SpaceX is set to launch 28 Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base (SFB). This marks another milestone in SpaceX’s efforts to establish a robust network of satellites to offer high-speed internet coverage worldwide.
The launch window opens at 4:12 a.m. PDT (7:12 a.m. EDT; 1112 GMT) and extends for 58 minutes. The Falcon 9 rocket will be carrying the Starlink Group 5-9, Batch 5 satellites. These satellites are part of the fifth group of Starlink satellites launched from Vandenberg.
The Falcon 9’s first stage is set to return to Earth about eight and a half minutes after liftoff. The rocket will then land on a drone ship called “Of Course I Still Love You,” stationed in the Pacific Ocean. The recovery of the rocket’s first stage is part of SpaceX’s ongoing efforts to reuse rocket hardware, thereby reducing the cost of spaceflight.
Around 46 minutes after liftoff, the Falcon 9’s upper stage will begin to deploy the Starlink satellites. The satellites will be released in a circular orbit at an altitude of about 341 miles (550 kilometers) and an inclination of 53.2 degrees to the equator.
The Starlink satellites are designed to connect users to the internet with low-latency, high-speed broadband services. These satellites are equipped with flat-panel antennas that can steer beams without moving parts, and they operate in the Ku-band spectrum.
SpaceX has permission from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to deploy up to 12,000 Starlink satellites, and the company has requested approval for up to 30,000 more. As of now, SpaceX has launched about 1,740 Starlink satellites, of which 1,517 are currently operational.
The satellites are part of a broader effort by SpaceX to create a global broadband internet constellation. The network will be able to provide internet connectivity to underserved areas of the world where access to reliable and affordable internet is limited.
SpaceX’s Starlink project is currently in beta testing in the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, and New Zealand. The company plans to expand its coverage across the globe, and has started accepting pre-orders for Starlink service, which costs $99 per month, plus a $499 upfront cost for a kit with a tripod, a WiFi router, and a terminal to connect to the satellites.
The current launch from Vandenberg SFB is SpaceX’s 16th mission of 2021 and the company’s 120th Falcon 9 launch overall. It marks the 80th recovery of a Falcon first stage.
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