When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
The launch of a new batch of SpaceX Starlink satellites lit up the predawn sky in southern California today (Dec. 10) as the company marked its 160th flight of a Falcon 9 rocket this year.
Lifting off at 6:40 a.m. EST (1140 GMT or 3:40 a.m. PST local time) Wednesday from Vandenberg Space Force Base's Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E), the 27 broadband internet satellites (Group 15-11) were deployed into low Earth orbit just over an hour into the flight.
"Deployment of 27 Starlink satellites confirmed," SpaceX officials posted to social media.
Previous Booster 1082 missions
USSF-62 | OneWeb Launch 20 | NROL-145 | 14 Starlink missions
The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket completed its 18th flight, landing back on the autonomous droneship "Of Course I Still Love You" positioned in the Pacific Ocean.
The Starlink megaconstellation now numbers more than 9,000 operational satellites, including the more than 3,000 launched just this year. The network provides access to the internet to areas around the world where there was no or sparse coverage, as well as enables WiFi access on commercial airliners and cell-to-satellite service on select providers.
Wednesday's launch was SpaceX's 165th overall launch of 2025 (including Starship test flights) and the 605th mission in the company's history.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
US FDA declines to approve Corcept's drug for rare hormonal disorder - 2Here's what the Artemis 2 astronauts will be doing on each day of NASA's historic moon mission
- 3Culinary Joys: Investigating Connoisseur Cooking at Home
- 4Scientists document a death from a meat allergy tied to certain ticks
- 5South Africa collects record $117B tax haul
- Irish defence minister's trip to Lebanon cancelled
- How effective is the flu shot this year? New report shows promising results
- Brexit's Effect on New York's Ascent as a Main Monetary Center
- Flash flooding causes highways to close to and from Eilat
- New research reveals urban raccoons across the US show early signs of domestication
- Activists guilty over Palestine protest breach
- Oprah Winfrey's Favorite Wellness Destination Is A Luxurious Italian Retreat
- Portable Installment Answers for Independent ventures
- Dave Coulier reveals he has tongue cancer, his 2nd diagnosis in a year, after beating non-Hodgkin lymphoma
