A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 Starlink spacecraft lifted off today from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 3:19 p.m. EST (1919 GMT). The Falcon 9's first stage came back to Earth for a vertical touchdown about eight minutes after liftoff as planned. It landed on the SpaceX droneship "Just Read the Instructions," which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. At left: A SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage returns to Earth for a landing during a Starlink launch on Nov. 7, 2024. At right is the view from the rocket's upper stage, whose recently jettisoned payload fairing is visible falling back to Earth. (Image credit: SpaceX) It was the third launch and landing for this particular booster, according to a SpaceX mission description. The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, continued its trek skyward. If all goes to plan, it will deploy the 23 Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) about 65 minutes after liftoff. A SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage rests on the deck of a ship at sea shortly after launching 23 Starlink satellite on Nov. 7, 2024. (Image credit: SpaceX)