On Friday, April 12, 2024, SpaceX made history once again with the successful launch of its Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 Starlink satellites. The launch took place at Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
This launch was particularly special as it marked the 20th liftoff for the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket, setting a new reusability record for SpaceX. The achievement comes on the 43rd anniversary of NASA’s first launch of its reusable spacecraft, the space shuttle.
Following liftoff, the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket successfully landed on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas for the 20th time. The upper stage continued to deploy the 23 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit as planned.
SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk has been vocal about his goal to cut the cost of spaceflight and increase its cadence through rocket reusability. With this launch, SpaceX has now completed 38 orbital missions in 2024, with a focus on expanding the Starlink broadband megaconstellation. The current Starlink constellation consists of nearly 5,650 operational satellites.
This successful launch and reusability milestone for SpaceX highlight the company’s commitment to innovation and cost-efficiency in the space industry. As SpaceX continues to make strides in expanding its satellite network, the future of space exploration and connectivity looks promising.
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