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SpaceX successfully launched its 100th dedicated Starlink mission, delivering 21 Starlink satellites to orbit. The Falcon 9 rocket carrying the satellites lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 2:37 a.m. This brings the total number of Starlink satellites in low-earth orbit to nearly 5,000. Starlink is a satellite internet constellation that provides global internet coverage.

The launch was originally scheduled for August 17 but was delayed by four days due to Hurricane Hilary, which impacted recovery operations in the Pacific. The hurricane was the first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years. The company announced the launch delay on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on that Thursday.

The Falcon 9 first stage booster used in this mission made its 15th flight and successfully landed on SpaceX’s drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You” approximately 8 1/2 minutes after takeoff.

SpaceX’s next mission is targeted for August 25, where it will send four Crew-7 members to the International Space Mission aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule. The rocket for this mission will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

With this successful launch, SpaceX continues to expand its Starlink satellite network, providing internet connectivity to remote and underserved areas around the world.

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