SpaceX launches 5,000th Starlink satellite into orbit
Aug. 27 (UPI) -- SpaceX has launched 5,000 Starlink satellites into orbit after sending 22 into space on Saturday night.
A Falcon 9 rocket launched from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 9:05 p.m. EDT, Florida Today reports. It was the agency's second launch of the day.
The first stage booster separated about 8 minutes after launch and landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship in the Atlantic Ocean for recovery.
Falcon 9 launches 22 @Starlink satellites from Florida pic.twitter.com/b1Zf78Qzxn— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 27, 2023
It was the booster's third launch and landing.
The 22 Starlink satellites were deployed into low-earth orbit about 65 minutes after launch, according to Space.com, following a second stage burn.
SpaceX has been approved to deploy 12,000 Starlink satellites and has requested clearance for an additional 30,000.
Starlink satellites deliver high-speed broadband access at relatively low latency compared to other satellite internet services, according to the company. Service is commercially available
Eighteen hours prior to the launch, NASA's Crew-7 mission launched from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The SpaceX Dragon, carrying a four-person crew, docked with the International Space Station at 9:16 a.m. EDT, Sunday.
The mission is slated for six months on the space station. During that time, the crew will conduct a variety of scientific experiments, demonstrations and maintenance.