SpaceX has launched the 5,000th Starlink satellite into orbit - the spacecraft constellation will continue to grow and grow by leaps and bounds

The number of Starlink satellites in orbit has exceeded 5,000. In the future, the constellation will increase several times.

Here's What We Know

On 27 August at 21:05 (EDT) or 18:05 (PDT), a Falcon 9 rocket sent 22 Starlink satellites into orbit. Prior to the launch, the Starlink constellation included 4,983 vehicles. The rocket launched from the US Space Force base at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

As usual, 8.5 minutes after launch, the first stage successfully returned to Earth. This was its third mission. The first stage successfully landed in the Atlantic Ocean, where the Just Read the Instructions unmanned platform was waiting for it.

All 22 spacecraft were placed into orbit 1 hour and 5 minutes after liftoff. SpaceX already has permission to increase the Starlink constellation to 12,000 satellites. However, the US aerospace company wants to send 30,000 vehicles into space.

Source: SpaceX