SpaceX launches post-midnight rocket from Cape Canaveral on Starlink mission
Just after midnight Sunday, a rocket lit up the clear night sky over Cape Canaveral.
Taking off at 12:12 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket disappeared into the night sky. Eight and a half minutes after liftoff, the first stage booster landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas drone ship out on the Atlantic Ocean.
The launch delivered 23 of the company's Starlink satellites to orbit. According to SpaceX, 13 of these satellites include Direct to Cell service, which provide Starlink mobile phone service to customers.
When is the next Florida launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, Blue Origin, ULA rocket launch schedule in Florida
Sunday saw the first stage's second flight − having only previously launched the NOAA GOES-U satellite back in late June. The Falcon Heavy consists of three Falcon 9 boosters − the core and two side boosters. The core booster of that Falcon Heavy launch vehicle was not recovered after the GOES-U launch. This means the booster used for Sunday's Starlink launch was one of the side boosters. SpaceX did not reveal any further details.
When is the next Florida SpaceX launch?
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advisory, SpaceX will launch the mPOWER-E satellites for SES during a launch window which runs from 3:55 p.m. to 6:25 p.m. on Thursday, December 12. The launch will take place from Kennedy Space Center's Pad 39A.
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Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX night launch from Florida sees Starlink satellites delivered
