SpaceX launched 24 Starlink satellites into orbit on Monday using a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The mission successfully deployed the satellites about an hour after liftoff, and the rocket’s first stage landed safely on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean.
The launch expanded the Starlink network to more than 10,000 active satellites, which provide global broadband internet and other connectivity services.
The mission came shortly after SpaceX’s record-breaking IPO, which valued the company at $1.77 trillion and significantly boosted its stock, Space.com has reported.
This was SpaceX’s 69th Falcon 9 mission of the year, with most flights dedicated to expanding the Starlink constellation.
