SpaceX sends 20 more Starlink satellites to orbit in successful launch

SpaceX sent 20 additional Starlink satellites to orbit in yet another successful launch, this time from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The launch took place earlier this morning, as the Falcon 9 first-stage booster with tail number B1075 took off at 6:50 a.m. PDT. This mission, which was Starlink 9-17, lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4 East.

This was the 13th takeoff for this particular Falcon 9 first-stage, previously supporting the Transporter-11 rideshare mission, SDA-0A for the Space Development Agency, and nine Starlink launches, Spaceflight Now said.

SpaceX confirmed the deployment of the satellites just before 8 a.m. PDT, just about an hour and ten minutes following liftoff.

Just eight and a half minutes after liftoff, B1075 had a successful touchdown and landing on the ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ droneship in the Pacific Ocean. This was the 102nd booster landing on that droneship and the 350th for SpaceX overall.

SpaceX has now put over 7,000 Starlink launches into low Earth orbit, providing high-speed internet access to people everywhere.

From rural areas to maritime applications to an expanded number of airlines, Starlink is providing high-speed internet to people in various situations, and it is truly becoming more widespread every week as SpaceX continues to deploy more satellites to the constellation.

Starlink is available on over 2,500 airplanes across numerous airlines. Most recently, SpaceX struck a deal with United Airlines to have Starlink provide more reliable internet access with better speeds on their flights.

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