Update May 6, 8:09 a.m. EDT (1209 UTC): SpaceX deployed all 24 Starlink satellites.
SpaceX launched its second Starlink mission in the month of May, this time from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on a Falcon 9 rocket.
The Starlink 17-29 mission sent another 24 broadband internet satellites into low Earth orbit, joining more than 10,000 spacecraft. SpaceX’s first Starlink launch of the month took place on May 1 from Cape Canaveral.
Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4 East occurred at 8:59:19 pm PDT (11:59:19 pm EDT / 0359:19 UTC). The Falcon 9 rocket flew on a south-southwesterly trajectory upon leaving the pad.
SpaceX launched the mission using Falcon 9 first stage booster B1081, making its 24th flight. Previous launches by this booster included the NASA Crew-7, PACE, and CRS-29 missions.
A little more than eight minutes after takeoff, the B1081 drone landed on the ship, chanting ‘Of course I still love you.’ This was the 195th landing on this ship and SpaceX’s 609th booster landing ever.
