Update: Below is live coverage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket liftoff on Wednesday at 12:05 EDT on the Starlink 6-27 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Welcome to the FLORIDA TODAY Space Team’s live coverage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink 6-27 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
SpaceX now plans beyond midnight — 12:05 a.m. EDT on Wednesday to be precise — to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
In the event of a delay, a series of six backup opportunities are available from 12:56 to 2:59 EDT, SpaceX reported.
The Falcon 9 will deploy a constellation of 23 Starlink Internet broadcast satellites, housed inside a 230-foot rocket payload.
No local sonic boom is expected. After soaring into the sky along a southeastern trajectory, the rocket’s first stage booster will land on the drone ship at sea 8 and a half minutes after liftoff.
again: Rocket launch schedule: Upcoming launches and landings in Florida
Update 12:14 EST: The Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage just landed on SpaceX’s “instruction-only” drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean, ending its 11th flight.
Updated at 12:05 EST: SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The first stage booster was supposed to land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean within 8 and a half minutes.
Updated at 12:00 EST: SpaceX’s launch live stream on X (formerly Twitter) is now posted at the top of this page.
Liftoff was scheduled for five minutes from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Updated at 11:50 PM EST: Fifteen minutes before SpaceX’s scheduled launch of 12:05 EDT, the countdown appears to be going according to plan. Refueling went well at Launch Complex 40.
As a reminder, here is a list of important upcoming countdown milestones. T minus:
7 minutes: Falcon 9 begins engine cooling before launch.
1 minute: The flight command computer begins final pre-launch checks; Fuel tank pressure starts up to cruising pressure.
45 seconds: SpaceX launch director checks launch time.
3 seconds: The engine control module controls the start of the engine ignition sequence.
0 seconds: Falcon takes off 9.
Updated 23:41 EST: In a tweet, SpaceX officials announced that “all systems and weather are now ready for launch.”
Remember, the Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron has predicted a greater than 95% chance of “launch” conditions for tonight’s launch window.
Updated 23:31 EST: SpaceX has just announced that the Falcon 9 refueling procedure is now underway at Launch Complex 40.
This means the Starlink 6-27 mission is now scheduled to lift off at 12:05 EDT, otherwise the launch would have to be postponed.
Updated 23:14 EST: SpaceX said tonight’s liftoff will mark the 11th flight of its Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage booster.
The booster aims to land on the deck of an unmanned ship, just read the instructions at sea 8 minutes 23 seconds after takeoff.
Updated at 10:55 PM EST: Here’s a list of important milestones in the Falcon 9 countdown schedule:
35 minutes: Loading of the kerosene rocket and first stage of liquid oxygen begins.
16 minutes: The second stage of liquid oxygen loading begins.
7 minutes: Falcon 9 begins engine cooling before launch.
1 minute: The flight command computer begins final pre-launch checks; Fuel tank pressure starts up to cruising pressure.
45 seconds: SpaceX launch director checks launch time.
3 seconds: The engine control module controls the start of the engine ignition sequence.
0 seconds: Falcon takes off 9.
Updated at 22:37 EST: Brevard County Emergency Management officials have activated the agency’s launch support team ahead of tonight’s Falcon 9 launch.
The SpaceX Starlink 6-27 mission is scheduled to launch soon after Florida Governor Janet Nunes announced that the Space Coast would reach a record 80 orbital launches by the end of this year – with more than 101 scheduled for 2024.
Nunez spoke Monday during a press conference for the Space Florida Art Competition alongside Miami pop artist Romero Britto at Space Florida headquarters outside the Kennedy Space Center.
SpaceX’s Starlink mission on Friday marked the 60th launch of the year from the Cape, Space Launch Delta 45 noted in a photo-filled tweet. Tonight’s launch will increase the record for annual orbital launches at the Cape to 61. For the latest schedule updates at the Cape, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.
Space Force: “Go” weather likely.
The Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron estimates a greater than 95% probability of “kick-off” launch conditions.
“High pressure remains in central Florida (Monday), providing light winds and lots of sunshine. Minor weather changes are expected for launch attempts Tuesday and Wednesday evening,” the launch forecast said. Wednesday is backup launch day.
“The primary launch weather concern for both attempts is the small risk of cumulus cloud rule violations,” the forecast said.
Rick Neil He is Florida Today’s space correspondent (for more on his story, Click here.) Call Neale at 321-242-3638 or [email protected]. Twitter/X: @Rick Neal1
2023-11-09 14:32:01
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