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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launches 23 Starlink satellites into orbit - Watch

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launches 23 Starlink satellites into orbit - Watch

A combination photo of Falcon 9 launching 23 Starlink satellites

Falcon 9, the reusable rocket from Elon Musk's SpaceX, successfully launched into orbit 23 Starlink satellites on Sunday (Aug 4), days after its failed launch had led to the destruction of 20 of these internet service satellites.

The launch on Sunday took place at 12.24 am local time, SpaceX said on its website. The company gave real-time updates on the social media platform X, also owned by Musk.

"Falcon 9 launched 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California," the company said.

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"This was the sixth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched USSF-62 and five Starlink missions for Falcon."

Eight minutes after the successful launch, the Falcon 9's first stage landed back on Earth, neatly entering the SpaceX droneship 'Of Course I Still Love You' on the Pacific Ocean.

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It was the sixth launch and landing for this particular booster, according to SpaceX.

"The Falcon 9's upper stage did its job as well, deploying the 23 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit as planned," the company said on X. The other successful missions were on July 27, two on July 28 and one on August 2.

On July 11, SpaceX lost 20 Starlink satellites after a failed mission by Falcon 9. The satellites were destroyed, falling down and burning upon re-entry to earth,after liquid oxygen leaked from Falcon rocket's upper stage. The leak resulted from a crack in the liquid-oxygen system's pressure sensors.

That was the first in-flight failure of Falcon 9 since 2015.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Vinod Janardhanan

Vinod Janardhanan, PhD writes on international affairs, defence, Indian news, entertainment and technology and business with special focus on artificial intelligence. He is the de...Read More