SpaceX is set to send another batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit with a launch Tuesday night from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
What Happened
Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled for 8:45 p.m. PDT (11:45 p.m. EDT / 0345 UTC). The rocket will fly on a south-southwesterly trajectory upon leaving the pad at Space Launch Complex 4 East. The Starlink 17-50 mission will add another 24 broadband internet satellites to the megaconstellation, bringing the total number of satellites currently in orbit to around 11,000.
Why It Matters
SpaceX continues to expand its Starlink network with this launch, adding capacity to the world's largest satellite internet constellation. The company is using the Falcon 9 first stage booster B1097 for its 12th flight, demonstrating the reusability of its rocket fleet after previously launching the Twilight and Transporter-17 rideshare missions; Sentinel-6B; NROL-172; and seven previous batches of Starlink satellites.
The Bottom Line
A little more than eight minutes after liftoff, B1097 will target a landing on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You positioned in the Pacific Ocean. If successful, this will be the 219th landing on that vessel and the 651st Falcon booster landing to date.