SpaceX achieved another milestone in reusable spaceflight on Wednesday night,launching a Falcon 9 rocket booster for the 350th time in the program’s history. The launch also marked the company’s 300th prosperous booster landing.
The starlink 9-14 mission lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base at 7:05 p.m. PST (10:05 p.m. EST, 0305 UTC). However, SpaceX’s website proclamation simply stated that the four-hour launch window opened at 4:06 p.m. PT, leaving the public in the dark about the exact launch time.
This marked the third consecutive launch from California where SpaceX did not initially announce weather a livestream would be available. The company’s website did not include a link to a webcast, and there was no mention of the mission on social media.
In contrast, SpaceX together published a launch page for the planned launch of SiriusXM’s SXM-9 satellite, scheduled for thursday morning from NASA’s Kennedy Space center.This page included a link to the livestream and an announcement on X (formerly twitter). The Starlink 6-70 mission, which launched earlier wednesday from Cape Canaveral, also had a pre-announced webcast.
While SpaceX did eventually livestream the two previous launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base (NROL-126 and Starlink 9-13), the broadcasts began well after liftoff. The same pattern repeated with the Starlink 9-14 mission, with the livestream starting approximately 44 seconds after launch. No description was provided for this delay.
“spacex did end up live streaming the two previous ascents from Vandenberg Space Force Base, NROL-126 and Starlink 9-13. However, in both cases, a live stream popped up well after the rockets had left the launch pad.”
“That ended up being the case as well with the Starlink 9-14 mission. SpaceX popped up its livestream about 44 seconds after the rocket left the launch pad. No explanation was given as to why SpaceX started its broadcast midstream for a third time.”
SpaceX successfully launched another batch of Starlink satellites into orbit on Tuesday,marking a critically importent milestone for the company’s enterprising internet constellation project. The mission, designated Starlink 9-14, saw the Falcon 9 rocket lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, carrying 20 Starlink V2 Mini satellites.
This launch was notably noteworthy for the Falcon 9’s first stage booster, identified by tail number B1081. This veteran booster, having already completed 11 previous missions, including launches to the international Space Station and deployments of climate-monitoring spacecraft, achieved its 12th successful landing. Touching down on the SpaceX droneship “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Pacific Ocean, B1081 became the 300th booster to achieve a successful droneship landing, a testament to SpaceX’s reusable rocket technology.
Among the 20 starlink satellites deployed were 13 equipped with SpaceX’s innovative Direct to Cell (DTC) capability. This technology allows starlink satellites to directly connect with mobile phones, perhaps revolutionizing cellular service in remote and underserved areas. With this launch, SpaceX has now deployed 349 DTC-enabled Starlink satellites since the technology’s debut in January.
The deployment of DTC Starlink satellites comes on the heels of a major regulatory approval from the U.S. Federal Communications commission (FCC). In late November, the FCC granted SpaceX permission to begin rolling out cellular service in partnership with T-Mobile, paving the way for a new era of satellite-powered connectivity.
“Thank you to @NASA , @NTIAgov ,@NSF ,for their coordination work with us,and all of our telco partners,especially @tmobile !
We hope to activate employee beta service in the US soon.”
— Ben Longmier (@longmier) November 26, 2024
The FCC’s authorization allows SpaceX to utilize its previously approved 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites in the V-band frequency from 340 km to 360 km. This decision, outlined in a November 26 filing, aims to strike a balance between enabling SpaceX to provide low-latency satellite service to underserved areas and allowing the FCC to continue monitoring the constellation’s impact.
“Authorization to permit SpaceX to operate up to 7,500 Gen2 satellites in lower altitude shells will enable SpaceX to begin providing lower-latency satellite service to support growing demand in rural and remote areas that lack terrestrial wireless service options,” the FCC stated in its filing.
## spacex’s 350th Booster Flight breaks Records, But streaming Practices Raise Questions
**World Today News:** SpaceX celebrated a major achievement this week, launching its Falcon 9 rocket booster for the 350th time and successfully landing it for the 300th time. However, the company’s lack of transparency around the Starlink 9-14 mission launch, notably regarding livestreaming, has raised eyebrows within the space community.
To unpack these developments, we sat down wiht **Dr. Emily Carter**, an aerospace engineering expert and Professor at the university of Virginia.
**World Today News:** Dr.Carter, congratulations to SpaceX on reaching this unbelievable milestone. 350 booster flights is truly remarkable!
**Dr. carter:** Absolutely! This achievement underscores SpaceX’s commitment to reusability and cost-effective spaceflight. It’s a testament to their engineering prowess and a notable step towards making space exploration more accessible.
**World Today News:** However, there seems to be some controversy surrounding the recent Starlink launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base. SpaceX initially didn’t announce if there would be livestreams for these missions.
**Dr. Carter:** That’s right. While SpaceX eventually did provide livestreams for the recent NROL-126, Starlink 9-13, and Starlink 9-14 missions, the broadcasts started well after the rockets had already lifted off. this lack of pre-announcement and delayed streaming is unusual for SpaceX, which typically offers comprehensive coverage of its launches.
**World Today News:** Could there be reasons behind this change in approach?
**Dr. Carter:** It’s difficult to say definitively without insight from SpaceX.Potential reasons could range from technical issues with the livestream infrastructure to a intentional decision to shift their communication strategy. However,the inconsistency compared to their usual practices raises questions and concerns amongst observers.
**World Today News:** What are your thoughts on the implications of this lack of transparency?
**Dr. Carter:** While SpaceX’s private nature allows them some leeway in their communication, maintaining public trust and interest is crucial. Open and consistent communication, especially regarding high-profile missions, builds confidence and fosters public support for space exploration initiatives.
**World today News:**
Do you anticipate this to be a continuing trend, or will SpaceX likely revert to its previous practices?
**Dr. Carter:** It’s hard to predict.
SpaceX is a company known for its agility and adaptability. They may be experimenting with different approaches to engagement, but ultimately, they benefit from a strong relationship with the public and the wider space community.
**World Today News:** Thank you for sharing your insights, Dr. Carter. It will certainly be interesting to see how SpaceX navigates its communication strategy moving forward.
