SpaceX launches 54 Starlink communication satellites

The liftoff took place at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 4:32 ET.

The reusable first-stage booster for the rocket had previously been used 14 times. About 9 minutes after the launch, its first stage successfully descended to a barge in the Atlantic Ocean, according to TASS.

A few minutes later, the company reported that the deployment of all 54 satellites has been confirmed.

The Starlink constellation of satellites, each weighing up to 260 kilograms, is meant to provide Internet access.

SpaceX estimates that the deployment of a total of 11,000 satellites will cost $10 billion. It has launched more than 3,200 Starlink satellites since May 2019.

RHM/PR