Photo: VCG

The private SpaceX company on Monday launched a second set of mini-satellites as it builds a huge constellation of the small orbiting devices aimed at greatly expanding internet access around the globe. 

A Falcon-9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, placed 60 mini-satellites in orbit, joining 60 others launched in May. 

The American company's Starlink network could one day total 42,000 satellites - resulting in far more crowded skies and raising concerns among some scientists. 

Scenes of the launch were broadcast live by SpaceX, a company created by the entrepreneurial Elon Musk, who is also chief executive of Tesla Inc. 

SpaceX's goal is to control a huge share of the future internet market from space.

But several rivals have the same ambition, including London-based startup OneWeb and giant US retailer Amazon, whose Project Kuiper is far less advanced.