A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the third group of 60 Starlink satellites into orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 9:19 p.m. on 6 January 2020.

Falcon 9’s first stage supported a Starlink mission in May 2019, the Iridium-8 mission that launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, in January 2019, and the Telstar 18 VANTAGE mission in September 2018. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage landed about 8.5 minutes after launch on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Starlink satellites will deploy at an altitude of 290 km. Prior to orbit raise, SpaceX engineers will conduct data reviews to ensure all Starlink satellites are operating as intended. Once the checkouts are complete, the satellites will then use their onboard ion thrusters to move into their intended orbits. Starlink, an advanced broadband internet system, will provide fast, reliable internet to locations where access has been unreliable, expensive, or completely unavailable.