Late Friday afternoon, Space X launched another set of Starlink satellites into orbit with their Falcon 9 rocket.
At 5:27 p.m., the corporation launched another 53 Starlink internet satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 in a beautiful, largely blue Florida evening sky.
SpaceX (via UPI) said the reusable first-stage rocket landed on the Just Read the Instructions drone ship at 5:36 p.m. It was the booster's second flight in just over two weeks.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule on launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on November 09, 2021 in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
How SpaceX Falcon 9 Launched Several Starlink Satellites
Before the engines shut down and the stage dropped away, the booster blasted the Falcon 9 out of the thick lower atmosphere, handing off the Falcon 9's second stage and its single vacuum-rated engine.
According to CBS News, the first stage maneuvered itself to a picture-perfect landing on an off-shore landing barge eight minutes and 24 seconds after liftoff, while the second stage continued its ascent to orbit. The launcher helped drive the Axiom-1 commercial space station mission into orbit on April 8 and was launched and landed just 21 days later.
The second stage performed two engine firings to attain the appropriate orbit. The 53 Starlink satellites were freed to fly on their own roughly an hour after launch.
Number of SpaceX Starlink Launches in 2022
The first-stage rocket launched for the sixth time after employment on Axiom Space's private AX-1 mission and last fall's private Inspiration4 flight.
According to Orlando Sentinel, SpaceX only took nine days to refurbish the rocket. It has only been 21 days since it was last flown, marking the company's quickest turnaround ever.
It's Canaveral's second Starlink launch in eight days. SpaceX has previously launched almost 2,300 of the 570-pound satellites on 43 previous Starlink flights, the most recent of which was launched on April 10 this year. The business has received authority to deploy 4,408 Starlinks, each orbiting at roughly 341 miles altitude.
When fully operational, the Starlink initiative is expected to bring in billions of cash from millions of Internet customers worldwide, helping to fund SpaceX's Mars missions.
How Starlink Gets Signal
According to Business Insider, Starlink receives its signal from a constellation of low-altitude satellites. In contrast, its competitors' satellites orbit the earth at high altitudes.
Although NASA has cautioned that additional Starlink satellites might interfere with its mission to detect asteroids, this frequently results in quicker and more dependable service.
Satellite internet has been available for a long time. Still, it is mainly used by armies or as a last choice in remote places where solid connections are complex.
However, the space industry has made it possible for orbital constellations of smaller satellites to provide service in recent years, such as Starlink and Amazon's Project Kuiper.
What's Next For Elon Musk's Company
The company's network of internet-bearing satellites is gradually becoming more profitable, a goal that Elon Musk, the company's creator, has stated is vital to funding for further distant missions to the moon and Mars. Hawaiian Airlines announced this week (via Florida Today) that it has chosen Starlink to provide complimentary high-speed access to its passengers beginning next year.
"Guests will be able to stream content, play games live with friends on the ground, work and collaborate in real-time, plan their Hawai'i vacation, or share their special island moments on social media," the airline said in a statement.
"Connecting to the internet will be seamless when guests walk on board, without registration pages or payment portals."
Musk expects that the constellation will be profitable enough to fund the creation of the next-generation Starship, which will eventually transport freight and passengers from Florida.
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