The 5th SpaceX Starlink launch via a Falcon 9, two-stage rocked occurred successfully on Monday, February 15, 2021, at 10:59 p.m., ET, from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
This was the 19th Starlink launch and the 5th launch for 2021.
The rocket propellants loaded at T-39 minutes. The Falcon 9 is 229 feet tall which is greater than the wingspan of 747 aircraft. With this two stage configuration, there are 9 Merlin first stage engines.
At T-30, the “Go For Launch” was received. At about 2-1/2 minutes into the flight, separation with 2nd stage occurred and the first stage descended for re-landing on the “Of Course I Still Love You” — the landing failed to successfully occur.
The second stage features a single Merlin engine and pushed the 17 ft. tall payload fairing that protects the satellites to the vacuum of space, whereupon the fairing was ejected. This was the first flight of this particular fairing.
Note: Starlink domestic and international beta is now open for orders at Starlink.com and a $99 deposit is required — that deposit is fully refundable.