SpaceX Launches 600th Flight-Proven Rocket in Coast-to-Coast Doubleheader

SpaceX launched two Falcon 9 rockets from opposite U.S. coasts within eight hours overnight on July 13-14, deploying 56 Starlink satellites to orbit. The second launch marked the 600th flight of a previously used Falcon 9 first stage, underscoring the maturation of reusable rocket technology.

The first rocket lifted off at 9:28 p.m. EDT on July 13 (0128 GMT July 14) from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, carrying 27 Starlink satellites on the Starlink 15-14 mission. The second launched at 5:10 a.m. EDT (0910 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, deploying 29 satellites on the Starlink 10-45 mission.

Both Falcon 9 first stages were successfully recovered. Booster B1093, flying from California, completed its 15th mission. Booster B1080, launching from Florida, achieved its 28th flight — approaching the single-booster reuse record of 36 flights. So far this year, SpaceX has conducted 83 Falcon 9 launches.

According to orbital tracker Jonathan McDowell, the active Starlink constellation now totals 10,839 satellites in orbit, continuing to expand the broadband internet megaconstellation.

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Original article: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-starlink-15-14-b1093-vsfb-ocisly-10-45-b1080-ccsfs-asog