SpaceX expanded its low Earth orbit megaconstellation on Tuesday (May 19), adding 24 more Starlink satellites on a successful launch from California.
A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 10:46 p.m. EDT (0246 GMT on May 20 or 7:46 p.m. PDT local time) from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in southern California. The Starlink satellites (Group 17-42), still mounted in the rocket's upper stage, reached a preliminary orbit about 8 minutes and 40 seconds after their launch.