Photo: Ed Cordero, ERC Photos
SpaceX sent another tranche of 27 Starlink satellites to orbit this morning when it launched Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-32 mission from Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff was at 9:30 AM ET from Launch Complex 39A beneath warm, summery skies.
Ascent was as expected as by all appearances, everything went to plan during the rise to orbit. Main Engine Cutoff (MECO) was at T+ 02:24, and Booster B1080 completed its 19th mission when it landed on ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions’ at T+ 08:09.
Photo: Ed Cordero, ERC Photos
According to SpaceX, this is the same booster that launched Ax-2, Euclid, Ax-3, CRS-30, SES ASTRA 1P, NG-21, and 12 Starlink missions. ‘Just Read The Instructions’ will now return to Port Canaveral, where B1080 will be offloaded and returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility on Roberts Road for processing and preparation for its next flight.
About the same time the booster was landing, the second stage and the payload of Starlink satellites were reaching orbit.
Payload
Starlink is a satellite internet constellation developed, launched and operated by SpaceX, providing high-speed internet access across the globe—especially in remote and underserved regions. Unlike traditional satellite internet systems that rely on a few large satellites in geostationary orbit, Starlink uses thousands of small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), about 550 kilometers above the surface.
This network of satellites forms a mesh of constantly moving nodes that relay data between user terminals on the ground and internet gateways. The lower altitude significantly reduces latency compared to older satellite systems. While traditional satellite Internet can have latencies of 600 milliseconds or more, Starlink aims for 20 to 40 milliseconds, making it viable for online gaming, video calls, and other real-time applications.
Each Starlink satellite weighs about 260 kilograms and is equipped with multiple high-throughput antennas and a single solar array for power. The satellites use phased-array antennas to dynamically steer beams of data as needed, optimizing coverage and performance. Some newer models are also equipped with laser links that allow satellites to communicate with each other directly, reducing the need to bounce data through ground stations and increasing the system’s resilience.
Launch Replay
Next Launch
| Mission | Falcon 9 Block 5 | GPS III SV08 |
|---|---|
| Organization | SpaceX |
| Location | Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 |
| Pad | Space Launch Complex 40 |
| Status | To Be Confirmed |
| Status Info | Awaiting official confirmation – current date is known with some certainty. |
| Window Opens | Friday, 05/30/2025 1:23:00 PM EDT |
| Window Closes | Friday, 05/30/2025 1:38:00 PM EDT |
| Destination | Medium Earth Orbit |
| Mission Description | Eighth of ten GPS III missions. |