It’s a double-header launch today at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station – starting with a SpaceX Falcon 9 liftoff in the mid-afternoon!
Welcome to FLORIDA TODAY’s Space Team’s live coverage of today’s SpaceX Starlink 6-57 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
SpaceX is now targeting 2:14 PM EDT — nearly two hours later than originally scheduled — to send up the Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 40. Backup opportunities only remain until 2:48 PM, should further delays arise. The Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron is predicting 90% odds of favorable weather.
Falcon 9 will deploy a constellation of Starlink internet satellites, positioned within the fascia atop the 230-foot-tall rocket. No sonic booms are expected in Central Florida. After soaring toward the sky along a southeast trajectory, the rocket’s first stage booster will aim to land on a SpaceX drone ship at sea 8 1/2 minutes after liftoff.
Then tonight, NASA and United Launch Alliance target 10:34 p.m. to send astronauts Sonny Williams and Butch Wilmore into space aboard an Atlas V rocket and Boeing’s Starliner capsule. The spacecraft will embark on its first crewed mission to the International Space Station.
When SpaceX’s live webcast hosted on
Cape Canaveral:Is there a launch today? SpaceX, NASA, and ULA’s upcoming rocket launch schedule in Florida
SpaceX’s countdown is seeing good weather
Update 1:02 PM: This National Weather Service radar loop from the station at Melbourne Orlando International Airport shows no significant cloud cover over Cape Canaveral or east-central Florida.
The SpaceX launch precedes the Boeing Starliner launch
Update 12:34 PM: SpaceX launch delay delays Starlink 6-57 mission within 8 hours and 20 minutes of Boeing Starliner crew launch at ULA at 10:34 p.m.
The countdown to Starliner’s Atlas V — which will become ULA’s first crewed launch — began at about 11:15 a.m.
“Over the next few hours, final preparations for the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen systems will be made, along with testing of the missile guidance system, first stage propulsion and hydraulic settings, internal battery inspection and testing of the GPS metric tracking system.” It was used to follow the missile as it flew down range, as well as to test the S-band telemetry relay system.
Cape Canaveral sees clear skies and light winds
Updated at 12:08 p.m.: Just over two hours before SpaceX’s new target launch date, the National Weather Service reported clear skies, a temperature of 84 and south winds at 10 mph at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Visibility is listed at 10 miles. The heat index is 86. Forecasts indicate a 20% chance of rain before 2 p.m
SpaceX postpones launch to 2:14 p.m
Update 11:37 am: SpaceX announced that the target liftoff time is now 2:14 p.m
No reason was announced.
SpaceX launch countdown schedule
Update 11:15 am: Here’s a summary of SpaceX’s upcoming Falcon 9 countdown timeline. T minus:
- 38 minutes: SpaceX’s launch director checks the “launch” of propellant loading.
- 35 minutes: The loading of rocket kerosene and the first stage of liquid oxygen begins.
- 16 minutes: The second stage of liquid oxygen loading begins.
- 7 minutes: The Falcon 9 begins engine cooling before launch.
- 1 minute: The flight command computer begins final pre-launch checks; The fuel tank pressure starts until it reaches cruising pressure.
- 45 seconds: SpaceX’s launch director checks the “go” for the launch.
- 3 seconds: The engine control module controls the start of the engine ignition sequence.
- 0 seconds: Leaves.
Preparing for a SpaceX launch in Brevard
Updated at 10:50 am: Brevard County Emergency Management officials have activated the agency’s launch support team ahead of SpaceX’s upcoming Falcon 9 launch.
SpaceX is targeting a Starlink launch on Tuesday
Update 10:26 AM: Although SpaceX has not yet announced this mission, FAA and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency navigational warnings show that another Starlink launch window will open Tuesday morning.
This window will open less than 24 hours after liftoff today. More details:
- a task: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a constellation of Starlink internet satellites from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
- Launch window: 11:08 AM to 4:39 PM
- location: Pad 39A.
- a path: southeast.
- Local sonic boom: no.
- Booster landing: Drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
- Live coverage: It starts 90 minutes before take-off floridatoday.com/space.
Details of Space Force launch forecasts
Update 10:03 AM: Details from the 45th Weather Squadron’s forecast, which predicts a 90% chance of “kick-off” weather:
“While the overall weather appears favorable for the initial and (Tuesday) backup launch windows, there is a small risk of cumulonimbus clouds developing with the emerging afternoon sea breeze,” the forecast said.
“As a result, the only concern for both launch windows will be the cumulonimbus cloud base,” the forecast said.
Sunshine and low, puffy white clouds dominate the sky here at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center press site.
For the latest news and launch schedule from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, visit the website floridatoday.com/space.
Rick Neil He is Florida Today’s space correspondent. Contact Neal on[email protected]. Twitter/X: @Rick Neal1
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