SpaceX launched 24 Starlink satellites to orbit Tuesday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, a day after an unexpected engine cutoff forced an abort at ignition on Monday. The Falcon 9 lifted off at 10:49 a.m. EDT and deployed the satellites into their intended orbit roughly an hour later. SpaceX did not explain the reason for Monday's abort, but the issue was resolved in time for the rescheduled attempt. Tuesday's flight marked SpaceX's 85th Falcon 9 launch of 2024.
The Falcon 9's first stage, Booster 1082, completed its 23rd mission by landing on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean. This booster has previously flown the USSF-62 military mission, two OneWeb launches, the NROL-145 reconnaissance payload, and 18 Starlink missions.
The Starlink constellation continues to expand to provide global internet access, particularly to areas lacking conventional connectivity. The network also supports in-flight wifi and direct-to-cell services for select carriers. Tuesday's addition brings the total number of operational Starlink satellites into the thousands.
Last-second aborts have hit SpaceX twice in recent weeks. The company also experienced an engine cutoff during the first launch attempt of its 13th Starship test flight on July 16, with that flight rescheduled for July 23.