California – SpaceX expanded its growing Starlink network with a pair of launches carried out on consecutive days from opposite coasts of the United States. Together, the missions delivered 53 additional satellites into orbit, continuing the company’s steady pace of deployment for its global broadband system.
The first launch took place on Saturday, Feb. 14, when a Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The evening mission carried 24 Starlink satellites, identified as Group 17-13, and departed the pad at 8:59 p.m. EST. Roughly an hour later, SpaceX confirmed the spacecraft had been successfully released into orbit.
A second Falcon 9 followed early Monday, Feb. 16, launching from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. That rocket carried 29 satellites, known as Group 6-103, and lifted off at 2:59 a.m. EST. As with the earlier mission, deployment of the satellites was confirmed about an hour after liftoff, marking another smooth addition to the expanding constellation.
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Both launches also featured successful recoveries of the rockets’ first stages. The booster used in California completed its 22nd flight before landing on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Pacific Ocean. The Florida booster, flying for the 10th time, touched down on the Atlantic-based drone ship “A Shortfall of Gravitas.”
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Starlink is designed to deliver broadband internet access to underserved regions worldwide while also supporting emerging capabilities such as direct-to-cell connectivity and in-flight Wi-Fi services. With more than 9,600 active satellites now in orbit, the system continues to grow rapidly. Monday’s mission marked SpaceX’s 19th Falcon 9 launch of the year and the 602nd flight of the rocket family overall.