SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 Starlink internet satellites into space early Friday morning from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40. The rocket lifted off at 10:19 a.m. and made its way on a southeast trajectory.
The first stage of the rocket, which had previously flown on numerous missions including Starlink launches, OneWeb Launches, and other satellite deployments, successfully landed back on Earth on the A Shortfall of Gravitas drone ship after an eight-and-a-half-minute flight. This marked the 21st successful landing for this particular first-stage.
The launch comes ahead of SpaceX’s next mission scheduled for February 26th at Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A, where a Falcon 9 rocket will carry Intuitive Machines’ second lunar lander into space.
SpaceX has been actively deploying Starlink satellites as part of its efforts to provide global internet connectivity. The latest batch includes 13 direct-to-cell capabilities, expanding the network’s reach and capacity.
Source: https://eu.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/spacex/2025/02/21/spacex-launch-falcon-9-rocket-from-florida-cape-canaveral-on-starlink-mission/79301275007