SpaceX To Launch Falcon 9 Carrying 29 Starlink Satellites From Cape Canaveral
SpaceX plans a pre-dawn Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral carrying 29 Starlink satellites.
SpaceX is gearing up for a pre-dawn launch of 29 satellites as part of its Starlink internet project from Cape Canaveral. The Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to lift off from Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:20:50 a.m. EST (1020:50 UTC) on Friday morning.
Favorable Weather Conditions for Friday Launch
Weather forecasters from the 45th Weather Squadron have predicted an 85-percent chance of favorable conditions during the rocket’s launch window. However, if the launch is delayed to Saturday, conditions could worsen significantly, with only a 30-percent likelihood of acceptable weather due to the arrival of a cold front in the Central Florida area later in the day.
Booster B1069 to Attempt Another Landing
The Falcon 9 first stage booster, designated B1069, will aim for a landing on the drone ship, "A Shortfall of Gravitas", stationed in the Atlantic Ocean east of The Bahamas. This booster has already had an eventful history, marking its 30th flight since its debut in December 2021 during the CRS-24 cargo mission to the International Space Station. Notably, B1069 suffered extensive damage during its initial landing but successfully returned to service in August 2022. Since then, it has completed 25 Starlink delivery missions as well as launches for missions such as Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13-F, OneWeb 1, and SES-18 and SES-19.
A Significant Milestone for SpaceX
Friday's mission will mark SpaceX's 25th Falcon 9 launch of the year and the 607th Falcon 9 flight since its initial debut in 2010. After this mission, the second stage of the rocket will transport the payload of Starlink V2 Mini satellites to orbit, continuing SpaceX's goal of expanding its high-speed satellite internet network.
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