SpaceX launches 143 satellites into orbit, most ever [Updated]

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  The Transporter-1 mission lifts off on Sunday morning. [credit: Trevor Mahlmann ]

Sunday 10:15am ET Update: At the opening of its launch window, a Falcon 9 rocket took off from Florida on Sunday morning and made a flawless ascent into space. After dropping off the second stage in a parking orbit, the first stage returned to land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the 73rd time a Falcon 9 rocket first stage has been recovered.

Meanwhile, the second stage began to circularize its orbit before it was scheduled to begin a satellite deployment sequence at 59 minutes into flight. The final 10 satellites are expected to be deployed at 1 hour and 31 minutes following liftoff.

Sunday 8:30am ET Update: SpaceX has readied its Transporter-1 mission for a second launch attempt on Sunday morning, from Florida. Engineers are confident enough in weather at the opening of the launch window, at 10am ET (16:00UTC), that they have proceeded with loading the first and second stages with propellant.

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