SpaceX sent 27 of its Starlink internet satellites toward low Earth orbit from California this evening (April 3). A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Starlink craft lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base today at 9:02 p.m. EDT (6:02 p.m. local California time; 0102 GMT on April 4).

With patches of blue sky peeking through a mostly overcast sky, SpaceX launched 27 Starlink Internet satellites into low-Earth orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The company's new 'V2 Mini Optimized' satellite is 22% lighter than the earlier model, enabling the Falcon 9 rocket to carry more Starlink sats into orbit.