On May 14, 2023, SpaceX launched 56 Starlink internet communication satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch took place at 01:03 EDT (05:03 UTC). This launch marks the 201st consecutive successful mission of SpaceX’s Falcon rocket family.
The 56 Starlink satellites will be deployed into an orbit with a 43-degree inclination to the equator and an altitude of between 185 and 211 miles (298 and 340 kilometers). Once detached from the launch vehicle, the satellites will unfold their solar arrays and go through automated activation procedures before using their krypton-fueled ion engines to navigate into their operational orbit, which is 329 miles (530 kilometers) above Earth.
This launch brings the total number of Starlink satellites launched by SpaceX to 4,447. About 50% of all successful orbital launches so far this year have been conducted by SpaceX. The 56 Starlink satellites will equal the four Falcon 9 missions with a full load of Starlink spacecraft to tie the record for the largest payload ever launched by a SpaceX rocket.
