Watch Live: SpaceX’s Record-Tying 16th Falcon 9 Rocket Launch & Starlink Deployment

SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket to Launch Record-Tying 16th Mission

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is set to launch on its record-tying 16th mission on Saturday night, July 15. The rocket will be carrying 54 of SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites and is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 11:50 p.m. EDT (0350 GMT on July 16).

The launch can be watched live on Space.com or directly through SpaceX. Coverage is expected to begin approximately five minutes before liftoff.

If all goes according to plan, the Falcon 9’s first stage will return to Earth for a vertical touchdown about 8.5 minutes after launch on the SpaceX droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. This will mark the 16th launch and landing for this particular booster, tying a record set just last Sunday by a different Falcon 9 first stage on another Starlink mission.

The Falcon 9’s upper stage, which is not reusable, will continue to deploy the 54 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, with deployment expected about 66 minutes after liftoff.

This Starlink launch is part of a busy period in spaceflight. On Friday morning, India launched its Chandrayaan 3 mission, aiming for the country’s first-ever soft landing on the moon next month. Additionally, on Sunday evening, Rocket Lab’s Electron launcher will send seven small satellites into space from its New Zealand site. Rocket Lab is working on making the Electron’s first stage reusable, and this mission, called “Baby Come Back,” includes a planned recovery of the booster from the Pacific Ocean.

The launch time for the Falcon 9 rocket was updated to 11:50 p.m. ET on July 15. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting mission.

Join our Space Forums to stay up to date on the latest missions, night sky events, and more! If you have any news tips, corrections, or comments, please reach out to us at [email protected].

Breaking space news, rocket launches, and skywatching events are just a few of the topics covered by Michael Wall, a Senior Space Writer with Space.com. With a background in herpetology and wildlife biology, Michael has been with Space.com since 2010 and primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight, and military space. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona. To keep up with Michael’s latest projects, follow him on Twitter.

How many Starlink internet satellites will the Falcon 9 rocket carry on its 16th successful mission?

To plan, this will be the Falcon 9 rocket’s 16th successful mission, tying the record for the most launches by a single rocket. The rocket will be carrying 54 Starlink internet satellites, which will join SpaceX’s ever-growing constellation of satellites designed to provide global internet coverage.

The Falcon 9 rocket will lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, marking yet another milestone for SpaceX in its push to revolutionize space travel and communication. The launch is scheduled for Saturday night, July 15, with a specific launch time set for 11:50 p.m. EDT (0350 GMT on July 16).

For those eager to witness this historic event, there are a couple of options for watching it live. Space enthusiasts can tune in to the live coverage on Space.com or visit SpaceX’s website directly. Coverage is expected to begin approximately five minutes before liftoff, so be sure to mark your calendars and set a reminder.

As SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of space exploration, this record-tying launch is just another example of their commitment to innovation and technological advancement. With each successful mission, SpaceX brings us closer to a future where accessible and reliable internet coverage is available to people all around the world.