SpaceX Completes Final Launches of 2024
This marked the 16th landing for this booster, with 12 of its 16 flights dedicated to Starlink missions.
SpaceX’s vice president confirms, “We’re targeting 134 launches, just two short of our goal, to end 2024 strong.”
SpaceX began its New Year countdown with the first of three planned rocket launches to close out 2024.
On Saturday, a Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, carrying 22 of the company’s satellites.
The mission launched at 8:48 PM from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E), as reported by Space.com.
About 65 minutes later, the satellites were successfully on track for deployment into low Earth orbit.
With two launches still planned, this marked SpaceX’s 132nd Falcon launch of the year.
“Our target is 134 launches—just two shy of our goal—to finish 2024 strong,” said Kiko Dontchev, SpaceX’s vice president of launch.
He added, “Here’s to an awesome end to 2024 and an even better 2025!”
Eight minutes after liftoff, the Falcon 9’s first stage safely returned to Earth, landing on the droneship “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Pacific Ocean.
This marked the 16th landing for this booster, with 12 of its 16 flights dedicated to Starlink missions.
Despite one failure caused by an upper-stage oxygen leak, the launch was SpaceX’s 88th Starlink mission of the year.
“We aim for one number: ZERO failures. Safety and reliability remain our top priority,” said Dontchev.
As of now, SpaceX’s Starlink megaconstellation, the largest ever assembled, includes nearly 6,700 active satellites, according to astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell.