SpaceX: World record number of satellites launched

A new world record has been set for the number of satellites sent to space on a single rocket. The 143 payloads, of all shapes and sizes, rode to orbit on a SpaceX Falcon rocket that launched out of Florida. The number beats the previous record of 104 satellites carried aloft by an Indian vehicle in 2017. It's further evidence of the major structural changes taking place in space activity that are allowing many more actors to get involved. This shift is the result of a revolution in robust, miniaturised, low-cost components - many taken direct from consumer electronics such as smartphones - that mean pretty much anyone can now build a capable satellite in a very small package. And with...