SpaceX will launch 2 back-to-back missiles with Starlink satellites

Looks like the stars won’t line up at SpaceX after all.

The company planned to launch two batches of Starlink satellites on Thursday morning, but now one of those launches will be postponed until Friday.

The first launch of a Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral 40 Space Force Launch Complex with a batch of Starlink satellites heading into Earth’s low orbit will take place at 1:19 a.m. Thursday, as scheduled.

There is a 90% chance of favorable launch time, according to the 45th Weather Squadron. This will mark the 18th batch of Starlink satellites sent into orbit, as SpaceX creates a global network of spacecraft that offers the Internet to the globe.

About five hours later, in reverse order, SpaceX was supposed to launch satellites for the 17th Starlink mission, but the launch was delayed from 5:36 a.m. Thursday to 5:14 a.m. Friday to allow early checks. launch.

There is about a 30% chance of breaking the weather constraints, the main concern being the take-off winds.

Ad

The ambitious launch timeline has always been subject to change like most launches.

The US Space Force’s 45th space wing said it approved both SpaceX launches for Thursday and, if it had, it would be the first time since 1966, with two launches from Florida on the same day.

“Those previous missions were Gemini 12 and Atlas Agena, which were 99 minutes away from each other,” the 45th Space Wing wrote on Twitter before the rescheduling announcement. “The two falcons will separate less than 5 hours away.”

SpaceX is now scheduled to launch the batch of satellites marked with the ear as 17 after 18.

Weather or other issues may always delay one or both launches again. Both missions have been rescheduled several times this week due to the weather.

SpaceX is offering Starlink internet in certain areas of the US and Canada, with plans to expand this year. Subsequent launches will push the company’s constellation to more than 1,000 spacecraft in orbit.