SpaceX Falcon 9 Launched From Vandenberg Thursday Evening
Thursday September 12, 2024
(Photo of Thursday launch courtesy SpaceX)
Updated--SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base Thursday.
The launch, under cloudy skies, was right on time at 6:45 PM.
The payload was 21 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, to low-Earth orbit.s
This was the 18th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, Transporter-8, Transporter-9, NROL-146, and 10 Starlink missions.
Following stage separation, the first stage landed on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which was stationed in the Pacific Ocean off the Southern California coast.
The second stage continued the mission to lift and deploy the satellites into low earth orbit.
