SpaceX achieved a remarkable feat recently after successfully conducting dual launches of 46 Starlink internet satellites within a span of just six hours. The reusable Falcon 9 rocket, on its 11th flight, lifted the first set of 23 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 4:35 am (India time). The rocket’s first stage made a precise vertical landing on the drone ship “Just Read the Instructions” in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 8.5 minutes post-launch.
Confirming the successful deployment of the initial set, SpaceX shared the news on Twitter an hour later. The alternate set of 23 Starlink satellites took off at 939 am( India time), marking the 17th flight for the first stage supporter. This booster had previously supported missions such as Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, Transporter-7, Iridium OneWeb, SDA-0B, and 11 Starlink missions.
Post-stage separation, the first stage aimed for a landing on the droneship “Of Course I Still Love You” stationed in the Pacific Ocean. SpaceX has launched a total of 22 orbital missions this year, with plans to conduct 144 launches in 2024. The company currently operates over 5,000 operational Starlink satellites and holds approval for launching up to 12,000, further solidifying its prominent position in the space industry.
-Raja Aditya
