ORLANDO, Fla. — SpaceX took a couple weeks off, but sent up another batch of Starlink satellites to add its expanding internet empire.
The Falcon 9 rocket with 46 Starlinks on board lifted off under clear skies at 9:44 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch from Space Launch Complex 40 took a southerly trajectory with the first stage booster, making its 11th flight, landing the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean.
The landing marks the 100th time a Falcon 9 booster was successfully recovered, and 107th booster recovery overall including Falcon Heavy launches. The company also was reusing the two fairing halves for the fourth time and will attempt their recovery at sea. To date, the company has flown 32 missions using recovered fairing halves, part of measures to lower costs on its launches.
