SpaceX launches 28 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral

SpaceX launched its 86th Starlink mission of the year Thursday morning, sending 28 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral’s pad 40 at 4:39 a.m. EDT.

Weather conditions were largely favorable, with a 90% chance of launch success despite some mid- and upper-level clouds.

The mission used Falcon 9 booster B1080, marking its 22nd flight, which successfully landed on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas about 8.5 minutes after liftoff.

This landing was the 126th for the drone ship and the 511th booster recovery for SpaceX overall, Spaceflight Now has reported.

The satellites are scheduled to be deployed approximately one hour and four minutes after liftoff, continuing the expansion of SpaceX’s Starlink megaconstellation, which now includes over 8,400 satellites.