SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying Starlink internet satellites from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station this Friday. Originally scheduled for Thursday, the launch was postponed to prioritize the launch of NASA’s Psyche spacecraft aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center. Despite the possibility of launching on Thursday based on navigational safety warnings and weather forecasts, SpaceX officials announced a target launch date of Friday.
The launch window on Friday extends from 6:55 to 11:27 p.m. EDT. During the previous attempt, the Starlink mission was scrubbed due to upper-level winds. However, this time, there are no anticipated sonic booms.
The upcoming launch will carry the next batch of 22 Starlink internet satellites on a southeasterly trajectory, passing between Florida and the Bahamas. One of the highlights of this mission is the first stage booster of the Falcon 9 rocket, which will make an attempt to land on a drone ship approximately 8½ minutes after liftoff.
While the SpaceX teams gear up for the Starlink launch, they are also preparing for the launch of NASA’s Psyche spacecraft on Thursday. This spacecraft’s destination is a metallic asteroid called Psyche, located within the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. After a rendezvous in July 2029, the Psyche spacecraft will orbit, map, and study the asteroid for a remarkable 26 months.
Space reporter Rick Neale from Florida Today will be covering the launch and can be contacted at [email protected] for any updates or inquiries.
Overall, it seems to be an exciting couple of days for SpaceX, with two significant launches lined up, showcasing their technological capabilities and contributions to space exploration.
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