SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket from California base
Vivian Chow
·4 min read
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Saturday night.
The rocket lifted off at 7:25 p.m. and was visible for hundreds of miles away. The mission involved transporting 21 Starlink satellites into orbit, including six with Direct to Cell capabilities.
After launching vertically, the Falcon began a gradual turn while continuing to climb into orbit. Following stage separation after liftoff, the Falcon’s reusable booster made a pinpoint landing back on the spaceport drone ship, “Of Course I Still Love You,” which is stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
The first-stage booster on this particular Falcon 9 rocket had completed six liftoffs so far. The boosters have previously launched Crew-7, CRS-29, PACE, Transporter-10, and one Starlink mission.
Starlink is SpaceX’s satellite network designed to bring low-cost internet service to rural/remote communities.
After previous successful launches, Starlink now boasts over 6,000 functional satellites orbiting the Earth, about 342 miles above. The launches are part of the company’s goal to build a giant constellation of broadband satellites across the globe.
Elon Musk, SpaceX’s CEO, told Business Insider he plans to eventually create a constellation of up to 42,000 satellites.
The Falcon 9 rocket is the “world’s first orbital class reusable rocket,” according to SpaceX. The reusable vessel is designed to safely transport people and payloads into the Earth’s orbit and beyond.
Saturday night’s launch was the 32nd Falcon 9 flight in 2024.
So far, the entire fleet of Falcon 9 rockets has clocked in 317 total launches, 275 landings and 248 reflights.
Live footage of the launch can be seen in the video player above.
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