SpaceX has begun the countdown to the new year with the launch of the first of three rockets scheduled to end in 2024.
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 of the company’s Starlink satellites launched Saturday (Dec. 28) from Vandenberg Space Force Station in California. The mission launched at 8:48 PM (5:48 PM ET, or 0148 GMT on December 29) from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E).
The satellite was scheduled to be deployed into low Earth orbit about 65 minutes later, as planned. This was SpaceX’s 132nd Falcon launch this year, with two launches scheduled over the next two days: a commercial communications satellite mission and another batch of Starlink satellites.
“We are currently targeting 134 launches, two less than our last goal, to successfully complete 2024,” said Kiko Dontchev, SpaceX’s vice president of launches. On social media network. “Have a great last few days of 2024 and a better 2025!”
On Saturday, the first stage of Falcon 9 returned safely to Earth, landing on the droneship “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Pacific Ocean about eight minutes after liftoff.
According to one agency, this particular booster’s landing was the 16th. Company mission statement. Of the 16 flights to date, 12 have been Starlink missions.
This marks the 88th launch of Starlink broadband internet satellites by SpaceX this year, with only one failing due to an upper liquid oxygen leak.
“In the end, there is only one number that really matters. Zero failure. Our priorities are and will remain, above all, safety and reliability,” Dontchev said.
The Starlink megaconstellation, the largest ever assembled, currently consists of nearly 6,700 active spacecraft. According to Jonathan McDowell, satellite tracker and astrophysicist.
