SpaceX successfully launched another batch of Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit on Monday afternoon from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at 3:52 p.m., carrying 28 Starlink satellites.
Approximately eight minutes after launch, the rocket’s first-stage booster completed a precision landing on the “Just Read the Instructions” droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
By the Numbers:
- This mission marked the 17th flight for the first-stage booster.
- The booster previously supported high-profile missions, including Ax-2, Ax-3, CRS-30, and ten other Starlink launches.
Starlink, SpaceX’s rapidly growing satellite internet network, aims to provide global coverage, particularly in remote areas. Its new Direct to Cell technology is designed to eliminate mobile dead zones by allowing standard cell phones to connect directly to satellites—no extra hardware required.
SpaceX is seeking approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to expand its launches at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, increasing the number of annual missions from 50 to 120. According to a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) released by the FAA on March 14, the proposal includes both an increased launch frequency and the construction of a new landing zone.
If approved, SpaceX would be permitted to conduct up to 120 Falcon 9 launches per year from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40), an increase of 70 missions from the previously analyzed limit of 50. Additionally, the company is proposing the construction and operation of a first-stage booster landing zone at SLC-40, which would allow for up to 34 first-stage landings annually.
To move forward with the expansion, SpaceX is requesting the FAA to issue a license modification that would permit the increased launch activity, authorize the new landing zone, and approve related airspace closures for launch and landing operations.
