SpaceX Breaks Reuse Records With Eleventh Starlink Satellite Launch
SpaceX launches another batch of Starlink satellites while setting a new record for reusing a Falcon 9 booster for the sixth time.
SpaceX successfully launches 58 additional Starlink satellites into orbit, bringing the total constellation size to over 600 spacecraft. This eleventh Starlink mission also transports three Planet satellites as secondary payloads, lifting off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
The mission marks a major milestone in rocket reusability by using a Falcon 9 first-stage booster that flies for the sixth time. After completing its flight, the record-setting booster lands safely on SpaceX's drone ship, while a specialized vessel catches one half of the reused payload fairing out at sea.
These repeated reusability achievements bring SpaceX closer to CEO Elon Musk's goal of drastically reducing the cost of spaceflight. Meanwhile, the growing Starlink constellation progresses toward a planned public beta service later this year covering parts of the U.S. and Canada, with early speed tests already showing promising results.