutes after liftoff, marking the 83rd landing using this platform.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk shared on social media that Starlink achieved a new milestone in internal median latency, with plans to further improve internet speed for users. Additionally, Michael Nicolls, SpaceX’s vice president of Starlink Engineering, highlighted the impact of Starlink’s recent launches in May, noting progress towards providing direct-to-cellphone service with partner T-Mobile.
Coinciding with the Falcon 9 launch, the Federal Aviation Administration granted SpaceX approval to proceed with Flight 4 of its Starship rocket. This approval included scenarios for potential anomalies that would not require investigation, as well as the option for either controlled or uncontrolled reentry of the Starship. SpaceX will need to notify the FAA in advance if opting for an uncontrolled reentry.
The momentum of SpaceX’s recent achievements showcases the company’s dedication to innovation and progress in the field of space exploration. As SpaceX continues to push boundaries with successful launches and advancements in satellite technology, the future of space travel and communication looks promising.