SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket Saturday night from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc, California. The mission deployed 24 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit, placing them into a polar orbit to enhance internet service in polar regions.
The Starlink 17-2 mission lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at 9:31 p.m. PDT. The Falcon 9 booster, tail number B1075, made its 19th flight, including 16 Starlink missions. About eight and a half minutes after liftoff, the booster successfully landed on the droneship “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Pacific Ocean, marking the vessel’s 142nd landing and SpaceX’s 481st booster recovery. Astronomer Jonathan McDowell notes that more than 8,000 Starlink satellites are currently in orbit. Earlier in the week, Starlink users experienced a rare full network outage, which began at 4 p.m. and was resolved in stages over the following four hours, with full service restored by the evening.