SpaceX blasts past 100 launches in 2024 with 101st from California

Elon Musk’s SpaceX does a lot of heavy lifting — and it’s hard to believe that the aerospace giant has already launched more that 100 rockets this year alone.

SpaceX launched twice early Tuesday, Oct. 15 — first in Florida and then in California. The Florida launch — SpaceX’s rocket No. 100 for the year — took place at 2:10 a.m. Eastern time (11:10 p.m. Pacific) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, followed 2 hours and 11 minutes later by the California launch of rocket No. 101 at 1:21 a.m. Pacific time from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc.

Both launches were of Falcon 9 rockets, and both first stage boosters returned safely to Earth.

SpaceX completed a double launch day on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, with a Starlink mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc. The California Starlink mission launched at 1:21 a.m. Pacific time, just a few hours after a similar Starlink mission launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. (Photo by Gene Blevins, Contributing Photographer)

SpaceX completed a double launch day on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, with a Starlink mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc. The California Starlink mission launched at 1:21 a.m. Pacific time, just a few hours after a similar Starlink mission launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. (Photo by Gene Blevins, Contributing Photographer)

SpaceX completed a double launch day on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, with a Starlink mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc. The California Starlink mission launched at 1:21 a.m. Pacific time, just a few hours after a similar Starlink mission launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. (Photo by Gene Blevins, Contributing Photographer)

SpaceX completed a double launch day on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, with a Starlink mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc. The California Starlink mission launched at 1:21 a.m. Pacific time, just a few hours after a similar Starlink mission launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. (Photo by Gene Blevins, Contributing Photographer)

SpaceX completed a double launch day on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, with a Starlink mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc. The California Starlink mission launched at 1:21 a.m. Pacific time, just a few hours after a similar Starlink mission launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. (Photo by Gene Blevins, Contributing Photographer)

SpaceX completed a double launch day on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, with a Starlink mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc. The California Starlink mission launched at 1:21 a.m. Pacific time, just a few hours after a similar Starlink mission launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. (Photo by Gene Blevins, Contributing Photographer)

SpaceX completed a double launch day on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, with a Starlink mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc. The California Starlink mission launched at 1:21 a.m. Pacific time, just a few hours after a similar Starlink mission launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. (Photo by Gene Blevins, Contributing Photographer)

SpaceX completed a double launch day on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, with a Starlink mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc. The California Starlink mission launched at 1:21 a.m. Pacific time, just a few hours after a similar Starlink mission launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. (Photo by Gene Blevins, Contributing Photographer)

SpaceX completed a double launch day on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, with a Starlink mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc. The California Starlink mission launched at 1:21 a.m. Pacific time, just a few hours after a similar Starlink mission launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. (Photo by Gene Blevins, Contributing Photographer)

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SpaceX completed a double launch day on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, with a Starlink mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc. The California Starlink mission launched at 1:21 a.m. Pacific time, just a few hours after a similar Starlink mission launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. (Photo by Gene Blevins, Contributing Photographer)

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The payload for both missions consisted of Starlink satellites, with 23 heading into orbit from Florida and 20 from California. In the California mission, 13 of the 20 satellites include what Hawthorne-based SpaceX calls “direct to cell capabilities,” which allows customers to use the satellites with standard cell phones.

WATCH THE LAUNCH: SpaceX’s 101st launch of 2024 from Vandenberg Space Force Base

The two launches capped off a successful week for SpaceX:

— A Falcon Heavy rocket carrying NASA’s Europa Clipper probe — headed to Jupiter’s ice-covered moon Europa — took off Monday, Oct. 14

— A Starship rocket made a successful test flight Sunday, Oct. 13

 

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