SpaceX launched a new batch of Starlink broadband satellites into orbit early Sunday morning, May 14, and launched the rocket into the sea as part of the company’s last successful mission.

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the 56 Starlink spacecraft took off from the Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida at 01:03 ET (05:03 GMT) on Sunday. The first stage of Falcon 9 returned to Earth 8.5 minutes after takeoff and landed in a SpaceX Just Read the Instructions unmanned spacecraft parked in the Atlantic Ocean. According to SpaceX’s mission statement, this will be the 11th launch and landing of this particular rocket.

Meanwhile, Falcon 9’s upper stage carried 56 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. All 56 are scheduled to be deployed approximately 65 minutes after launch.

So far, SpaceX has launched nearly 4,400 satellites for Starlink, the company’s vast and ever-growing broadband mega-constellation. More than 4,000 of these spacecraft are currently active, according to astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell (Opens in new tab).

The Sunday morning launch marked the 29th Falcon 9 flight this year and the 31st orbital mission overall for SpaceX in 2023. The other two orbital flights were launched by SpaceX’s powerful Falcon Heavy rocket.