Beneath a full moon this evening, SpaceX launched another twenty-three Starlink Mini V2 satellites to orbit after successfully launching the Starlink 6-62 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station this evening.

Liftoff was at 10:35 PM EDT. Around 8.3 minutes after liftoff, the first-stage booster used for the mission, tail number B1080, touched down safely on ASDS ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’, stationed downrange in the Atlantic Ocean. After landing, B1080 has now flown eight times.

After a few days, the droneship will return to Port Canaveral, and B1080 will be transported to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility at Kennedy Space Center. There, it will be inspected, refurbished, and prepared for its next mission.

Payload

23 Starlink satellites, to be used in SpaceX’s orbital-based Internet service. They are manufactured at SpaceX’s Starlink manufacturing facility in Redmond, Washington.

Booster B1080.8

As of tonight, SpaceX’s Booster B1080.8 has flown the following missions successfully:

Booster B1080
Flight Number	Mission	Date
1	Axiom-2	May 21, 2023
2	Euclid	July 1, 2023
3	Starlink 6-11	August 27 2023
4	Starlink 6-24	October 22, 2023
5	Axiom-3	January 18, 2024
6	CRS-30	March 21, 2024
7	Starlink 6-52	April 18, 2024
8	Starlink 6-62	May 22, 2024

Launch Replay

If you missed the launch (or were watching in-person) here’s a replay of the SpaceX coverage of the launch.

Interesting Stats

• 54th launch by SpaceX this year
• 25th launch from SLC-40 this year
• 5 days, 22:13:00 turnaround for this pad
• 365th SpaceX launch all time
• 311th Falcon Family Booster landing
• 82nd landing on JRTI
• 266th consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch (excluding Amos-6) (if successful)

Next Launch

SpaceX plans to launch another set of Starlink satellites down the Bimini Highway to join Group 6. Launch will be in late afternoon or early evening. Check back at Talk of Titusville for a launch preview on Thursday May 23.

Mission: Starlink 6-63

Date: NET May 23, 2024

Organization: SpaceX

Rocket: Falcon 9

Launch Site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center

Launch Window: 06:45 PM – 10:45 PM EDT

Payload: 23 communications satellites

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