Nov. 10 (UPI) – The SpaceX launch of 29 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit Monday night from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station set a new annual launch record for Florida’s spaceport.
Monday’s liftoff marked the 94th launch of an orbital-class rocket in the state this year, surpassing the previous record set at the end of last year. As the rocket lifted off at 10:21 p.m. EST, mission control enthusiastically announced, “Engines full power and lift off. Go SpaceX. Go Starlink.”
The commercial launch, which added 29 Starlink Internet satellites to the growing orbital constellation, had been scheduled for earlier in the day. However, the liftoff was delayed until after 10 p.m. due to a shortage of air traffic controllers amid the government shutdown.
Florida’s spaceport — encompassing NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — has experienced a significant increase in launch activity over the past five years. This uptick is largely driven by the frequency of SpaceX flights.
In addition to SpaceX, other rockets launched from Florida this year include Blue Origin’s New Glenn, a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan rocket, and three ULA Atlas V rockets.
For Monday’s record-breaking mission, SpaceX employed a newer booster. The first-stage booster, designated B1096, was flying for the third time. Earlier this year, it supported launches for Amazon’s Project Kuiper (KF-01) and NASA’s IMAP rideshare mission.
Just over eight minutes after liftoff, the booster successfully executed an autonomous landing on the “Just Read the Instructions” droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean, marking another milestone in reusable rocket technology.
https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2025/11/11/florida-spacex-starlink-launch-record/1881762833095/
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