SpaceX aces two back-to-back orbital missions

US spacecraft manufacturer SpaceX has recently aced two orbital missions within a time gap of four hours from each other. In its first mission, it launched a set 52 Starlink internet satellites to the orbit from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base. In the second, SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket carrying two telecommunication satellites – SES-18 and SES-19 – from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

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Both the missions were carried successfully according to the plan. The Starlink satellites were placed in low earth orbit and the telecommunication satellites were placed in geosynchronous transfer orbit – a special position above the earth, around 35,700 km away from our planet, that allows the satellite to rotate keeping up with the pace of the earth’s rotation.

The 52 Starlink satellites have joined SpaceX’s series of its envisioned huge broadband constellation. The company has received permission to place 12,000 such satellites in the low earth orbit, and it has applied for permission to allow 30,000 more satellites to deploy.

The SES-18 and SES-19 duo will allow digital broadcasting coverage to North America and facilitate rolling out of 5G services in the US.

As per its function of reusability, both Falcon 9 rockets touched down the earth after its launch on SpaceX droneships.