SpaceX is set to launch 24 Starlink satellites tonight from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The Falcon 9 rocket will carry the batch into low Earth orbit as part of the company's ongoing effort to expand its broadband constellation.
The Starlink group, designated Starlink Group 17-45, marks another routine deployment for SpaceX's satellite internet network. The Falcon 9's first stage is expected to attempt a landing on the droneship 'Of Course I Still Love You' in the Pacific Ocean, a standard recovery procedure for reusable rockets.
Liftoff is scheduled for the evening of June 24, though an exact time was not specified in the source. SpaceX has not disclosed any delays in recent launches from this site, with the company maintaining a high cadence of missions from both California and Florida facilities.
This launch adds to SpaceX's sprawling constellation, which now numbers over 5,000 satellites in orbit. The network provides internet coverage to remote and underserved regions globally, though astronomers and some regulators have raised concerns about orbital clutter and light pollution.
Counter_argument: Critics argue that the rapid expansion of Starlink and similar mega-constellations complicates space traffic management and could increase collision risks, while astronomers contend the satellites interfere with ground-based observations.