At 01:15 Beijing time on June 24, 2024 (13:15 EDT on the 23rd), at the SLC-40 station of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Base in Florida, the "Falcon 9" carrier rocket was launched with 10 groups of 2 batches (G10-2) of 22 small second-generation "Starlink" satellites, and the satellites were sent into initial low earth orbit.
The Starlink Group 10-2 mission is the 45th batch launch of the Starlink low-orbit communication satellite constellation in 2024, the 175th batch launch of the constellation and the 88th batch launch of the second-generation Starlink satellite. So far, the total number of "Starlink" satellites has reached 6,660, of which 1,010 will be launched in 2024 (all of which are small second-generation "Starlink" Starlink v2.0 mini).
The Falcon 9 used the 11th flight of the first stage B1078.11, using the Under-the-Line Recovery (ASDS), and the first stage landed vertically on the ASOG automatic recovery ship located in the Atlantic Ocean after ignition 8 minutes and 24 seconds, which was the 321st recovery landing (including return) of the first stage module of the "Falcon" series rocket core. On the afternoon of May 28, Beijing time, the first-class B1078.10 implemented the Starlink G6-60 mission, less than 27 days after the current mission.
This launch is the 63rd launch of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle into orbit in 2024, the 34th launch of Cape Canaveral Space Force Base, the 74th launch of the United States, and the 119th launch of the world.
Author: Mulan Xingzhou