A Falcon 9v1.2FT Block 5 rocket carrying 53 Group 4-21 Starlink satellites has been successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, USA by SpaceX. The launch took place at 1311 GMT on 7 July. This was the 50th Starlink carrying launch of a Falcon 9.
Following the launch the B1058 first stage successfully landed on the drone barge “Just Read the Instructions” which was stationed downrange in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the 13th flight and successful landing for a reusable Falcon 9 first stage – a feat accomplished by just one other SpaceX booster. On top of its eight Starlink missions to date, the first stage previously also launched Crew Demo-2, ANASIS-II, CRS-21, Transporter-1 and Transporter-3.
Jonathan Freeman contributed to this story.