SpaceX launches Starlink 4-12 on Saturday morning March 19th 2022

…with record 12th flight booster B-1051

Historic early morning hours today Saturday at 12:42:30 AM EDT for SpaceX Starlink 4-12 with the launch of 53 Starlink satellites and the first time 12th flight & landing of B-1051 in their fleet of reflown boosters from SLC-40 Cape Canaveral Florida.

The launch was pushed to the second window opportunity due to a linear line of severe warned electric lightning thunderstorms crossing over all of the spacecoast just after 10:30 PM Friday evening. Photos of that storm line are included below.

SpaceX stated that reflown rockets make up 90% of all their launches. A pretty staggering number isn’t it?

According to SpaceX.com/launches this now makes 149 total corporate launches, 111 total landings and 88 reflown rockets.

Congratulations to Elon Musk and the incredible team at SpaceX for all the accomplishments since their beginning.

Photo Credit Scott Schilke for spacenews.lu and space-news.es