SpaceX launched its latest Starlink mission from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California earlier today. The launch was the firm's 30th for the year, and it used a relatively new booster and fairing halves. With the launch, SpaceX has cumulatively launched thousands of satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) as a multi faceted approach to build both the first and second generation portions of its satellite internet constellation as it waits for Starship to become operational and launch the full sized second generation satellites. SpaceX is rapidly building out Starlink as its subscriber base continues to grow and strains the existing network.
SpaceX Launches Fresh Batch of 51 Starlink Satellites From California
The launch from Vandenberg shows a growing cadence of Starlink launches from the West Coast. So far to date, SpaceX has launched nine missions from Vandenberg, which is a significantly higher rate than the one the firm had followed last year. In 2022, SpaceX had launched a mere twelve missions from Vandenberg, with the West Coast site representing one fifth of the overall launches.
In comparison, this year, nearly one third of the launches in 2023 have been from Vandenberg. Additionally, most of the launches last year from this site were for building out Starlink, and the case is similar so far as well. The increased launch cadence follows developments last year when SpaceX posted job openings for several launch related roles on the West Coast. The firm aims to launch 100 missions this year, including Starship launches, and it also expanded its operational footprint in Vandenberg by leasing Space Launch Complex 6. Currently, the Falcon 9 is launched from Space Launch Complex 4, which has two pads, both of which are used by SpaceX.
The launch itself was a typical event. The Falcon 9 lifted off at 1:09 pm local time, and in less than a minute, the rocket was traveling faster than the speed of sound. The entire affair took less than nine minutes between liftoff and landing, and the rocket landed on SpaceX's drone ship for the third time. Soon afterward, the spacecraft were successfully injected into their orbit.
So far, out of the 30 missions launched in 2023, 16 or more than half are for Starlink. These launches have made SpaceX the largest rocket company in the world in terms of rocket launches. The Starlink missions have been central in SpaceX's annual launch manifest, often accounting for more than half of the missions launched.
At the same time, the fact that it has a readily available rocket for the Starlink missions and can absorb these costs has also enabled SpaceX to become the first successful low Earth orbit (LEO) internet provider. LEO has several advantages over traditional orbits when it comes to performance. Individual satellites are easier to build, and their proximity to Earth improves performance. At the same time, a large constellation must be built for coverage since the smaller satellites and the lower distance limits the geographical area that a single spacecraft can cover.
Refference- https://wccftech.com
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