SpaceX launches Starlink mission from Florida less than a week after the last

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A SpaceX Falcon 9 launch illuminated the dark, early morning sky over Florida's Space Coast Thursday for a second time within a week. Lifting off at 2:58 a.m. EST, the 230-foot rocket soared to orbit from pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, taking 53 of the company's internet-beaming Starlink satellites with it.

The launch marks the sixth from Florida this year and the eighth so far for SpaceX, having launched two Starlink missions from its Vandenberg Space Force Base pad in California last month.

Just after liftoff, Falcon 9 flew a southerly trajectory and skirted along the east coast of Florida before stage separation. About nine minutes into the flight, the rocket's first stage booster somersaulted to land aboard a drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. It marked the completion of the booster's fifth trip to space and back.

The Falcon 9 second stage continued its journey, threading between the state and The Bahamas to position the Starlink satellites in orbit before the expected deployment a little more than an hour after liftoff. After deployment, the satellites are expected to spend the next few days spacing out and raising their orbits before beginning operation alongside the more than 3,600 already in service.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, FL Thursday morning, February 2, 2023. The rocket is carrying 53 Starlink satellites.  Mandatory Credit: Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, FL Thursday morning, February 2, 2023. The rocket is carrying 53 Starlink satellites. Mandatory Credit: Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK

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SpaceX boasts that its Starlink satellite internet service provides connectivity to remote and rural locations around the globe, including delivering service to RVs, boats, airplanes, and cruise ships. Service pricing for most residential customers starts at $110 a month plus a one-time fee of $599 for equipment.

More SpaceX launches packed with Starlink satellites are expected from Florida this month, though firm launch dates have not yet been released.

One SpaceX Falcon 9 mission that can be confirmed, however, is Crew-6, NASA's next long-duration astronaut mission to the International Space Station. The crew, including NASA's Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, United Arab Emirates' Sultan Al Neyadi, and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, is expected to liftoff in a Crew Dragon capsule from Kennedy Space Center at 2:07 a.m. EST February 26.

For the latest, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.

Jamie Groh is a space reporter for Florida Today. You can contact her at JGroh@floridatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter at @AlteredJamie.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX's latest Falcon 9 launch is the sixth from Florida this year