Welcome to FLORIDA TODAY’s Space Team’s live coverage of SpaceX’s upcoming Starlink 6-25 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
SpaceX’s final launch attempt from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, postponed from its original window on Saturday night, has been postponed until deep into the countdown on Sunday night.
There were only 30 seconds left on the clock before the Falcon 9’s flight computers stopped the attempt to take off from Launch Complex 40.
Now, SpaceX will try again today at 7:20 PM EST to launch 23 Starlink internet streaming satellites into low Earth orbit.
The company stated that if there are further delays, seven backup launch opportunities will be available from 7:52 PM to 10:22 PM EST on Monday.
No local sonic booms are expected. After soaring toward the sky along a southeast trajectory, the rocket’s first-stage booster will aim to land on a drone ship at sea about 8 and a half minutes after liftoff.
Check back for updates on the FLORIDA TODAY Space Team’s live launch coverage on this page, starting 90 minutes before the launch window opens. When SpaceX’s live webcast hosted on X (formerly Twitter) becomes available approximately five minutes before liftoff, it will be posted at the top of this page.
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket landing
Updated 7:29 PM EST: The Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage has just touched down on SpaceX’s drone ship, “Just Read the Instructions” in the Atlantic Ocean, completing its eighth mission.
Leaves!
Updated at 7:20 PM EST: SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The first stage booster is supposed to land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean in about 8 and a half minutes.
The live online broadcast of the SpaceX launch begins
Updated 7:16 PM EST: The SpaceX launch live stream on X (formerly Twitter) is now posted at the top of this page.
It is scheduled to take off in four minutes.
SpaceX Falcon 9 launch is 10 minutes away
Updated at 7:10 PM EST: Ten minutes before SpaceX’s scheduled launch at 7:20 PM EST, the countdown appears to be going as planned. Refueling is going well at Launch Complex 40.
As a reminder, here’s a list of key upcoming countdown milestones. T minus:
- 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: Falcon taking off 9.
SpaceX booster lands on drone ship
Updated at 7:00 PM EST: Tonight’s launch will mark the eighth flight of the Falcon 9 first-stage rocket supporting the mission, SpaceX reports.
After stage separation, the booster is scheduled to land on the Read Instructions Only drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean 8 minutes and 28 seconds after liftoff. This is two seconds later than last night’s expected landing time.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 is now being refueled
Updated 6:51 PM EST: Refueling procedures for the Falcon 9 rocket are now underway at Launch Complex 40, visual cues indicate.
SpaceX has not yet publicly confirmed the start of fueling the rockets. But once it gets underway, the Starlink 6-25 mission is committed to liftoff at 7:20 PM EST, otherwise the launch must be postponed.
SpaceX: All systems and weather look good
Updated 6:28 PM EST: SpaceX officials just announced that “all systems and weather look good for liftoff” less than an hour before the Falcon 9 launch.
SpaceX launch countdown schedule
Updated 6:13 PM EST: Just like last night’s attempt, here’s a behind-the-scenes recap of SpaceX’s 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: Falcon taking off 9.
Space Force: 95% chance of good weather
The Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron pegs the odds of suitable weather for a launch at 95%.
“A surface ridge extends across the southeastern United States while a weak area of low pressure slowly drifts northwestward across the Bahamas,” the squadron forecast said.
“Little local weather change is expected Monday, but the cold front will move quickly southeast of the Tennessee Valley toward Florida by late Tuesday,” the forecaster said.
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When is the next scheduled launch from the Florida Space Coast?
NASA’s SpaceX CRS-29 mission – a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station – is scheduled to launch at 10:01 PM EDT on Sunday. Some quick facts:
- rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9.
- location: Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center.
- a path: Northeast of the country.
- weather: To be determined later.
- Landing: Landing Zone 1 of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before takeoff at floridatoday.com/space.
- on: This marks SpaceX’s 29th commercial resupply mission for NASA to the International Space Station. The Dragon cargo capsule will deliver new scientific investigations, food, supplies and equipment for the international crew. The research includes laser communications and work to understand the interactions between Earth’s weather and space.
For the latest schedule updates on the Cape, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.
Rick Neil He is Florida Today’s space correspondent (for more of his stories, click here.) Call Neale at 321-242-3638 or [email protected]. Twitter/X: @Rick Neal1
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