SpaceX Breaks Rocket Reuse Record With Latest Starlink Satellite Launch
SpaceX launches another batch of Starlink satellites while setting a new record for Falcon 9 booster reuse. The mission highlights the company's ongoing efforts to reduce costs through rocket and fairing recycling.
SpaceX launches its eleventh Starlink mission, sending 58 of its own broadband satellites alongside three Planet SkySats into orbit. This flight marks a major milestone in reusable rocketry, as the Falcon 9 first stage booster flies for a record-breaking sixth time. The company previously used this same rocket stage once in 2018, twice in 2019, and twice earlier this year, demonstrating the reliability of its reusability program.
After lifting off, the Falcon 9 first stage attempts another landing on the "Of Course I Still Love You" drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. In addition to reusing the booster, SpaceX flies a recovered fairing that previously protected payloads during the fourth Starlink mission. These recycling efforts are crucial for mitigating operating costs, especially since a brand new fairing costs around $6 million.
Reusability plays a vital role for SpaceX as it continues to fund these Starlink missions internally before the broadband service generates actual revenue. Carrying the Planet SkySats as a shared payload helps offset some of the expenses. Ultimately, these ongoing launches bring SpaceX closer to providing high-speed, low-latency internet access to underserved areas around the world.