SpaceX deploys 23 Starlink satellites via Falcon 9 rocket (March 4, 2024)

On March 4, 2024, SpaceX launched a new Falcon 9 rocket to send 23 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit. The mission took place at 6:56 p.m. ET from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Earlier today, SpaceX also flew a Transporter-10 rideshare mission carrying 53 payloads from different customers into the Earth’s orbit. The company also sent Crew-8 astronauts missions using both Falcon 9 and Dragon spacecraft.

The weather was favorable and the liftoff happened as planned while Transporter-10 was still in orbit preparing for payload deployment.

Liftoff of 23 @Starlink satellites from Florida while Transporter-10’s second stage coasts through space ahead of its final payload deploys pic.twitter.com/UF2AVXlTpF

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 4, 2024

After a landing burn, the first stage landed on a droneship at 8:20 minutes of the mission time using its landing legs. This was the 13th flight for the first stage booster which previously launched SES-22, ispace’s HAKUTO-R Mission 1, Hispasat Amazonas Nexus, CRS 27, and nine Starlink missions.

Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, completing this booster’s thirteenth mission pic.twitter.com/0NDMsHm0Ba

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 5, 2024

This was also the 22nd SpaceX launch of this year and the company confirmed that it now has 10,000 operational space lasers for the Starlink constellations.

These satellites will help the internet service to increase speed and connectivity across the globe.