A New Batch of Starlink Satellites Heads to Space

SpaceX has just sent another group of 23 Starlink internet satellites into orbit using a Falcon 9 rocket. The launch happened on January 24, 2025, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The rocket took off at 9:07 a. m. EST, with the first stage booster returning to Earth roughly eight minutes later. It landed safely on the drone ship named "Of Course I Still Love You" in the Pacific Ocean. This was the 401st successful recovery of an orbital-class booster for SpaceX. This particular booster has quite a history, with today's flight being its 23rd launch and landing. Out of these, 14 missions were for Starlink. The upper stage of the Falcon 9 rocket will now carry these satellites to low Earth orbit, deploying them around 64 minutes after liftoff. Starlink is SpaceX's ambitious project to provide global internet coverage. It's currently the largest satellite constellation ever assembled, with over 6, 900 operational satellites. This network is continually growing, aiming to offer internet access to even the most remote areas. Today's launch was the 11th Falcon 9 mission of 2025 and the seventh dedicated to Starlink this year. As more satellites join the Starlink constellation, it's changing how we think about global connectivity.