SpaceX launch sends 23rd Starlink communications satellite cluster

ORLANDO, Fla., March 24 (UPI) -- SpaceX launched 60 more Starlink broadband communications satellites before dawn on Wednesday, from Florida.

Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the satellites occurred at Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The weather was cooperative for the 23rd Starlink mission.

"Deployment of 60 Starlink satellites confirmed," Space tweeted.

"This was the sixth launch and landing of this Falcon 9 first stage booster, which previously supported launch of GPS-III Space Vehicle 03, Turksat 5A, and three Starlink missions," the company added. "One half of Falcon 9's fairing supported the Sentinel-6A mission and the other supported a previous Starlink mission."

There was no room for delay on the Starlink launch because the company targets a specific orbit.

To date, SpaceX has already launched 1,000 Starlink spacecraft and is selling ground-based receiver antennas and subscription service at $99 per month.

The Falcon 9 first-stage rocket booster for the mission has been launched five times, including on three Starlink missions.

SpaceX will attempt to recover the booster again on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean. The company set a record March 14 by flying one booster for the ninth time.