SpaceX launched 53 Starlink satellites at 6:02 a.m. Thursday from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40, marking the first sunrise launch from the Space Coast this year. The Falcon 9 rocket used a booster that had previously flown seven missions, setting a new record for the most flights by a single first-stage rocket. The launch occurred under clear skies, with the booster landing at Cape Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1 shortly after liftoff.
The mission, which lifted off as the sun rose over the Atlantic, was the 22nd Starlink launch of 2024 and the 148th overall for the program. SpaceX officials said the reused booster, designated B1062, had previously supported launches in 2020, 2021, and 2023. The rocket’s seventh flight marked a milestone in SpaceX’s effort to reduce costs through reusability. The payload deployed successfully, with the satellites expected to begin providing broadband internet services within weeks.
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana praised the launch in a statement, calling it a “testament to the continued innovation happening on the Space Coast.” The mission took place just days after SpaceX’s Crew Demo-3 mission, which transported NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. Local officials highlighted the economic impact of the launch, noting that SpaceX’s operations have generated over 10,000 jobs in Brevard County since 2020.
Residents along the Space Coast reported seeing the rocket’s ascent and the booster’s landing, with some capturing video of the event from nearby beaches. The launch added to a busy week for the region, which also hosted the opening of a new SpaceX maintenance facility in Titusville. The facility, which opened Monday, is expected to create 250 jobs and support ongoing rocket refurbishment efforts.