SpaceX successfully launches their 123 rocket with 60 Starlink satellites today

May 26th 2021

A gorgeous blue sky on time liftoff at 2:59 PM EDT or 18:59 UTC for SpaceX and their 28th V1.0 Starlink mission carrying another batch of 60 internet satellites which now makes 1,666 in the SpaceX constellation.

First stage booster B-1063.2 made a perfect landing on the autonomous drone ship JRTI Just Read The Instructions down range completing their 85th landing of an orbital class booster a new corporate record. This booster previously flew on its maiden voyage from Vandenberg California for the Sentinel 6A mission.

Per spacex.com/mission today’s launch now makes 123 total launches for SpaceX with 65 reflown rockets.

Another first is one half of the payload fairings has now flown five times. This makes the 13th Starlink launch in just the past five months since the beginning of the year for a truly incredible corporate pace.

Congratulations to everyone at SpaceX for continuing to prove the importance of re-useability in the worldwide space launch industry!

Article and Photos by: Scott Schilke for spacenews.lu and space-news.es