SpaceX Launches 28 Starlink Satellites from Cape Canaveral

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket early Thursday morning, deploying 28 Starlink V2 mini satellites into low Earth orbit.

The launch took place at 5:30 a.m. EDT (0930 UTC) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s pad 40. SpaceX reported an approximately 65 percent chance of favorable weather for the mission, although meteorologists noted the possibility of cumulus clouds.

“Although these clouds are likely to be isolated-to-scattered, a concentrated band of moisture bringing more cloud cover is possible,” the 45th Weather Squadron stated prior to the launch.

After nearly eight and a half minutes, the Falcon 9 first stage booster, designated B1092, successfully landed on the drone ship Just Read the Instructions, marking the booster’s seventh flight and notching the 506th successful booster landing for SpaceX.

This launch is part of SpaceX’s ongoing effort to build its Starlink satellite constellation, which aims to provide high-speed internet around the globe.

This particular launch marked the 117th Falcon 9 flight of the year, with over 70% of the missions focused on expanding the Starlink network.

Nasa has also paused work with Boeing and SpaceX for building commercial space taxis amid a review of a protest concerning NASA’s contracts.

Looking ahead, SpaceX is preparing for additional launches, including a mission to deploy more Starlink satellites in the coming days. This ongoing work continues as the company develops its space capabilities amid scrutiny on its workforce and future projects.