Published 17:03 IST, August 7th 2020
SpaceX Launch successful in sending 57 more Starlink Satellites to Earth's orbit
Elon Musk's SpaceX successfully launched and sent 57 more Starlink Satellite to Earth's orbit. Read on to know more details about the launch.
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SpaceX launched more Starlink satellites and Earth-imaging satellites into the orbit on August 7th. The latest SpaceX launch carried a cargo of 59 satellites which included 57 new members of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites and 2 Earth-imaging satellites. The launch took place at 1:12 AM EDT (0512 GMT) from Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre.
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What are Starlink satellites?
Starlink is the name of a satellite network that the private spaceflight company SpaceX has developed. It aims to provide low-cost internet to remote areas. 57 internet-beaming satellites were tucked inside the Falcon 9’s nose cone this morning. They were a part of SpaceX’s Starlink mega constellation and the 57 satellites will join hundreds that are already orbiting the earth. Till date, SpaceX has launched 595 Starlink satellites as it aims to complete a huge constellation.
Elon Musk on Starlink Satellites
Space.com reported that SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk had said that SpaceX needs between 400 and 800 Starlink Satellites in orbit. According to the portal, it needs those many satellites in order to begin to roll out minimum coverage. The company has been teasing the arrival of a beta program which shall help the company test the service for eventual worldwide consumption.
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According to Space.com, it was the fifth launch for Falcon 9’s first stage. The booster pulled off yet another landing this morning. Eight minutes after liftoff, Falcon 9 landed softly onto the deck of SpaceX’s drone ship is in the Atlantic Ocean and is named Of Course I Still Love You.
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This was SpaceX’s 10th Starlink mission since the year 2019 and 12th overall mission for the year 2020. SpaceX became the first private company to have sent NASA astronauts on the Demo 2 mission to the International Space Station. Reportedly, the company aims to achieve much more in the coming years.
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It has been reported by Space.com that the rumble from the rocket’s nine engines was very loud this time. The portal also reported that the rumbles could be heard even after the rocket disappeared from view. It lit up the night sky over Florida’s Space Coast.
Watch the live stream of Starlink Mission
Image credits: Screengrab from a live stream of SpaceX's Starlink mission launch
17:03 IST, August 7th 2020