CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – SpaceX successfully launched its latest Falcon 9 rocket from pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday evening. The mission, named Starlink 6-51, marked the company’s 81st flight of a Falcon rocket, bringing them close to tying the total number of Space Shuttle missions from the historic launch pad.
The liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket occurred at 5:26 p.m. EDT, kicking off a four-hour launch window for the mission. This launch comes just over a week after SpaceX’s first Bandwagon-1 rideshare mission from the same pad, showcasing the company’s rapid pace in space exploration.
SpaceX’s dedication to reusability was evident in this mission, as the Falcon 9 first stage booster, designated as B1077, completed its 12th flight. Previous missions supported by this booster include NASA’s Crew-5 flight and the deployment of various satellites and spacecraft to the International Space Station.
After liftoff, B1077 successfully landed on SpaceX’s droneship, ‘Just Read the Instructions,’ marking the 78th booster landing for the ship and the 298th landing for SpaceX overall. This achievement highlights the company’s commitment to developing reusable space technologies.
The Starlink 6-51 mission carried 23 satellites into orbit, contributing to SpaceX’s growing constellation of over 5,800 Starlink satellites. With this launch, SpaceX has now sent 564 Starlink satellites into orbit in 2024, reinforcing their position as a leader in providing global high-speed internet coverage.
The success of this mission not only demonstrates SpaceX’s ongoing commitment to innovation and sustainability in space exploration but also highlights the company’s significant contributions to expanding global connectivity through the Starlink program. As SpaceX continues to push boundaries and set new milestones in space exploration, the future of satellite technology and internet connectivity looks brighter than ever before.