SpaceX launches 23 more Starlink satellites from Florida (video, photos)

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Liftoff occurred at 3:19 p.m. ET today (Nov. 7).

SpaceX launched yet another batch of its Starlink internet satellites this afternoon (Nov. 7) from Florida's Space Coast.

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 Starlink spacecraft lifted off today from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 3:19 p.m. EST (1919 GMT).

The Falcon 9's first stage came back to Earth for a vertical touchdown about eight minutes after liftoff as planned. It landed on the SpaceX droneship "Just Read the Instructions," which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. 

At left: A SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage returns to Earth for a landing during a Starlink launch on Nov. 7, 2024. At right is the view from the rocket's upper stage, whose recently jettisoned payload fairing is visible falling back to Earth. (Image credit: SpaceX)

It was the third launch and landing for this particular booster, according to a SpaceX mission description.

The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, continued its trek skyward. If all goes to plan, it will deploy the 23 Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) about 65 minutes after liftoff.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage rests on the deck of a ship at sea shortly after launching 23 Starlink satellite on Nov. 7, 2024. (Image credit: SpaceX)
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Starlink is the largest satellite constellation ever assembled, with a current population of about 6,500 active spacecraft.

But the LEO megaconstellation is getting bigger all the time, as today's liftoff shows. SpaceX has launched more than 100 Falcon 9 flights so far this year, and roughly two-thirds of them have been Starlink missions. 

Editor's note: This story was updated at 7:58 p.m. ET on Nov. 6 with the new launch date of Nov. 7. It was updated again at 3:40 p.m. ET on Nov. 7 with news of successful launch and rocket landing.

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Mike Wall
Mike Wall
Senior Space Writer

Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.