SpaceX Returns To Launch In Style As FAA Puts Naysayers To Rest
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After a brief pause in its launch operations after the Falcon 9 tipped over and crashed on its recovery ship, SpaceX returned to launch in style by launching back to back Starlink missions from Florida and California. 2024, which has seen the firm aim at launching more than 140 flights, has also seen it aggressively focus on launches from California to bolster its manifest and build out the Starlink internet constellation.
SpaceX's launches came mere hours after the FAA confirmed in a statement that it was cleared to conduct operations while an investigation was ongoing. Crucially for SpaceX, not only did today's missions see it reuse a rocket booster for the 17th time, but they also saw the firm land both of these successfully on its recovery ships.
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Today's launches, which occurred at 3:43 am local time in Florida and 1:48 am local time in California, cumulatively sent 42 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO). More than half of these, or 26, were of Starlink direct to cell satellites as part of SpaceX's aggressive push to capture an underserved telecommunications market by leveraging its unique place in the aerospace and satellite development industries.
They came less than 12 hours after the FAA officially confirmed that the Falcon 9 could conduct missions while the agency and SpaceX work towards investigating the reasons behind the recent Falcon 9 landing anomaly. In a statement emailed to reporters, the FAA shared that " SpaceX Falcon 9 vehicle may return to flight operations while the overall investigation of the anomaly during the Starlink Group 8-6 mission remains open, provided all other license requirements are met."
The agency also put to rest all
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