SpaceX has achieved its rocket-reuse record once again. The company launched 21 Starlink broadband satellites to orbit early this morning, marking the 26th liftoff of the rocket’s first stage. This surpasses the previous record set by SpaceX just last month.
The booster successfully returned to Earth eight minutes after launch, landing on a platform in the Atlantic Ocean as planned. The Falcon 9’s upper stage deployed the satellites into low Earth orbit about 65 minutes after launch, with 13 of them equipped with direct-to-cell capability.
This is the 20th Falcon 9 liftoff of the year and the 14th devoted to expanding the Starlink constellation. With this launch, SpaceX continues to build its largest spacecraft network ever assembled – consisting of nearly 7,000 operational satellites. The same rocket first stage last flew on January 10, but this is the second time it has broken the reuse record.
The success marks a significant milestone in SpaceX’s reusable technology and further solidifies the company’s position as a leader in the space industry.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-falcon-9-rocket-launches-21-starlink-satellites-on-record-setting-26th-flight-photos