SpaceX carries out two Falcon 9 launches and two booster recoveries on same day

In an end-of-year launch surge, SpaceX fired off two Falcon 9 rockets Saturday, launching 52 Starlink internet relay satellites from California in the morning and a Turkish communications satellite from Florida a little more than 15 hours later.

The rapid-fire launches marked a company record 29th and 30th Falcon 9 flights so far this year, with a final launch planned for Tuesday to send an unpiloted Dragon capsule to the International Space Station carrying crew supplies, science gear, spare parts and Christmas presents.

That flight will mark the California rocket builder's 134th Falcon 9 launch since the booster's debut in 2010, the 137th counting three triple-core Falcon Heavy rockets.