direct-to-cell

The batch of 21 Starlink satellites includes another 13 with the Direct to Cell capability. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 8:50 a.m. EDT (1250 UTC) Saturday.

It was the first failure of a Falcon 9 rocket in flight since 2015. Liftoff occurred at 7:35 p.m. PDT (10:35 p.m. EDT, 0235 UTC) from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The overnight mission saw the return of Falcon 9 booster, tail number B1073, which experienced an abort as its engine began firing during the June 14 launch attempt of the Starlink 10-2 mission. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station was at 4:55 a.m. EDT (0855 UTC).

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket Tuesday evening, following the scrub of a planned mission for satellite communications company, SES, from Florida. The Starlink 9-1 mission sent another batch of its Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, which included another 13 with direct to cell (DTC) capabilities.

The Starlink 8-2 mission from the company’s West Coast launch pad features 13 more satellites boasting a Direct to Cell capability. Liftoff from Vandenberg Space Force Base happened at 9:30 p.m. PDT (12:30 a.m. EDT, 0430 UTC) on Thursday.