Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, United States - July 03, 2024

In a spectacular early morning launch from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, SpaceX successfully deployed 20 new Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit using a Falcon 9 booster that has been used 16 times. The seasoned booster, B1073, which had faced setbacks including a dramatic T-0 pad abort last month, lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at 4:55 a.m. EDT.

This mission marks SpaceX's 68th launch of the year, maintaining an impressive pace with an average of one launch every 2.7 days since January. The flight also highlights SpaceX's commitment to reusability, with B1073 contributing significantly to previous missions, including delivering over 1,000 Starlink satellites and supporting missions to the International Space Station and lunar exploration endeavors.

Following liftoff, B1073 successfully returned to Earth, landing on SpaceX's drone ship "A Shortfall of Gravitas" in the Atlantic Ocean. The deployment of the 20 Starlink satellites, aimed at enhancing global internet connectivity, marks another milestone in SpaceX's ongoing efforts to expand its satellite constellation worldwide.