SpaceX Successfully Launches Starlink 6-42 Mission with Record-Tying Rocket
SpaceX celebrated another successful launch on Saturday as the Starlink 6-42 mission took off close to the end of the launch window. The Falcon 9 rocket, which launched from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center at 11:09 p.m. EDT, carried 23 second-generation Starlink satellites into orbit.
Space Force meteorologists had given Saturday’s launch a 75-percent chance of acceptable weather, and their predictions proved accurate as the Falcon 9 first stage assigned to the mission made a record-tying 19th flight. The first stage landed on the drone ship ‘Just Read the Instructions’ about eight and a half minutes into the flight, marking another successful recovery for SpaceX.
Two burns of the rocket’s second stage then placed the Starlink satellites into their intended orbit. This launch was just the latest in a series of missions as SpaceX continues to expand its Starlink internet service, with a total of 6,031 satellites launched since 2019.
Astronomer Jonathan McDowell noted that while 5,634 Starlink satellites remain in orbit, 5,564 appear to be working normally. The success of Saturday’s mission sets the stage for another Falcon 9 launch from nearby pad 40 on the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, which will see yet another batch of Starlink satellites sent into space.
As SpaceX continues to make strides in the realm of satellite internet, the company’s successful launches are positioning them as a key player in the race for global connectivity. Stay tuned for more updates as SpaceX pushes the boundaries of space exploration and technology.
