- A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carried more than four dozen Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit in a launch off the California coast.
- SpaceX has launched its first Starlink mission of the year.
- The rocket was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base northwest of Santa Barbara, California.
- The Starlink satellites are expected to release from the front end of the rocket all at once, instead of one at a time or in pairs, as spacecraft often do when separating from a launch vehicle.
- The Falcon 9 upper stage was to fire thrusters to put itself in a spin before deploying the satellites. Then the rocket was expected to release retention rods that hold the satellites in place on top of the vehicle.
- Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) is an American spaceship manufacturer, space launch provider, and satellite communications corporation headquartered in Hawthorne, California.
- It was founded by Musk in 2002 with the goal of reducing space transportation costs to enable Mars colonization.
SpaceX launches 51 Starlink satellites from California
