After a two-week hiatus, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket fleet will return to flight with a Starlink mission launching after midnight from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
Welcome to the FLORIDA TODAY Space Team’s live coverage of the Starlink 10-9 mission. After two delays, SpaceX is targeting a launch at 1:45 a.m. ET Saturday from Pad 39A. The Falcon 9 will deploy a batch of 23 Starlink internet satellites, which are packed inside a protective casing atop the 230-foot-tall rocket.
No sonic booms are expected in Central Florida. After soaring into the sky on a northeast trajectory, the rocket’s first-stage booster will target a landing on a SpaceX drone ship at sea about 8 1/2 minutes after liftoff.
When SpaceX’s live webcast hosted by X (formerly Twitter) becomes available about five minutes before liftoff, it will be posted below the countdown clock.
Cape Canaveral:Is there a launch today? Upcoming launch schedule for SpaceX, NASA and ULA rockets in Florida
SpaceX launch countdown
Update 1:20 AM: Here’s a rundown of SpaceX’s remaining countdown timeline as we approach the 1:45 a.m. T-minus launch target:
- 16 minutes: The second stage of liquid oxygen loading begins.
- 7 minutes: The Falcon 9 rocket engine begins cooling before launch.
- 1 minute: The flight computer begins final checks before launch; the fuel tank pressure starts to match the flight pressure.
- 45 seconds: SpaceX launch director confirms launch readiness.
- 3 seconds: The engine controller gives commands to the engine ignition sequence to start.
- 0 seconds: Leaves.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket is about to start refueling
Update 1:10 AM: SpaceX just announced that the Falcon 9 rocket’s fueling procedure is about to begin at Pad 39A — and “all systems look good.”
This means that the countdown to tonight’s Starlink launch will end at 1:45 a.m. without any delay, otherwise the launch will have to be postponed.
SpaceX explains why Falcon 9 rocket failed on July 11
Update 12:52 AM: In a statement released Thursday evening, SpaceX officials provided detailed information about why the Falcon 9 upper stage failed after its July 11 launch from California.
“Post-flight data reviews confirmed that the Falcon 9 first stage successfully ascended, separated, and landed the unmanned aircraft. During the first burn of the Falcon 9 second stage engine, a liquid oxygen leak occurred within the insulation around the upper stage engine,” the statement said.
“The cause of the leak was determined to be a crack in the pressure sensor line connected to the vehicle’s oxygen system. This line cracked due to fatigue caused by high loads caused by engine vibration and loosening of the clamp that normally holds the line in place,” the statement said.
“Despite the leak, the second stage engine continued to operate throughout its first burn, completed engine shutdown, and entered the coast phase of the mission in the intended elliptical parking orbit.”
National Weather Service radar shows clear skies at Cape Canaveral.
Update at 12:30 AM: This radar loop from the National Weather Service station at Melbourne-Orlando International Airport shows no significant cloud cover over Cape Canaveral, though widespread rain continues northwest of Orlando and near Daytona Beach.
SpaceX launch preparations underway in Brevard
Update 12:10 AM: Brevard County emergency management officials have activated the agency’s launch support team ahead of SpaceX’s upcoming Falcon 9 rocket launch.
SpaceX delays launch again to 1:45 a.m.
Update 11:42 PM: Another delay. Takeoff has been pushed back about an hour, to 1:45 a.m. Saturday.
Starlink service supports Paris 2024 Olympics
Update 11:31 PM: Starlink officials shared a video on TikTok this afternoon showing the company’s broadband equipment supporting live coverage of the Olympic torch as it traveled through the streets of Paris.
Today the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games was held in Paris.
SpaceX delays launch to 12:59 a.m.
Update 11:11 PM: SpaceX officials just announced that they are now targeting 12:59 a.m. Saturday for the launch, a 38-minute delay.
Space Force: 85% chance of good weather for launch
Update at 11pm: The Space Force’s 45th Weather Group estimates the chances of favorable weather for launch at 85 percent.
“The axis of the western Atlantic ridge is located north of Spaceport as deep onshore flow continues to push sea breezes from the east coast rapidly inland throughout the afternoon. Residual effects from the Sahara dust will keep conditions drier than normal, with reduced chances of coastal rain overnight,” according to the squadron forecast.
“The main weather concern for the early Saturday morning effort is a cumulonimbus cloud base associated with stray coastal showers,” the forecast said.
For the latest news and launch schedule from Cape Canaveral Space Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space.
Rick Neal He is a space correspondent for FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at[email protected]. Twitter/X: @Rick Neal1
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