SpaceX Falcon 9's first 2022 kicks off by sending numerous Starlink internet satellites to orbit on Jan.6 from its launch site in Florida.

SpaceX Falcon 9 First 2022 Launch Sends Starlink Internet Satellites to Orbit
(Photo : Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)
Elon Musk, CEO of Space Exploration Technologies Corp, speaks during a news conference at the National Press Club April 5, 2011 in Washington, DC. Elon Musk, CEO of Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX) and Tesla Motors, held the news conference to announce SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket which could complete missions to the International Space Station and Moon and should be ready for use by the end of 2012.

SpaceX Falcon 9 First 2022 Launch

The SpaceX Falcon 9 launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 4:49 pm as part of its mission to lift off the Starlink 4-5 satellites of the space exploration firm of billionaire Elon Musk, as per the report by SpaceNews.

In total, the payload of the first-ever flight of SpaceX for 2022 carried up to 49 internet satellites of Starlink.

Meanwhile, according to the news story by Space.com, after its launch, the first stage of the SpaceX rocket went back to Earth, wherein it touched down the newest drone ship of the space firm that goes by the name "Shortfall of Gravitas."

As such, the Falcon 9 Starlink satellite mission is the first successful launch of SpaceX for the year 2022.

A SpaceX engineer, Jessie Anderson, said in a statement that the "Falcon 9 has successfully lifted off from Launch Complex 39 at Kennedy Space Center."

On top of that, the official Twitter account of SpaceX also confirmed that the deployment of the 49 Starlink satellites has been successful after more than an hour since the launch.

SpaceX 2022 Launch

SpaceNews noted that the first-ever 2022 launch of SpaceX comes shortly after the Musk-led firm broke a monumental record of finishing 31 orbital launches in 2021. It is to add that all of these space flights are from the Falcon 9 rocket.

SpaceX Tests ‘Mechazilla,’ its Giant ‘Chopsticks’ Catching the Starship, for the First Time
(Photo : by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 15: The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon lift-off from launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center for the first completely private mission to fly into orbit on September 15, 2021 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. SpaceX is flying four private citizens into space on a three-day mission.

Meanwhile, SpaceX has yet to release 2022 flight missions. However, the vice president of commercial sales of the space firm, Tom Ochinero, revealed some of its upcoming flights last Dec. 13.

The SpaceX exec disclosed that there will be three crewed missions for this year, along with another five Falcon Heavy launches.

On top of that, Ochinero claimed that 2022 is a more exciting year for SpaceX.

Read Also: SpaceX: Raptor 2 Engine Operates at 300 Bar Main Pressure Chamber, Beating 2019 Record; Ready for Mars?

SpaceX Starlink Internet

The additional 49 Starlink internet satellites from the SpaceX liftoff are slated to further expand the constellation of the internet firm.

To be more precise, the latest SpaceX Starlink mission is bringing the total number of internet satellites in orbit to nearly 2,000.

Related Article: SpaceX Contributes to World Record of Most Rocket Launches in 2021, Elon Musk Wants THIS to be the Metric

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Written by Teejay Boris

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