SpaceX launches new batch of Starlink satellites

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., the Hawthorne-based aerospace company, launched its 13^th batch of Starlink satellites on October 6, bringing the number of operational Starlink satellites in orbit to 773.

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the satellites lifted off at 7:29 am EST from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Starlink satellites were deployed approximately 61 minutes after liftoff.

SpaceX successfully recovered the first stage of the rocket by landing it on the unmanned spacecraft “Of course I still love you” parked in the Atlantic Ocean.

The first stage of reinforcement had previously supported the manned mission of May 30 that launched the first manned flight of Crew Dragon to the International Space Station, as well as the ANASIS-II mission of July 20, where the company deployed a South Korean military satellite in its target orbit.

SpaceX recovery ship, “Em. Tree,” it also attempted to catch the Falcon 9’s nose cone fairing halves. The ship was able to catch one of the halves, while the other fell into the ocean.

So far, SpaceX spacecraft captured both halves of the Falcon 9’s nose cone just once, on July 20 during the Anasis-II mission. The ability to catch the tip cone halves reduces launch costs for the company, which can already save money by reusing its early stages of reinforcement.

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