Kennedy Space Center, Florida – SpaceX has set a new record for rocket reuse with the 28th launch of its Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 28 Starlink satellites into orbit.
The launch took place on Tuesday, May 13, at 1:02 a.m. EDT (0502 GMT) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This mission marked the 28th flight for the rocket’s first stage, breaking its previous reuse record set just last month.
The Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage, designated B1067, successfully landed back on Earth eight minutes after liftoff. It touched down on the SpaceX drone ship “Just Read the Instructions” stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Meanwhile, the rocket’s upper stage continued its journey, carrying the 28 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The satellites were deployed 65 minutes after the launch.
This mission was part of a double-header for SpaceX. Earlier in the day, another Falcon 9 launched 26 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
With this launch, SpaceX continues to expand its Starlink constellation, the largest satellite network in orbit, now comprising 7,400 operational satellites.
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