SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 21 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida early this morning, February 4. The rocket lifted off at 5:14 a.m. EDT and carried 13 Starlink spacecraft with direct-to-cell capability.
The first stage of the rocket returned to Earth about eight minutes after liftoff, landing safely on the SpaceX drone ship “Just Read the Instructions” in the Atlantic Ocean. This is the 21st launch and landing for this particular booster, which has previously been used for 16 Starlink missions.
The upper stage of the Falcon 9 will deploy the 21 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) about 65 minutes after liftoff. The launch marks the 19th Starlink mission in 2025, with nine of them being successful flights.
SpaceX has launched over 14 Falcon 9 missions this year so far, and more than 130 flights last year, with two-thirds of those devoted to building out its Starlink network. The company currently operates nearly 7,000 Starlink satellites in LEO, as noted by astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell.
The launch comes after a successful rocket landing, which was confirmed at 5:32 a.m. EDT on February 4.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-starlink-satellite-launch-group-12-3