SpaceX completed its final mission of 2024 with the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 21 Starlink satellites, including 13 with direct-to-cell capability.

The launch took place on December 31 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking SpaceX’s 134th Falcon flight of the year.

This surpasses the previous year’s launch count by 38.

The rocket’s first stage landed successfully on the droneship “Just Read the Instructions” after 8 minutes, while the upper stage deployed the satellites into low Earth orbit, Space.com has reported.

This launch added to the growing Starlink constellation, now with over 6,850 active satellites.

Written by B.C. Begley