SpaceX completed another successful launch and landing mission to support its broadband internet constellation. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on March 29 at 4:01 p.m. EDT, carrying 56 Starlink satellites to orbit. The live coverage began about five minutes before launch and was streamed on Space.com and directly via SpaceX.
Rocket Launch and Landing
The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket returned to Earth for a vertical touchdown on the SpaceX droneship Just Read the Instructions, marking the fifth time this booster has been launched and landed. The Falcon 9’s upper stage continued to haul the Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit.
Expansion of Starlink Constellation
This mission marks the 21st launch for SpaceX in 2021 and the 11th this year to build out the Starlink broadband constellation. Currently, SpaceX has 3,811 operational Starlink satellites out of 4,161 launched overall. Elon Musk’s company has permission to deploy 12,000 Starlink satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and has applied for permission for another 30,000 on top of that, aiming to offer high-speed internet connections to underserved regions worldwide.
Monitoring Weather Conditions
Launch teams monitored cloudy and windy conditions around Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for the Falcon 9 liftoff. The rocket flew a southeasterly trajectory from Launch Complex 40, marking the 17th launch from Florida this year. Weather conditions were expected to be at a 60% “go” due to a midweek frontal system bringing a low-to-moderate risk of upper-level winds high above the launch site.
Recovery Conditions in Atlantic Ocean
Offshore recovery conditions in the Atlantic Ocean, where the first-stage booster landed on a droneship shortly after liftoff, were listed as “low risk.” The mission marked the 77th dedicated launch for the Starlink internet constellation, spanning more than 3,750 satellites and operating about 350 miles above Earth. Since launching Starlink satellites in 2019, SpaceX has expanded its orbital connectivity services to rural and hard-to-reach destinations around the globe.
Troubleshooting New Starlink V2 Mini Satellites
This launch did not include new higher-capacity second-generation Starlinks due to unspecified problems with the first batch of new Starlink V2 Mini satellites. SpaceX is troubleshooting these larger satellites which offer four times the broadband capacity of the older-design satellites. The new Starlink V2 Minis carry upgraded phase array antennas and a more efficient, higher-thrust argon-fueled electric propulsion system.
Deployment of Full-Size Starlink V2s via Starship Mega-Rocket
The Starlink V2 Minis represent an intermediate step between the smaller Starlink V1.5 spacecraft and the larger full-size Starlink V2s that will transmit signals directly to cell phones. SpaceX plans to deploy full-size Starlink V2s in orbit using the company’s new Starship mega-rocket.
Overall, SpaceX’s latest mission adds 56 more Starlinks to its growing constellation, bringing high-speed internet services one step closer to reaching people worldwide.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
