A Falcon 9 rocket’s delivery of 21 Starlink satellites rattled windows while leaving Vandenberg Space Force Base early Monday.
The SpaceX rocket blasted off at 12:43 a.m. from Space Launch Complex-4 on South Base, deploying the Starlink satellites in orbit an hour later.
Making its 14th flight, the rocket’s first-stage booster successfully landed on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship positioned in the Pacific Ocean.
Starlink, designed and manufactured by SpaceX, involves thousands of satellites oribiting Earth to provide internet service across the globe, including in areas where access doesn’t exist or isn’t reliable.
Vandenberg’s Starlink mission was one of two planned on both coasts within six hours.
However, SpaceX said the Florida rocket’s liftoff late Sunday night was foiled by upper level winds exceeding limits, leading to at least a one-day delay.
The team will attempt to get the East Coast rocket off the ground as soon as Monday, with the first try planned for 5:42 p.m PDT and other options for later.
With three months left in the year, SpaceX has already launched more than 70 missions, 21 of those from Vandenberg, in 2023.
