Highlights:
SpaceX completed two Falcon 9 missions over the weekend, marking its 132nd and 133rd launches of 2024.
The first launch on December 28 put 22 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, further expanding SpaceX’s Broadband Internet constellation.
The Falcon 9 first stage booster has successfully landed after its 16th mission, with the previous 12 flights dedicated to Starlink launches.
Key background:
SpaceX closed out the year 2024 with the successful launch of the Falcon 9 rocket. Over the weekend, the two missions launched a total of 22 Starlink satellites and the Astranis One to Many Mission into orbit. Therefore, SpaceX will close 2024 as one of the most productive companies in the space launch industry with 132 and 133 missions.
The launch took place on December 28 from the California-based Vandenberg Space Force Base. Above, with all nine booster shots, the Starlink payload enters low Earth orbit as 5:48 pm PST marks the launch of the Falcon 9. About 65 minutes into the mission’s timeline, and all went well with the arrival of its booster back to the ocean platform called Droneship “Sure I Still Love You” inside the Pacific Ocean. This will be the 16th launch of that particular booster, which has seen several Starlink launches into space in previous flights. For SpaceX, the mission marks the 88th Starlink launch this year in an effort to add to its rapidly growing constellation of nearly 6,700 active satellites.
SpaceX vice president Kiko Dontchev took to social media to lay out the prospect of a launch near the end of the year. This time, SpaceX hopes to target a total of 134, two shies from the actual target set. According to the vice president, Dontchev, who expressed his excitement about the prospect, wrote that “Here are the last few days in 2024 and the best 2025.”
The second launch, at 12 am EST on Sunday, December 29, put four “MicroGEO” satellites of communications company Astranis into orbit. The mission was launched at Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. SpaceX has managed to make the necessary changes to the engine of its Starship rocket after a failed first attempt last week, due to a technical error.
MicroGEO satellites are designed to improve satellite communication services, including in-flight communication and broadband in various regions, especially in the Philippines. Astranis CEO John Gedmark described the satellites as some of the most advanced the company has built, with improvements that will greatly increase capacity and reduce costs. SpaceX is scheduled to launch 21 more Starlink satellites next year on December 30. This will provide a strong end to a very productive year. The company continues to achieve its aggressive goals, keeping SpaceX on track to expand its constellation and enhance its role in global communications.
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