SpaceX Launches 12th Starlink Mission: 700+ Satellites Now in Orbit
Successful Launch Despite Multiple Delays
SpaceX has successfully deployed another batch of 60 Starlink broadband internet satellites, marking the company’s twelfth Starlink mission to date. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:29 AM EDT (4:29 AM PDT) on October 6, 2020, after experiencing three previous delays:
- Two weather-related scrubs
- One delay due to an unusual sensor reading
This latest launch brings SpaceX’s total Starlink satellite count to over 700 in orbit.
Reusability Milestones Achieved
The mission showcased SpaceX’s commitment to rocket reusability:
- Booster Recovery: The Falcon 9 first stage successfully landed on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, marking its third flight (including the historic Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley).
- Fairing Recovery: SpaceX caught one fairing half using the Ms. Tree recovery ship, while the other half missed its target and landed in the ocean.
“Ms. Tree caught the fairing half that flew in support of two previous missions!” — @SpaceX on Twitter
Starlink Internet Service Progress
SpaceX continues to make strides with its Starlink broadband service:
- Currently in private beta testing phase
- Achieving impressive speeds of up to 100 Mbps download
- Demonstrating very low latency performance
- Plans to expand to public beta later this year
Mission Timeline and Deployment
The satellite deployment occurred approximately one hour after launch, with all 60 Starlink satellites successfully reaching their intended orbit. This consistent performance reinforces SpaceX’s capability to regularly deploy large satellite constellations.
For more details on Starlink’s beta performance, see our previous coverage: SpaceX confirms Starlink internet private beta underway.
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