Update: SpaceX is now targeting liftoff of this mission for 11:36 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, Aug. 16.
SpaceX teams at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida are preparing for the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket on Wednesday, August 16. The rocket will carry another batch of Starlink internet satellites for the company. The launch is scheduled for 8:14 p.m. EDT, but there is a possibility that it could be delayed due to unfavorable weather conditions. The launch window extends for four hours, until midnight.
If the launch proceeds as planned, it will be the 42nd launch on the Space Coast this year. The liftoff time has been updated to 11:36 p.m. EDT.
The weather outlook for the launch is currently 20% “go” at the opening of the window, but it is expected to improve to 65% by the end. The launch will take place at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 40. The payload for this mission is SpaceX’s next batch of Starlink internet-beaming satellites. The Falcon 9 rocket, measuring 230 feet, will follow a southeasterly trajectory between Florida and the Bahamas.
This launch will not produce any local sonic booms. The first-stage booster, measuring 130 feet, will attempt a landing on a drone ship approximately eight minutes after liftoff.
The next Falcon 9 launch from Florida is scheduled for Friday, August 25. This launch will send NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 mission to the International Space Station from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The liftoff is targeted for 3:49 a.m. EDT. The mission will carry NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, European Space Agency astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov for a six-month science mission.
SpaceX may schedule another Falcon 9 Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral before the Crew-7 mission, but no specific launch dates have been announced.
For the latest updates on launches, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.
Contact Jamie Groh at JGroh@floridatoday.com and follow her on X.com at @AlteredJamie.
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How does SpaceX’s mission to launch a Falcon 9 rocket contribute to the advancement of the Starlink internet satellite network?
Article Update: SpaceX is now aiming for liftoff of this mission at 11:36 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, Aug. 16.
Preparations are underway at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida for the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket on Wednesday, August 16. SpaceX’s goal is to deliver a new group of Starlink internet satellites using the rocket. While the launch is currently set for 8:14 p.m. EDT, there is a chance of a delay due to unfavorable weather conditions.
I can’t wait to witness another amazing SpaceX launch!