SpaceX company founded by high-tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has launched the first batch of 60 small satellites into low-Earth orbit, supporting Musk’s new Starlink internet service.
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the satellites blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station) on Thursday, a week after two back-to-back countdowns for the mission were briefly delayed.
According to official statement, the Rocket company would take another day to learn whether all the satellites deployed were functioning properly. Each weighs about 500 pounds (227 kg), making them the heaviest payload carried aloft by SpaceX to date.
The project is called Starlink, and SpaceX hopes hundreds more satellites will be added in the coming years, CNN reported.
During a conference call with reporters last week Musk indicated that he is keeping expectations in check, saying "There's a lot of new technology. This is very hard," he said of Starlink, as the company seeks backing for its daunting plan to provide internet from a network of thousands of small satellites.
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