SpaceX successfully sent another batch of Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit on Saturday (February 7), just five days after an anomaly caused a halt during the previous launch.
The Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 25 Starlink satellites, lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at 3:58 p.m. EDT (12:58 p.m. PDT). Vandenberg Space Force Base In California. About an hour later, SpaceX Confirmed satellite(Group 17-33) was deployed as planned.
Previous booster 1088 missions
of falcon 9 The rocket’s first stage (booster 1088) landed on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You” located in the Pacific Ocean, completing its 13th flight.
The rocket’s upper stage also performed as expected. On February 2, after SpaceX deployed its former Starlink satellite constellation, an “off-nominal condition” occurred on the upper stage of that mission.
SpaceX officials said the second stage failed to reignite “due to gas bubbles forming in the transfer tube prior to the planned deorbit burn.” listed on the company’s website. “The vehicle then operated as designed, successfully passivating its stage, and re-entering Earth’s atmosphere approximately 10.5 hours later over the southern Indian Ocean.”
space x submitted a report to the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) containing the probable causes and related corrective actions taken prior to Saturday’s launch. Earlier this week, the FAA gave the company permission to resume launches.
According to the Starlink mega-constellation, there are currently over 9,600 active satellites. Tracker Jonathan McDowell.
Saturday’s launch will be SpaceX’s 15th of the year.