SpaceX successfully launched a batch of 24 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit on Monday, August 12, following an aborted attempt the previous day. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 6:37 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The successful mission, which delivered the satellites into orbit, was followed by a perfect landing of the rocket’s first stage on a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.
The initial launch attempt on Sunday, August 11, was automatically halted just 46 seconds before liftoff. SpaceX did not immediately provide a reason for the scrub but stated on X that the “vehicle and payload are in good health, and teams are resetting for a launch attempt on Monday, August 12.” The company later clarified that the scrub was due to poor weather conditions in the booster recovery zone, where the Falcon 9 was meant to land.
Today’s Falcon 9 launch of @Starlink was paused at T-46 seconds. Vehicle and payload are in good health and teams are resetting for a launch attempt on Monday, August 12
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 11, 2024
The successful launch marked another milestone in SpaceX’s ambitious reusability program. About eight minutes after liftoff, the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster made a controlled descent and landed on the droneship “A Shortfall of Gravitas” in the Atlantic.
This was the booster’s tenth flight, demonstrating the durability of the company’s rockets. Reusing rockets is a cornerstone of SpaceX’s strategy to lower the cost of spaceflight. The Falcon 9 has flown more than 500 times, with a first-stage booster successfully landing in over 97% of attempts.
This Starlink mission adds to the growing constellation of satellites that provide high-speed internet to users across the globe. The company’s focus on rapid and reliable launches from its various launchpads on both the East and West coasts has been key to expanding the Starlink network.