SpaceX just launched its 14th orbital rocket of 2017

Enlarge / SpaceX's last mission for Iridum, in June, launched amid foggy conditions in California. (credit: SpaceX)

8:45am ET Monday update: Under dark skies, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched on Monday morning from California. After sending the rocket's second stage into low-Earth orbit, the first stage then made a successful landing offshore, on a droneship. Meanwhile, the second stage entered a coast orbit, preparing to fire again later Monday morning and release 10 satellites into orbit. This was the 14th orbital launch of the year for SpaceX.

Original post: SpaceX has made 13 successful launches this year, and with every additional flight it continues to add to its record for total number of missions in a calendar year. The company's previous high-water mark for launches came in 2016, with eight. But SpaceX flew no additional missions after Sept. 1 last year, standing down following a fueling mishap that destroyed a Falcon 9 rocket and its payload on the launch pad.

Now, SpaceX is going for two launches in three days. On Monday, the company will attempt to launch 10 satellites into orbit about 700km above the Earth for Iridium. Scheduled for 8:37a.m. ET, the launch will take place from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. This is SpaceX's third of eight launches for Iridium, which is establishing a new constellation of communications satellites known as Iridium NEXT. After launching, SpaceX will attempt a return landing of the first stage aboard the "Just Read the Instructions" droneship in the Pacific Ocean. The webcast below should begin 15 to 20 minutes before the launch attempt.

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