SpaceX launches 29 Starlink satellites from Florida
by Mike Heuer & Chris Benson · UPIOct. 29 (UPI) -- SpaceX launched more than two dozen Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit on Wednesday as part of Elon Musk's bid to expand global Internet access.
SpaceX used a Falcon 9 rocket to enable the deployment of 29 Starlink satellite devices into low-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The launch occurred at 12:16 p.m. EDT as the booster rocket lifted the payload into space and was the 15th flight for the Falcon 9 booster rocket that is designated as 1082, according to Space.com.
The booster rocket was in flight for 9 1/2 minutes before separating from its payload and returning to Earth, where it landed on the autonomous drone ship named Just Read the Instructions.
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The drone ship was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean when the Falcon 9 booster rocket landed on its deck.
The rocket's upper stage continued the voyage into low Earth orbit, where it deployed the 29 Starlink satellites.
A recording is available of the live-streamed broadcast of the Starlink 10-37 mission that transported the company's Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites into space about an hour into the SpaceX mission.
The launch followed Sunday's liftoff by SpaceX that sent 28 Starlink devices into low orbit above Earth
Wednesday afternoon's mission was the 138th launch by SpaceX in 2025, which extends its record of launches in a calendar year after surpassing its prior record of 134 launches in 2024.
Among this year's launches, 99 so far have been dedicated to deploying Starlink satellites.
SpaceX has deployed more than 8,700 Starlink satellites to create its "megaconstellation" to provide Internet service anywhere in the world.