SpaceX continues its Starlink launching spree even in 2021, as has completed its first launch of the year, sending another batch of 60 satellites into low earth orbit for its internet providing constellation. This was the 17th launch of its type. Now, about a 1000 Starlink satellites are orbiting the Earth, and that number will only grow in the future.
Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/zdQNxSv6VC
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 20, 2021
The launch took place at SpaceX’s launch facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with the take off happening at 8:02 a.m. EST.
The Falcon 9 rocket that carried the new batch of satellites had been used in 7 missions before. Thus, SpaceX broke its own record of reusing a rocket for the most times, by landing the booster for the eighth time on the “Just Read the Instructions” droneship, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Falcon 9 launches Starlink to orbit – the eighth launch and landing of this booster pic.twitter.com/zyj8ZdDFql
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 20, 2021
Moreover, the landing was especially auspicious for the Elon Musk led company, as the landing area in the Atlantic Zone had stronger winds than SpaceX has deemed to be ‘safe’ until this point. This means that space company will now be able to conduct missions despite heavier winds than usual, which can bring the number of launches up dramatically.
The company has already started beta testing its internet service in US and Canada, and might hope to expand it to other geographies this year by adding more satellites to its constellation.
