SpaceX has successfully conducted its 550th Falcon 9 mission, launching 28 additional Starlink satellites from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch occurred in the early morning hours on November 13th, marking another significant milestone in SpaceX’s efforts to establish a global broadband internet network.
The Falcon 9 rocket took off at 7:19 a.m. Eastern time, and approximately 15 minutes after the launch, the rocket’s upper stage deployed the batch of Starlink satellites into a polar orbit around 345 kilometers above Earth. This is a lower altitude than initially planned due to SpaceX’s ongoing efforts to reduce the potential for space debris.
SpaceX is deploying the Starlink network in phases, with the new batch of satellites joining the more than 1,700 already in orbit. The network aims to provide high-speed internet coverage across the globe, even in remote or underserved areas. SpaceX has already begun beta testing for customers in several countries, including the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe.
The Falcon 9 booster that was used for this mission, B1060, had successfully completed eight previous missions, including delivering astronauts to the International Space Station and launching commercial and scientific payloads. Following the launch, the booster made a successful landing on SpaceX’s drone ship, “Just Read the Instructions,” stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This marked the booster’s ninth successful landing, demonstrating SpaceX’s commitment to reusability as a means of reducing space launch costs.
This mission marks the 27th Falcon 9 launch of 2021, and the 32nd launch overall for SpaceX this year, including three crewed flights to the International Space Station. The company has now launched over 2,000 Starlink satellites, with plans to deploy thousands more to complete the global network.
The launch also demonstrated SpaceX’s commitment to managing space traffic and reducing space debris. The satellites are equipped with ion propulsion systems that enable them to maneuver in orbit and avoid potential collisions. In addition, at the end of their operational lives, the satellites can utilize their propulsion systems to deorbit and burn up in Earth’s atmosphere, thereby not contributing to the increasing problem of space debris.
SpaceX’s Starlink project is a significant part of the company’s broader ambition to make space more accessible and provide the funding necessary for its other ventures, including the development of the Starship spacecraft and plans for crewed missions to Mars.
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