In Pictures | SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Deploys Starlink Satellites From California

SpaceX defied the twilight sky on Monday night, launching 22 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit. The event unfolded with grandeur at Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California, where the initial launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was captured in stunning detail by AIR7 HD.

As the clock approached 7:30 p.m., the Falcon 9 pierced through the atmosphere, leaving behind a bright plume and a long-trailing cloud that painted the heavens. Southern Californians, bathed in the fading daylight, witnessed this celestial ballet against a backdrop of dark, patterned clouds, remnants of the day's storms. The visual spectacle was not confined to the local area alone, as one viewer's footage showcased the launch visible from as far as Phoenix, Arizona.

This launch was no ordinary feat. The first-stage booster, embarking on its remarkable 10th flight, propelled the Starlink satellites, designed to revolutionize internet connectivity in remote corners of the globe, into their designated orbits. Upon completing its mission, the booster will execute a precision landing on the "Of Course I Still Love You" droneship, stationed in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean.