renew: Scroll down to viewLive coverage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket liftoff at 12:33 a.m. ET Saturday, December 23.
Welcome to Florida Today’s space team’s live coverage of tonight’s SpaceX Starlink 6-32 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
SpaceX is currently scheduled to launch its Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40 on Saturday at 12:33 a.m. ET.
What’s more, tonight’s liftoff will mark the record-breaking 70th orbital launch this year from the Cape Canaveral military facility and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center next door.
SpaceX Falcon 9 will deploy a fleet of broadband network satellites housed in a fairing on top of the 230-foot rocket.
After taking off along the southeastern orbit, the rocket’s first-stage booster will land on the drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean eight minutes after liftoff. No localized sonic booms are expected.
The Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron predicts that there will be a 70% chance of “ready-to-launch” weather early in tonight’s launch window, and that chance will drop to 60% by the end of the window.
SpaceX Falcon 9 booster lands
Updated at 12:41 a.m. ET:The Falcon 9 first-stage booster just landed on SpaceX’s drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean, completing its first-ever 19th mission.
According to SpaceX reports, the booster has previously launched Crew Demo-2, ANASIS-11, CRS-21, Transporter-1, Transporter-3 and 13 Starlink missions.
Lift off!
Updated at 12:33 a.m. ET:SpaceX just launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, carrying 23 Starlink satellites.
SpaceX live launch webcast begins
Updated at 12:28 a.m. ET: SpaceX’s live launch webcast hosted on X (formerly Twitter) is now posted at the top of this page.
It is scheduled to take off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in five minutes.
SpaceX Falcon 9 launch approaching
Updated at 12:17 a.m. ET:Here’s a list of upcoming SpaceX launch countdown milestones. T-minus:
- 16 minutes:The second stage of liquid oxygen loading begins.
- 7 minutes:Falcon 9 begins engine cooling before launch.
- 1 minute:The command flight computer begins final pre-launch checks; the propellant tanks begin to pressurize to flight pressure.
- 45 seconds:SpaceX launch director confirms launch.
- 3 seconds:The engine controller commands the engine ignition sequence to start.
- 0 seconds:Falcon 9 takes off.
SpaceX commemorates 8th anniversary of booster landing
Updated at 12:08 a.m. ET: On December 21, 2015, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket booster made history by successfully landing for the first time at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
“Eight years ago today, SpaceX successfully landed its first orbital-class rocket,” SpaceX officials said in a tweet Thursday afternoon. “Since then, SpaceX has landed more than 250 Falcon rockets and continues to do so. Increasing.”
SpaceX Falcon 9 refueling in progress
Updated at 11:58 p.m. ET: SpaceX just announced that the Falcon 9 refueling process is now underway at Launch Site 40, and “all systems and weather conditions are ready for launch.”
This means that the Starlink 6-32 mission is now scheduled to launch tonight, otherwise the launch may be delayed until Saturday night.
SpaceX launch significantly delayed to 12:33 a.m.
Updated at 11:40 a.m. ET: Although SpaceX has yet to make a public announcement, published reports indicate that tonight’s launch has been delayed again to 12:33 a.m.
SpaceX launch risks: high-altitude wind shear
Updated at 11:20 p.m. ET: The Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron warned that there is a moderate risk of high-level wind shear during tonight’s SpaceX launch window.
“A weak inverted trough will move near the spaceport Friday night, enhancing cloud coverage,” the squadron’s forecast said.
“The main weather concerns Friday night will be thick cloud rules and cumulus cloud rules associated with a trough and overland flow,” the forecast said.
SpaceX prepares for launch in Brevard
Updated at 11 p.m. ET: Brevard County emergency management officials have activated the agency’s launch operations support team ahead of the Falcon 9 launch.
There will be “quick showers” on launch night
Updated at 10:43 p.m. ET: Scattered rain is falling on the Space Coast this evening, sweeping over the land from over the Atlantic Ocean.
“Another batch of quick showers are hitting our coastline tonight,” the National Weather Service in Melbourne wrote on Twitter at 5:05 p.m.
SpaceX has pushed back its original 11pm launch target to 12:02am on Saturday.
For Cape’s latest launch schedule, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.
Rick Nealis a space reporter for Florida Today (for more stories about him,click here.) Please contact Neale at 321-242-3638 orrneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X:@rickneal1
Space is important to us, which is why we’re committed to bringing you top reporting on the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it by subscribing here.
#SpaceX #Starlink #launches #Cape #Canaveral #Florida #Saturday
Image Source : www.floridatoday.com