SpaceX launches Falcon 9 with satellites, delays supply mission to International Space Station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX was 1-for-2 in launching rockets aboard Falcon 9 rockets on Sunday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Starlink internet satellites were launched amid clear blue skies Sunday morning but a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station on Sunday afternoon was delayed because of high winds in the booster recovery area.

SpaceX still has never launched two rockets on the same day from the Space Coast. On March 17, SpaceX launched Falcon 9 rockets within four hours from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

At 8:20 a.m. Sunday, the private company launched a Falcon 9 from Pad 40 with 22 of SpaceX’s second-generation Starlink internet satellites. It was 13 years to the day since the first Falcon 9 launch in 2010. It's now at 229 times with only one launch failure, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Eight minutes later, the first-stage booster made its third flight landing down range on its droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean.

More than 4,000 Starlink satellites have been in orbit, Space.com reported.

The latest Starlink mission had been delayed from Wednesday.

Another Falcon 9 rocket was scheduled to lift off at 12:34 p.m. from the Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center with an uncrewed Dragon cargo ship of nearly 7,000 pounds of supplies and science experiments.

SpaceX is targeting the next launch for 11:47 a.m. Monday. A backup opportunityis 11:01 a.m. Wednesday pending range approval.

"Team will continue to monitor weather, which is 60% favorable for liftoff," SpaceX posted on Twitter after the launch delay.

There are currently seven people onboard the ISS with three Americans, three Chinese and one Emirati.

Two Saudi astronauts and two passengers returned to Earth late Tuesday night after a nine-day trip to the ISS.