Moscow: A Falcon 9 carrier rocket launched another 52 Starlink internet satellites into orbit early on Wednesday, the SpaceX corporation said.
“Falcon 9 launches 52 @Starlink satellites to orbit, completing this first stage booster’s 14th launch and landing,” SpaceX tweeted, adding that the deployment of satellites has been confirmed.
The rocket lifted off at 11:02 p.m. PT (06:02 GMT on Wednesday) from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, marking the 14th launch and landing for this Falcon 9 first-stage booster.
In a separate post, Starlink said all the satellites are equipped with optical space lasers to provide internet coverage globally and “serve customers in the most remote locations on Earth.”
“The space laser mesh is what enabled Starlink coverage for critical infrastructure, schools, and communities across the 169 island nation of Tonga in the South Pacific Ocean after it was hit by a tsunami last year,” Starlink said in a tweet.
Starlink is a next-generation satellite network designed to provide broadband internet access across the world, launched by SpaceX in February 2018.