In a historic feat, SpaceX achieved its 62nd orbital mission of 2023 on Sunday, September 3, by successfully launching 21 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit. This remarkable milestone not only shattered previous records but also demonstrated SpaceX's commitment to space exploration and reusable rocket technology.
The previously-flown Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 10:47 p.m. ET. Company founder and CEO, Elon Musk, said they're surpassing their own record set in 2022 for the most orbital launches in a single year. SpaceX President, Gwynne Shotwell, shared they aim to execute a total of 100 Falcon missions. Remarkably, they have already crossed the halfway mark, underscoring their dedication to advancing space technology. This week, Musk further shared their goal to conduct an astounding 10 Falcon flights a month by the end of the year, with plans to double that rate to 12 per month in the following year. This relentless pace in launching rockets signifies the company's commitment to revolutionizing space travel.
Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/p7oPfd3eMW
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 4, 2023
Following the launch, the Falcon 9's first stage executed a precise return to Earth, landing on the drone ship "Just Read the Instructions" stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This marked the 10th successful flight for the booster, identified as B1073-10, which had previously supported a range of missions, including: SES-22, ispace’s HAKUTO-R Mission 1, Hispasat Amazonas Nexus mission, NASA CRS-27 cargo mission to the International Space Station, and five Starlink missions. To date, SpaceX has performed 261 spaceflights, landed orbital-class rockets 223 times, and reused recovered boosters 195 times.
Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship pic.twitter.com/oLysbrAl9e
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 4, 2023
SpaceX's Starlink initiative took a significant leap forward with this launch, deploying 22 Starlink V2 Mini satellites as part of the Group 6-12 mission. These upgraded satellites represent a major technological advancement, featuring more powerful phased array antennas and utilizing E-band for backhaul. As a result, each satellite can deliver approximately four times more capacity than their predecessors, promising an enhanced Starlink network with increased bandwidth, higher reliability, and the potential to connect millions more people worldwide to high-speed internet.
SpaceX's commitment to global internet connectivity is evident in their rapid deployment of Starlink satellites. To date, they have launched a total of 5,049 internet-beaming Starlink V1 and V2 satellites into Low Earth Orbit since 2019, with approximately 4,705 currently in orbit, making SpaceX's Starlink constellation the world's largest broadband network. The company has Federal Communications Commission approval to deploy 7,500 V2 satellites in the coming years, solidifying their position at the forefront of global internet connectivity. SpaceX's achievements in 2023 continue to push the boundaries of space exploration and satellite technology, reaffirming their status as a pioneering force in the industry.
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Featured Image Source: SpaceX
About the Author
Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo
Evelyn J. Arevalo joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover news as a Space Journalist and SpaceX Starbase Texas Correspondent. Evelyn is specialized in rocketry and space exploration. The main topics she covers are SpaceX and NASA.
