On Earth Day this year SpaceX successfully launched a new batch of Starlink satellites, on a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
The Falcon 9 rocket awaits liftoff at historic Pad 39A (John Kraus)
This mission increases the number of operational Starlink constellation satellites to 420, and marks the fourth launch and landing of this particular rocket booster. SpaceX is hoping to put the first human footprint on Mars within a decade, by developing a fully and rapidly reusable spaceship, a requirement for lower cost return trips. They intend to pay for the continued development of this reusable hardware by selling Starlink internet service to underserved regions around the globe.
A sooty flight-proven rocket booster (Erik Kuna)
The commercial crew access arm where passengers walk to board Crew Dragon (Erik Kuna)
Liftoff of the Falcon 9 (John Kraus)
Streak shot captured via a remotely placed camera (John Kraus)
The Falcon 9 takes flight over Cape Canaveral (John Kraus)
Streak shot of liftoff captured from the NASA press site at Kennedy Space Center (Erik Kuna)
Falcon 9 launches with a new batch of 60 Starlink satellites (John Kraus)
It was a hazy afternoon on Florida's space coast (Erik Kuna)
Launch captured by a remote camera (Erik Kuna)
Falcon 9 takes flight over the space coast on its fourth mission (John Kraus)
The Falcon 9 arrives home at Port Canaveral atop the Of Course I Still Love You droneship after its fourth landing (John Kraus)