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SpaceX completes Satrlink launch, brings Direct to Cell satellite total to 103
UPI ^ | July 3, 2024 | Chris Benson

Posted on 07/03/2024 11:08:40 AM PDT by Red Badger

Starlink Internet now available in Madagascar to Africa's east, company says.

July 3 (UPI) -- SpaceX early Wednesday launched a new round of Starlink satellites into orbit in its first launch for the month of July after it saw a slight delay.

The liftoff at pad 40 took place in at 4:55 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida after a two-hour delay.

The Falcon 9 rocket carried with it 20 Starlink satellites that were successfully put into space above Earth.

Included along with the 20 Starlink satellites launched Wednesday were 13 that have Direct to Cell capability, intended to "serve customers with ubiquitous connectivity directly to their phones," a SpaceX company official said previously, bringing the total in orbit to 103.

Weather forecasting had an 80% chance for favorable conditions in the launch window.

The three-hour window for the launch opened at 2:57 a.m. EDT but the rocket booster experienced technical issues in the final seconds of the last launch attempt.

Arriving back on Earth eight minutes after it was launched, the Falcon 9 touched down in the Atlantic Ocean on the droneship"A Shortfall of Gravitas."

The Starlink 8-9 mission was SpaceX's 49th dedicated mission launching the Starlink satellites this year and the 111th launch over Starlink's V2 Mini version to date.

Wednesday morning's successful Starlink liftoff was meant to further bolster and expand the megaconstellation of what is now 103 satellites orbiting Earth.

SpaceX said its goal is to launch an average of 12 Falcon rockets per month at ideally 144 launches this year. Company officials claim they are still on track to meet their goals.

As of Thursday, Starlink's "high-speed, low-latency" Internet has now been available in Madagascar, the island nation to Africa's southeast, the company's Starlink division posted on X.

The company in June had made a series of other successful Starlink satellite launches that saw dozens of new SpaceX satellites put into space.

In May, SpaceX lifted 23 new Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit, at the time the company's third blastoff in two days by that point.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Computers/Internet; History; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: directtocell
49 launches in 6 months.

NASA never could have achieved even a third of that.................

1 posted on 07/03/2024 11:08:40 AM PDT by Red Badger
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To: MtnClimber; SunkenCiv; mowowie; SuperLuminal; Cottonbay

SpaceX Ping!

49 Launches in 6 months!...............


2 posted on 07/03/2024 11:09:37 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Red Badger

Put the right people in the right place and let them do their thing. The only thing standing in the way of this sort of achievement is the government.


3 posted on 07/03/2024 11:12:24 AM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: Red Badger

BETCHA MUSK is gearing up to rescue the stranded astronauts.


4 posted on 07/03/2024 11:12:31 AM PDT by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
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To: ridesthemiles

I think he is. He’s one smart dude...................


5 posted on 07/03/2024 11:13:53 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Red Badger

As soon as their cell network is setup, I’m getting rid of AT&T. Connectivity, anywhere in the world. Amazing.


6 posted on 07/03/2024 12:19:03 PM PDT by vpintheak (Sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes you’re the bug. )
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To: Red Badger

NASA never had a reason to achieve even a third of that.

China has not quite achieved a third of that ...

But wait! Surely Mighty Roscosmos is showing up the upstart imperialist pigdogs!

Or not ... More like one eighth ...

Because unless you’re launching your own LEO satellite internet system, there just isn’t that much demand for orbital launches.


7 posted on 07/03/2024 12:23:38 PM PDT by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: vpintheak

Yup. That’s a hard “SELL” of every terrestrial cellular stock.


8 posted on 07/03/2024 12:37:02 PM PDT by Sgt_Schultze (When your business model depends on slave labor, you're always going to need more slaves.)
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To: Red Badger

WHEN CAN I DUMP COMCAST??!!!!!


9 posted on 07/03/2024 2:38:50 PM PDT by If You Want It Fixed - Fix It
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