SpaceX launches 52 Starlink satellites from California base

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. – A SpaceX rocket carried 52 Starlink net satellites into orbit from California aboriginal Saturday.

The two-stage Falcon 9 rocket lifted disconnected from coastal Vandenberg Space Force Base astatine 4:41 a.m. and arced implicit the Pacific.

The Falcon's archetypal signifier returned and landed connected a SpaceX droneship successful the ocean. It was the 11th motorboat and betterment of the stage.

The 2nd signifier continued into orbit and deployment of the satellites was confirmed, said motorboat commentator Youmei Zhou astatine SpaceX office successful Hawthorne, California.

Starlink is simply a satellite-based planetary net strategy that SpaceX has been gathering for years to bring net entree to underserved areas of the world.

Saturday's ngo was the 34th motorboat for Starlink, a constellation of astir 2,000 satellites successful debased Earth orbit.

SpaceX besides was scheduled to motorboat a Turkish communications outer from Florida astatine 10:58 p.m. EST Saturday.

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