On May 31, private space company SpaceX launched an additional 52 Starlink Internet satellites into orbit.
According to the announcement, the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the satellites was launched at 2:02 AM on May 31 (Eastern Daylight Time) from the Space Launch Complex at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
SpaceX’s satellites. (Source: Science Photo Library)
Immediately after the rocket was launched, SpaceX confirmed that the Starlink satellites had been successfully deployed.
The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket separated and landed on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean more than 8 minutes after launch.
The Starlink satellites are equipped with optical space lasers, enabling global Internet coverage and serving people in the most remote areas of the Earth.
Previously, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and space exploration company SpaceX aimed to conduct the next resupply mission on June 3.
According to the plan, the Falcon rocket carrying the Dragon spacecraft (both of which are developed by SpaceX) will launch at 12:35 PM on June 3 (Eastern Daylight Time) from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
With this resupply mission, the Expedition 69 crew from the United States working on the International Space Station (ISS) will receive additional equipment to support scientific research, supplies, and hardware, including solar panels.
According to NASA, once installed, these panels will enhance the energy production capacity of the ISS.
