SpaceX finally blasted off from California on Monday, April 1st, after two weather delays. The mission, carrying another batch of 22 Starlink internet satellites, lifted off at 10:30 PM EDT (7:30 PM PST) aboard a trusty Falcon 9 rocket. This successful launch marks the 32nd Falcon 9 flight of 2024 and the 21st dedicated to expanding the ever-growing Starlink constellation.
Previous launch attempts on Thursday, March 28th, and Saturday, March 30th, were scrubbed due to unfavorable weather conditions. But finally, on Monday, skies cleared, allowing the powerful Falcon 9 to unleash its fiery plume and propel the Starlink satellites towards their designated low-Earth orbit (LEO).
The first stage of the Falcon 9, a veteran on its 15th mission, is expected to perform a textbook landing approximately 8.5 minutes after launch on the drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You," stationed in the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, the upper stage will continue its journey, deploying the 22 Starlink satellites roughly 62 minutes after liftoff.
This successful launch brings the total number of Starlink satellites lofted by SpaceX to a staggering 6,100. Out of these, an impressive 5,633 are currently operational, according to Jonathan McDowell, a renowned astrophysicist and satellite tracker. This ever-expanding constellation plays a crucial role in SpaceX's ambitious plan to deliver high-speed internet access to underserved regions across the globe.
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