SpaceX made headlines with its Starlink internet satellite launch on February 18. A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 6:22 p.m. EST, carrying 23 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit.
After eight minutes, the rocket’s first stage successfully landed on a droneship named Just Read the Instructions, located in the Atlantic Ocean near The Bahamas. This new location for the droneship is part of a recent collaboration with The Bahamas, allowing SpaceX to explore new launch trajectories.
Deputy Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Isaac Chester Cooper, highlighted the significance of this partnership. He noted, “It puts us at the cutting edge of innovation. This is huge for a country of just 400,000 people.” The landing marks the first international operation of its kind in the Bahamas.
This launch was the 16th flight for this particular Falcon 9 booster. Of its 15 previous missions, nine were dedicated to deploying Starlink satellites. SpaceX streamed the launch live, and people can watch a replay on their website.
So far in 2025, SpaceX has conducted 21 Falcon 9 launches, with 15 of these being Starlink missions. Additionally, the company tested its Starship megarocket earlier this year. The latest Falcon 9 flight set a new record, marking the 26th launch for its first stage.
Overall, SpaceX continues to expand its operations, finding new ways to innovate in space technology, and connecting more people with reliable internet services.
