SpaceX successfully sent 76 satellites into orbit in consecutive launches from opposite sides of the country.

March 5, 2024 Benjamin Hughes

Less than 24 hours after

Sending a team of four individuals on a journey to the International Space Station.
On Monday, SpaceX successfully launched 53 commercial satellites from California. One of these satellites was an innovative methane emissions monitor created by a nonprofit organization. Following this, SpaceX also launched 23 of their own Starlink satellites from Florida.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched the Crew Dragon spacecraft on Sunday evening from the Kennedy Space Center, initiating a 28-hour journey to transport three NASA astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut to the international space station.

The Crew Dragon is headed towards docking at 3 a.m. EST on Tuesday. Earlier, a Falcon 9 launched from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base at 5:05 p.m. EST on Monday and headed south to achieve an orbit around Earth’s poles.

A Falcon 9 launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, located northwest of Los Angeles, transporting 53 “rideshare” payloads to polar orbit.

SpaceX

There were 53 small satellites on the spacecraft, owned by different companies and scheduled for SpaceX’s 10th “rideshare” mission. These flights aim to provide smaller operators a chance to launch less significant payloads and satellites at a lower cost. The launch fee charged by SpaceX is $300,000 for a 110-pound payload, with an additional $6,000 for every extra pound.

William Harwood

Bill Harwood has diligently reported on the United States’ space program for over 35 years. He began as the bureau chief for United Press International at Cape Canaveral and currently advises CBS News.

Source: cbsnews.com