CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX added 60 Starlink satellites to its orbiting broadband internet network early Sunday morning and set a record at the same time when it successfully put them into space with its Falcon 9 rocket.
The Falcon 9 rocket took off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 2:42 a.m. Eastern Time, lighting up the clear night sky.
When the first stage of the rocket landed on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic about nine minutes later, it completed its record 10th flight. Most notably, the booster was used during the first Crew Dragon mission to the International Space Station and a half-dozen Starlink missions.
The launch was the second Starlink mission in a week and the third in two weeks.
Deployment of the 60 Starlink satellites also was successful. The Starlink constellation of satellites is designed to bring low-cost, high speed internet to customers around the globe.
SpaceX announced Sunday morning that France was among the latest countries that will be able to access the service.
According to the 45th Space Wing, another Starlink launch is planned for Saturday.
SpaceX will also launch a Cargo Dragon capsule to the International Space Station in early June.
