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1 of 4 | A timed vulnerability captures a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket arsenic it launches 23 Starlink satellites Wednesday connected Mission 6-51 from Launch Complex 39 astatine nan Kennedy Space Center successful Florida. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
April 17 (UPI) -- SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 23 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit early Wednesday evening, nether clear, sunny skies successful Florida.
"Merlin motor ignition and liftoff of Falcon 9!" SpaceX wrote in a post connected X.
"Five, four, three, two, one, zero, mission liftoff," arsenic video of nan motorboat shows nan 230-foot rocket lifting disconnected astatine 5:26 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A astatine NASA's Kennedy Space Center successful Florida.
More than 8 minutes later, SpaceX announced nan rocket's first-stage booster had landed vertically aboard a drone vessel successful nan Atlantic Ocean.
"Nominal orbital insertion and first shape landing connected nan Just Read nan Instructions droneship confirmed," Space X posted connected X.
The 23 Starlink satellites were deployed astir 65 minutes aft liftoff.
"Payload deploy confirmed, adding 23 Starlink satellites to nan world constellation," SpaceX posted in an update.
The 23 Starlink satellites will adhd to nan much than 5,700 operational satellites that dress up nan megaconstellation.
Wednesday's motorboat was nan 39th orbital ngo of nan twelvemonth for SpaceX and nan 26th devoted to nan Starlink network.
It was besides nan twelfth motorboat and landing for nan first shape booster supporting nan mission. That brings it to wrong 8 of nan company's reuse grounds of 20 missions.
While Wednesday's motorboat went flawlessly, SpaceX's livestream provender trim retired astir 3 minutes aft liftoff. No logic for nan disruption was given.
