SpaceX Successfully Launches Falcon 9 Rocket Carrying 22 Starlink Satellites
In another milestone for SpaceX, the company successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 Starlink satellites on Friday night. The launch, which had been delayed due to upper level winds and rescheduled to prioritize NASA’s Psyche mission, took place at 7:01 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The launch was given an 80 percent chance of acceptable weather by the U.S. Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron, marking an improvement from the earlier prediction of 60 percent. This favorable weather window allowed SpaceX to proceed with the launch, after an aborted attempt on October 8 due to upper level winds.
While a Starlink launch on the West Coast went ahead a few hours later after the delay, SpaceX decided to hold back the Cape Canaveral launch at the request of NASA. NASA wanted to prioritize the Falcon Heavy launch of its Psyche asteroid mission, which took place earlier on Friday.
SpaceX did not need to utilize any of its five backup launch opportunities for the Falcon 9 on Friday. These opportunities ranged from 7:51 p.m. EDT to 10:29 p.m. EDT. The successful launch marked a significant achievement for SpaceX’s Starlink internet service, which now boasts more than two million subscribers in over 60 countries.
Following liftoff, the Falcon 9 rocket headed southeast and aimed for an orbit inclined at 43 degrees to the equator. The first stage booster, B1067, completed its 14th flight before separating from the second stage approximately two and a half minutes into the flight. The booster then performed a controlled descent and landed on the drone ship named “A Shortfall of Gravitas.” The drone ship was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean, east of the Bahamas and about 420 miles (675 km) from Cape Canaveral.
To position the satellites in the required orbit of 182 x 176 miles (293 x 284 km), two burns of the Falcon 9’s second stage will be conducted. The separation of the satellite stack is scheduled to occur just over an hour into the flight.
The successful launch adds to SpaceX’s growing portfolio of achievements and further solidifies the company’s role as a leader in the space industry. With its Starlink internet service expanding globally, SpaceX continues to revolutionize how people access and utilize the internet, especially in remote and underserved areas. As SpaceX forges ahead, space enthusiasts and industry watchers can anticipate even more exciting developments in the near future.
