SpaceX is set to launch two separate missions to deploy 120 Starlink internet satellites into orbit on February 27, 2021. The first mission, dubbed Starlink-17, will be launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida using a Falcon 9 rocket, while the second mission, Starlink-18, will be launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida using another Falcon 9 rocket.
The first mission is set to lift off at 5:21 a.m. EST, while the second mission is scheduled for 8:53 a.m. EST. Both launches will aim to deploy 60 Starlink satellites each into low-Earth orbit. These satellites will join SpaceX’s existing constellation of more than 1,000 Starlink satellites that have already been deployed.
The Starlink network is designed to provide high-speed internet access to users around the world, especially in areas that currently lack reliable connectivity. SpaceX aims to launch thousands more Starlink satellites over the coming years as it builds out its internet service.
SpaceX will also attempt to land the two Falcon 9 booster rockets on autonomous drone ships in the Atlantic Ocean after they have completed their missions. The company has successfully landed and re-used booster rockets multiple times in the past, as part of its efforts to reduce the cost of spaceflight.