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4d ago

SpaceX Completes Dual Falcon 9 Launches and Secures FAA Approval for Starship Test Flight

Back-to-back Starlink satellite deployments expand the broadband network, while regulatory clearance advances Starship's heavy-lift testing under enhanced safety measures.

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SpaceX rocket launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Vandenberg, California, spotted over Arizona on Oct. 27, 2022.
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Overview

  • SpaceX launched 27 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg on May 23, followed by 23 V2 Mini satellites from Cape Canaveral on May 24, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities.
  • The Cape Canaveral mission utilized Falcon 9 booster B1069 for its 24th flight, with a planned recovery on the drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas.'
  • Starlink's constellation now includes over 6,700 satellites, operating in low-Earth orbit to provide global internet with reduced latency and improved connectivity.
  • The FAA has approved SpaceX's ninth Starship test flight after addressing prior mishaps, expanding hazard zones to approximately 1,600 nautical miles, and revising launch windows to avoid peak air traffic periods.
  • Starship development aims to support future lunar and Mars missions, with the next test flight expected to occur after Memorial Day, weather permitting.