SpaceX Breaks Record with 20th Successful Falcon 9 Rocket Booster Launch
In a remarkable achievement, SpaceX has successfully launched and landed its Falcon 9 rocket booster for a record 20th time. The launch took place from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and carried 23 satellites for the company’s Starlink internet service.
The rocket, with tail number 1062, set a new record for the shortest time between launches, with just 2 days and 20 hours separating this latest mission from its previous one. Meteorologists predicted near-perfect conditions for the launch, giving it less than a five-percent chance of a weather rule violation.
After liftoff, the booster landed safely on the drone ship ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ in the Atlantic. SpaceX Vice President Jon Edwards praised the accomplishment and highlighted the safety of achieving 20 launches with a single booster.
The mission also saw the deployment of 23 second-generation Starlink satellites into orbit after two burns of the rocket’s second stage. SpaceX now reports having 2.3 million subscribers in over 70 countries for its Starlink internet service.
Since 2019, SpaceX has launched a total of 6,189 satellites, with 5,787 still in orbit. According to astronomer Jonathan McDowell’s latest update on April 10, 2024, 5,572 of these satellites are working normally.
This latest successful launch further solidifies SpaceX’s position as a leader in the space industry and underscores the company’s commitment to providing reliable and efficient satellite internet services to customers around the world.
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