SpaceX launches another set of 60 Starlink internet satellites

SpaceX on Wednesday night launched another batch of Starlink internet satellites, just four days after sending into space the first two American astronauts from U.S. soil since 2011.

The liftoff, which came at 9:25 p.m., took 60 internet satellites to orbit from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s launch complex 40.

The 570-pound satellites tightly stacked in the rocket’s fairing will become part of a constellation of tens of thousands that will work together to provide high-speed internet to the world, including some of its most remote areas.

With this latest launch, there are 480 Starlinks in low-Earth orbit.

On this mission, SpaceX is testing a sun visor to try to limit the brightness of the satellites. The visor is being added because some astronomers have complained that the Starlinks — often spotted as a train of lights in the sky — are hindering their research efforts.

SpaceX initially tested a dark coating on the satellites earlier this year, but it made the Starlinks too hot. The company expects the visor will work better.

By the ninth flight of Starlink, all of the satellites will have sun visors, SpaceX has said.

SpaceX’s last mission on Saturday took astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station from Kennedy Space Center’s launchpad 49A, ending American reliance on Russian rockets to get astronauts to orbit and the ISS.