SpaceX reschedules Starlink launch from Cape Canaveral for Friday night
Update: SpaceX has stood down from its plan to launch a Falcon 9 rocket with 22 Starlink internet satellites overnight from Launch Complex 40 at at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Instead, liftoff of the Starlink 6-16 mission is now targeted for 11:38 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 15. SpaceX officials did not cite a reason why the launch was postponed — but in a Thursday post on X (formerly Twitter), the company said: "teams are keeping an eye on Hurricane Lee in the Atlantic Ocean, which could impact conditions for recovery operations."
SpaceX teams at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station are on track to launch a Falcon 9 rocket with 22 Starlink internet satellites overnight from Launch Complex 40.
Liftoff of the Starlink 6-16 mission is targeted for 11:38 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 15. But SpaceX said in a post on X, "Teams are keeping an eye on Hurricane Lee in the Atlantic Ocean, which could impact conditions for recovery operations."
Next SpaceX launch: What to know about Starlink 6-16
Liftoff of the 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket is tentatively set for 11:38 p.m. EDT on Friday. Packed in Falcon 9's payload fairing is 22 Starlink internet satellites.
If needed, there is one additional launch opportunity at 12:07 a.m. EDT Saturday.
After a jaunt along a southeastern trajectory, about eight minutes after liftoff, the Falcon 9 first stage booster is set to target a drone ship landing out at sea.
Forecasters with the Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron last reported a 45% chance of "go" conditions around the spaceport during the launch window. Recovery conditions for the drone ship landing were listed as "moderate risk."
If schedules hold, this would become the Space Coast's 49th launch this year.
What is the weather outlook for the next SpaceX launch:
A weather report on Wednesday from the Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron pegs conditions at 45% "go" for launch. Recovery conditions for the booster landing aboard the drone ship at sea were listed as "moderate risk."
"Isolated to scattered showers and storms will again concentrate across interior Florida in the afternoon. With an upper-level push, the trough will begin to sink toward the southeast Thursday as front itself noses into North Florida Thursday evening," the squadron's forecast said.
For Thursday, the National Weather Service forecast calls for a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11 p.m. around the spaceport. Partly cloudy conditions should otherwise prevail, with a low around 75 and north-northeast wind around 5 mph.
As SpaceX teams prepare for another launch from the Cape, Hurricane Lee continues churning far off Florida's coastline as a sprawling Category 3 hurricane, which could be problematic for the drone ship awaiting a booster landing attempt off the coast of the Bahamas.
Here's everything else you need to know:
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Launch Complex 40 will host.
The payload is the company's next batch of Starlink internet-beaming satellites.
The 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket will follow a southeasterly trajectory threading between Florida and the Bahamas.
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If it launches on time, it will mark the Space Coast's 49th launch this year.
No local sonic booms with this mission.
The 130-foot first-stage booster will target a drone ship landing about eight minutes after liftoff.
This will mark the fifth flight for this particular first stage booster.
When's the next launch from Florida's Space Coast?
More SpaceX Starlink missions are expected to be launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station next week, but the company hasn't yet announced when the next mission is targeted to liftoff. For the latest schedule updates, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.
Rick Neale is the South Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
Contact Jamie Groh at JGroh@floridatoday.com and follow her on X at @AlteredJamie.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX reschedules Starlink Cape Canaveral liftoff to Friday night
