Update 6:23 a.m. EDT: SpaceX confirmed successful deployment of the 21 Starlink satellites.
Hours after a successful liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, SpaceX completed a second Falcon 9 flight, this time from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Liftoff of the Starlink 9-4 mission from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) happened at 2:22 a.m. PDT (5:22 a.m. EDT, 0922 UTC).
The Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission, tail number B1071 in the SpaceX fleet, launched for a 17th time. It previously supported the launches of three national security payloads, two Transporter rideshare missions and nine Starlink missions.
A little more than eight minutes after liftoff, B1071 landed on the SpaceX droneship, ‘Of Course I Still Love You.’ This was the 97th booster landing for OCISLY and the 332nd booster landing to date.
Among the 21 Starlink satellites that launched on this mission were 13 that feature the direct to cell capability. The mission brought the total DTC Starlink satellites on orbit up to 129.
Dr. Sarah Adams is a scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to all. Her articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
