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SpaceX puts 60 satellites into orbit despite engine failure

Posted at 1:52 PM, Mar 18, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-18 13:52:22-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX has launched 60 more of its internet satellites into orbit, despite an engine failure shortly after liftoff.

Wednesday's Cape Canaveral flight featured a Falcon rocket flying for a record fifth time.

SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk says one of the nine main engines shut down prematurely during liftoff, but the satellites still made it to the proper orbit. The first-stage booster also failed to land.

Instead of coming down onto an ocean platform, the booster missed and slammed into the Atlantic.

This is the sixth batch of Starlinks, totaling 360 satellites, that SpaceX has launched in under a year.