SpaceX has once again demonstrated its expertise by launching a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 27 Starlink satellites into orbit. Taking off at 12:26 a.m. EDT on Saturday from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 40, this mission set a new record for the quickest turnaround between launches from the same pad—just two days, eight hours, and 31 minutes after its previous Starlink flight, shaving 28 minutes off the former mark.
Despite challenging weather over Florida’s Space Coast the night before, the launch proceeded without a hitch. The Falcon 9 booster, now on its fifth flight, returned safely to Earth and touched down on the droneship “A Shortfall of Gravitas” in the Atlantic Ocean. This marks the 115th successful droneship landing and the 469th booster recovery by SpaceX.
Looking ahead, another batch of Starlink satellites will be deployed from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Saturday afternoon. If you’ve ever been curious about how precision and planning combine to create such efficient launch cycles, this mission offers an insightful peek into SpaceX’s continually evolving operations.
