Photos: Falcon takes flight

The head of the launch enterprise directorate at the U.S. Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center, Claire Leon, spoke with reporters March 15 about the military’s award of a GPS launch contract to SpaceX, and she discussed plans for more head-to-head launch contract competitions in the coming months.

SpaceX’s Dragon supply ship wrapped up a 29-day stay at the International Space Station on Tuesday, departing the complex with with nearly 3,700 pounds of research specimens and return cargo before re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.

The Starlink 17-28 mission is the 58th mission launching the broadband satellites into low Earth orbit. Liftoff from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base occurred at 9:39:06 a.m. PDT (12:39:06 p.m. EDT / 1639:06 UTC).