SpaceX is gearing up for another Starlink satellite launch, adding 20 satellites to its low Earth orbit constellation, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities. The mission, named Starlink 8-8, is scheduled to lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 5:58 a.m. PDT (8:58 a.m. EDT, 1258 UTC).
This launch follows closely on the heels of SpaceX's recent activities, including the launch of 22 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and the fourth flight of its Starship rocket from southern Texas.
The Falcon 9 first stage booster, designated B1061, will be making its 21st flight, tying B1062 as SpaceX's most flown boosters. B1061 has previously supported two quartets of astronauts (Crew-1 and Crew-2), two multi-satellite rideshare missions (Transporter-4 and Transporter-5), as well as nine previous Starlink missions.
Following liftoff, B1061 is expected to land on SpaceX's droneship, ‘Of Course I Still Love You.' A successful landing would mark the 92nd landing on OCISLY and the 318th booster landing overall for SpaceX.
Michael Nicolls, SpaceX's vice president of Starlink Engineering, highlighted the progress of the Starlink program, noting that the 11 Starlink launches in May included 26 Direct to Cell Starlink satellites, representing “over 8 percent of the sats needed for initial direct-to-cell service.”
Legacy sat capacity is estimated around 2 Tbps combined. Starlink TODAY provides ~150x improvement (at low-latency quality) over legacy capacity. We are bringing the digital experience to every plane, boat, school, business, and house — on every inch of the planet. https://t.co/51B0xd70qO
— Nick Galano (@nickgalano) June 1, 2024