A Falcon 9 loaded with Starlink satellites prepares for launch.
SpaceX
SpaceX again plans to launch two different Falcon 9 rockets into space this week, loaded with its Starlink Broadband Satellites within about 26 hours.
Currently, Elon Musk’s company plans to ship its 19th series of Starlink routers to a low-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Monday at 19:59 PT (22:59 ET). The 20th group will kick off the adjacent Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday at 21:55 PT (12:55 Wednesday ET).
The company has plans to introduce two groups of Starlinks from Florida within hours of each other earlier this month, but one of these missions was postponed. (The launch is now scheduled for Tuesday night.)
These launches and the droneship landings that follow become quite routine for SpaceX, but Musk would like to see the pace of launches increase. The FCC permit for To use Starlink, 2,220 of the satellites must be in use by March next year.
So far, more than 1,000 of the small satellites have been sent into space, but it is not clear how many of them are currently in use. Either way, it seems like SpaceX can make it to at least two Starlink launches a month, he needs to be able to reach his target.
Only two Starlink missions have been flown so far in 2021, but the company could get up to speed quickly if it nails both missions this week.
Due to unfavorable weather tonight, now set for Monday 15 February at 22:59 EST for Falcon 9’s launch of 60 Starlink satellites
– SpaceX (@SpaceX) 15 February 2021
It is, of course, well known that these launches slip. Monday night’s launch has been pushed back several times, most recently Sunday due to bad weather.
When the next launch is imminent, we’ll include the live stream here. It is usually launched about ten minutes before launch.
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