A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 29 Starlink satellites into orbit at 6:13 a.m. Monday from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, setting a new record for the rocket’s first-stage booster. The liftoff was the first of two possible launch windows, with the earliest opportunity closing at 10:07 a.m. The mission, designated Starlink 10-35, is part of SpaceX’s ongoing effort to expand global broadband coverage through its constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites.
The Falcon 9 traveled northeast after liftoff, but visibility outside Florida was limited by the rising sun. The rocket’s first stage booster landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean, completing its 35th mission — a new record for the vehicle. This marks the first time a Falcon 9 booster has landed 35 times, according to SpaceX’s tracking data. The drone ship will return to Port Canaveral in the coming days, where the booster will be transported for refurbishment and potential reuse.
No sonic booms were expected over Brevard County, as the booster’s landing point was far from populated areas. The mission follows SpaceX’s recent increase in Starlink launches, with the company aiming to deploy thousands of satellites to support its Starlink broadband service. The satellites launched Monday will join more than 5,000 others already in orbit, according to SpaceX’s public data.
SpaceX has used the A Shortfall of Gravitas drone ship for multiple booster landings, but this mission marked a milestone in the company’s reusability efforts. The booster’s 35th landing came just weeks after it completed its previous mission, highlighting the rapid pace of SpaceX’s operations on the Space Coast. The company has conducted more than 100 Falcon 9 launches since 2010, with the majority occurring from Florida launch sites.
Brooke Edwards, a Space Reporter for Florida Today, noted the significance of the record. “This is a testament to SpaceX’s engineering and the reliability of their hardware,” she said. “Each successful landing brings them closer to their goal of making spaceflight more sustainable and cost-effective.” The Starlink 10-35 mission is expected to be followed by another launch later this month from the same launch complex.