SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket carrying v2-mini Starlink satellites
By Spectrum News Staff Brevard County UPDATED 5:13 AM ET Nov. 28, 2023 PUBLISHED 5:30 PM ET Nov. 27, 2023 PUBLISHED 5:30 PM EST Nov. 27, 2023
CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE — SpaceX sent another batch of Starlink v2-mini satellites into orbit Monday night.
Falcon 9 successfully lifted off at 11:20 p.m. ET on Nov. 27.
The 45th Weather Squadron gave a 90 – 80% chance of favorable liftoff conditions, with only Thick Cloud Layers Rule being a concern.
Going Up
This is the 17th flight for the first stage booster, B1062, supporting this mission; which previously launched GPS III Space Vehicle 04, GPS III Space Vehicle 05, Inspiration4, Ax-1, Nilesat 301, OneWeb Launch 17, ARABSAT BADR-8, and nine Starlink missions.
Following stage separation, the first-stage booster landed on the droneship ‘Just Read the Instructions,’ that is stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
About the mission
Falcon 9 launched 23 Starlink v2-mini satellites into low-Earth orbit, joining the thousands of others in space working to provide internet service.
The Starlink company is owned by SpaceX.
Before the launch, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics’ Dr. Jonathan McDowell has recorded the following information about the Starlink satellites.
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5,077 are in orbit
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5,041 in working order
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4,500 are in operational orbit
