Another 51 Starlink satellites launched into orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Wednesday afternoon as SpaceX continues to expand its constellation. 

The two-stage rocket lifted off at 1:09 p.m. from Space Launch Complex-4 on South Base after a foggy morning gave way to clear skies for those hoping to watch departure.

Deployment of the Starlink satellites took place 17 minutes after the rocket’s launch, SpaceX confirmed. 

Several minutes after liftoff, the first-stage booster successfully landed on a drone ship positioned  in the Pacific Ocean several hundred miles away from the Central Coast.

This marked the third flight for the first-stage booster, which previously carried U.S. Space Force satellites and another set of Starlink spacecraft from Vandenberg.

SpaceX also aimed to recover the two halves of the rocket’s payload fairing for reuse on a future mission. 

With thousands of satellites orbiting Earth, Starlink has been designed to provide high-speed internet service to remote and rural areas where access isn’t available or reliable.

Vandenberg’s seventh Starlink mission of the year and the 17th since September 2021 came as SpaceX revealed that the system has 1.5 million customers around the globe.

Initially, Starlink kits were available through the firm’s website, but now can be purchased from Home Depot.

However, customers may not find them in stock at stores. Home Depot’s website said Wednesday that the kits could be delivered by next week. 

Customers are limited to purchasing two kits, and more than 400 kits were in stock on Wednesday.

SpaceX intends to conduct two more Starlink missions, both from Florida, in the coming days. 

In total, the firm expects to launch more than 30,000 Starlink satellites, making the system one of several mega constellations concerning astronomers.

SpaceX said Wednesday’s launch marked the 30th Falcon 9 mission during 2023, and the 229th mission overall.