SpaceX launched 21 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Tuesday afternoon. The batch included 13 that feature Direct to Cell capabilities.
Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) happened at 1:53 p.m. EST (1853 UTC).
On Monday, the 45th Weather Squadron at Patrick Space Force Base forecast a 95 percent chance of favorable weather during both the primary and backup launch opportunities on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“With high temperatures reaching the 80-degree mark Tuesday, the sea breeze circulation may contribute to the formation low-topped showers in the afternoon,” launch weather officers wrote. “Therefore, we have added isolated showers into the forecast and are now tracking the Cumulus Cloud Rule as a distant concern for the primary launch window.”
SpaceX used the Falcon 9 first stage booster, tail number B1077, on Tuesday’s flight. It was its 18th launch and landing attempt after launch such missions as Crew-5, CRS-28, NG-20 and GPS 3 SV06.
A little more than eight minutes after liftoff, B1077 landed on the droneship, ‘Just Read the Instructions,’ marking the 109th booster landing for JRTI and the 408th booster landing to date.
During a commercial first aired during the Super Bowl on Sunday, T-Mobile and SpaceX advertised the beta testing of its Direct to Cell service in the United States. The ad stated that any cell carrier can sign up to try the service, even if they don’t have T-Mobile as their primary carrier.
To date, SpaceX launched more than 450 Starlink satellites that feature DTC functionality.
Meanwhile, the company announced the addition of Bhutan as the newest country where Starlink service is now available. According to SpaceX, it becomes the 121st “country, territory or other market” where Starlink internet is accessible.
