When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
The launch of a new batch of SpaceX Starlink satellites lit up the predawn sky in southern California today (Dec. 10) as the company marked its 160th flight of a Falcon 9 rocket this year.
Lifting off at 6:40 a.m. EST (1140 GMT or 3:40 a.m. PST local time) Wednesday from Vandenberg Space Force Base's Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E), the 27 broadband internet satellites (Group 15-11) were deployed into low Earth orbit just over an hour into the flight.
"Deployment of 27 Starlink satellites confirmed," SpaceX officials posted to social media.
Previous Booster 1082 missions
USSF-62 | OneWeb Launch 20 | NROL-145 | 14 Starlink missions
The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket completed its 18th flight, landing back on the autonomous droneship "Of Course I Still Love You" positioned in the Pacific Ocean.
The Starlink megaconstellation now numbers more than 9,000 operational satellites, including the more than 3,000 launched just this year. The network provides access to the internet to areas around the world where there was no or sparse coverage, as well as enables WiFi access on commercial airliners and cell-to-satellite service on select providers.
Wednesday's launch was SpaceX's 165th overall launch of 2025 (including Starship test flights) and the 605th mission in the company's history.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
US healthcare spending soars to over $5 trillion in 2024 - 2Barry Manilow reveals lung cancer diagnosis and plans to undergo surgery: 'It's pure luck' it was 'found so early'
- 3Unwind: Four Extraordinary Spa Resorts On the planet
- 4Scientist turns people’s mental images into text using ‘mind-captioning’ technology
- 5The most effective method to Involve Handshakes for Compromise and Compromise
- From record warming to rusting rivers, 2025 Arctic Report Card shows a region transforming faster than expected
- Find the Native Culinary Customs: Local Flavors
- Ober Gabelhorn glacier reveals remains of man missing for over three decades
- A new mom skipped a routine appointment. An infected cut led to a devastating diagnosis
- This cafe takes orders in sign language. It's cherished by the Deaf community
- New movies to watch this weekend: See 'Predator: Badlands' in theaters, rent 'Black Phone 2,' stream Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein' on Netflix
- The Best Games On the planet
- Last supermoon of the year, the cold moon, seen across the U.S.: See the photos
- Supreme Court case about ‘crisis pregnancy centers’ highlights debate over truthful advertising standards
