Updates: SpaceX's latest Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral Friday

Jamie Groh and Rick Neale, Florida Today
Updated ·7 min read

Update: Liftoff of Falcon 9 with 22 Starlink satellites at 11:12 p.m. EDT Sunday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida with a drone ship booster landing a short while later. Read our full post-launch story here.

SpaceX teams are on track to launch a Falcon 9 rocket Friday night from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station with another batch of the company's Starlink internet satellites.

Liftoff of the Starlink 6-14 mission is slated to happen at 11:12 p.m. EDT.

Iffy weather conditions around the spaceport are expected at the opening of the launch window but should improve throughout the night.

SpaceX Starlink 6-14 liftoff

The Falcon 9 has landed:

11:21 p.m. EDT: The Falcon 9 first stage has landed aboard SpaceX's Shortfall of Gravitas drone ship, completing its seventh mission.

— Jamie Groh

Liftoff!

11:12 p.m. EDT: SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 with 22 Starlinks satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This marks the 47th launch from Florida's Space Coast this year. The drone ship landing of the first stage booster should be coming up in about eight minutes.

— Jamie Groh

T-minus ten minutes to liftoff SpaceX rocket launch tonight:

11:07 p.m. EDT: At T-minus five minutes, everything is continuing as planned toward liftoff of the Space Coast's 47th mission of the year.

— Jamie Groh

SpaceX Falcon 9 Fueling underway:

10:43 p.m. EDT: SpaceX reports that all systems are good for liftoff and weather conditions have improved to 90% "go."

Here's a look at the countdown timeline:

T-minus:

00:35:00 RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins00:35:00 1st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading begins00:16:00 2nd stage LOX loading begins00:07:00 Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch00:01:00 Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks00:01:00 Propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins00:00:45 SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch00:00:03 Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start00:00:00 Falcon 9 liftoff

— Jamie Groh

One hour until liftoff of SpaceX rocket launch tonight:

10:12 p.m. EDT: SpaceX seemingly is still progressing toward a liftoff of the Falcon 9 with 22 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The weather conditions remain "go" for an attempt this evening. If SpaceX is indeed sticking to liftoff at 11:12 p.m. EDT, the launch director should be giving the "go" to proceed with fueling the Falcon 9 in 22 minutes.

A quick reminder that the launch window tonight is open until 11:30 p.m. EDT. Stay tuned.

— Jamie Groh

Ninety minutes until liftoff of SpaceX rocket launch:

9:41 p.m. EDT: After liftoff from Launch Complex 40 at 11:12 p.m. EDT, the Falcon 9 booster flying tonight's Starlink mission will fly along a southeastern trajectory with a booster landing targeted for a drone ship stationed at sea about eight minutes later. This will mark the seventh flight of the first stage booster. Weather around the spaceport is still looking good. Stay tuned.

— Jamie Groh

Weather improving for SpaceX Falcon 9 launch:

8:45 p.m. EDT: While we wait through the countdown tonight for a liftoff now slated for 11:12 p.m. EDT, a quick check of the weather around the spaceport shows that conditions are now "go" for a launch attempt. Rain and lightning that was present a few hours ago have moved out of the area. Some thick clouds remain, but there should be enough time in tonight's launch window for that to clear out as well. Stay tuned.

— Jamie Groh

New SpaceX launch time:

6:40 p.m. EDT: SpaceX is now targeting 11:12 p.m. EDT for liftoff of the Starlink 6-14 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Stay tuned for more frequent updates as we progress through the countdown tonight.

— Jamie Groh

Welcome to live coverage:

6:05 p.m. EDT: Welcome to our Space Team live coverage of SpaceX's Falcon 9 Starlink 6-14 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Launch teams are currently working toward liftoff at 7:56 p.m. EDT, but are continuing to monitor weather conditions around the spaceport. A quick check shows that conditions are currently "no go" for launch because of lightning and rain.

Teams have two other opportunities for liftoff throughout tonight's nearly four-hour launch window at 11:12 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. EDT. Stay tuned for more frequent updates as the start of fueling procedures gets closer. That should be about 38 minutes before liftoff.

— Jamie Groh

What to know about SpaceX's Starlink 6-14 mission:

Liftoff of the 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket is tentatively set to happen at 7:56 p.m. EDT, with a nearly four-hour launch window that extends until 11:30 p.m. EDT.

Teams have two backup opportunities available at 11:12 p.m. ET (03:12 UTC on September 9) and 11:30 p.m. EDT if needed. This will mark the seventh flight of the Falcon 9's first stage booster.

If schedules hold, this would become the Space Coast's 47th launch this year.

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What is the weather outlook for the Falcon 9 launch:

Because of a lingering chance of thunderstorms and lightning expected for Friday evening, forecasters with the Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron predicted conditions to be 60% "go" at the opening of the launch window. Throughout the night, however, launch weather conditions are projected to improve to 85% "go" by the end of the window.

Recovery conditions for a first stage booster landing at sea aboard a drone ship were listed as "low risk."

According to Space Force forecasters, "similar conditions are expected for the backup day (Saturday), with diurnal thunderstorm potential in the afternoon and more favorable conditions towards the evening."

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 47th 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.

When's the next launch from Florida's Space Coast?

The next launch from the Cape is slated for Saturday morning.

United Launch Alliance teams are targeting 8:51 a.m. EDT for liftoff of a 196-foot Atlas V rocket, outfitted with five side-mounted solid rocket boosters from Launch Complex 41.

The NROL-107 mission is a joint effort between the Space Force and the National Reconnaissance Office.

It will send secretive payloads that are part of the Space Force's Silent Barker satellite constellation network directly to geosynchronous orbit about 24,000 miles above the Earth to provide space situational awareness, orbital surveillance, and tracking.

Follow FLORIDA TODAY's Space Team live launch coverage of that mission beginning 90 minutes before liftoff.

Beyond that, 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.

Contact Jamie Groh at JGroh@floridatoday.com and follow her on X at @AlteredJamie.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Updates: SpaceX's latest Starlink mission Friday from the Cape