SpaceX Rocket Boosts Internet Relay Satellites Into Orbit
CAPE CANAVERAL (CBSMiami) - Lighting up the night sky with a streak of fiery exhaust, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket thundered away from Cape Canaveral Thursday evening, boosting an initial batch of 60 Starlink internet relay satellites into orbit, the first of hundreds and possibly thousands planned to provide broadband access around the world.
Running a week late after back-to-back delays last week, the Falcon 9 roared to life and shot away from pad 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 10:30 p.m., putting on a spectacular show for area residents and tourists.
The first stage propelled the multi-satellite payload out of the thick lower atmosphere then fell back into the atmosphere and flew itself to a pinpoint landing on an off-shore drone-ship, the "Of Course I Still Love You," stationed in the Atlantic Ocean nearly 400 miles northeast of Cape Canaveral.