SpaceX
SpaceX launches 13 new Direct to Cell satellites (June 4)
Tonight, SpaceX launched a new Falcon 9 mission carrying 13 new Direct to Cell satellites to low-Earth orbit. The company has started building this constellation of satellites capable of providing direct satellite connectivity to smartphones and other devices.
Previous demonstration shows that a Direct to Cell satellite mobile service doesn’t require any additional hardware upgrades. Instead, it works similarly to a mobile network connection.
The Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch payload fairing also included 7 Starlink satellites. SpaceX confirmed that the weather was 95 percent favorable for this flight.
Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/Rk1bBe6rUW
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 5, 2024
After stage separation, the first stage landed on a droneship after deploying its landing legs. This was the 20th flight for the first stage booster. It previously supported CRS-22, Crew-3, Turksat 5B, Crew-4, CRS-25, Eutelsat HORBIRD 13G, mPOWER-a, PSN SATRIA, Telkomsat Merah Putih 2, 11 Starlink missions including the latest.
Falcon 9’s first stage lands on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, completing our first launch and landing this month pic.twitter.com/T42up3gKfh
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 5, 2024
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