A Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Saturday afternoon, defying unfavorable weather conditions. The mission marked the 24th launch of the first-stage booster B1069 and its 19th Starlink flight.
The satellites will head to low-Earth orbit, where they will provide internet services to various parts of Earth. Thirteen of the satellites have direct-to-cell capabilities, enabling network integration similar to a standard roaming partner.
This launch follows previous Starlink missions that have successfully integrated into their orbits. Dr. Jonathan McDowell from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics has been tracking the Starlink satellites and reports 7,563 in orbit and 6,731 operational.
The first-stage rocket is expected to land on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean after stage separation. The successful launch brings the total number of Starlink missions to 19, with B1069 booster poised for further use in the future.
Source: https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/space/2025/05/24/spacex-starlink-12-22