SpaceX launch recap: Live updates from Starlink mission Monday from Kennedy Space Center

Launch recap: Scroll down to review live updates from the Monday, Aug. 12, liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on the Starlink 10-7 mission.

Original story: First, SpaceX's Starlink 10-7 mission got bumped off Saturday's schedule. Then the launch countdown scrubbed just 46 seconds before liftoff on Sunday.

Will the Falcon 9 rocket finally fly this morning? Stay tuned.

Welcome to FLORIDA TODAY Space Team live coverage of the twice-postponed SpaceX Starlink 10-7 mission from pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX is targeting 6:37 a.m. EDT to finally launch the Falcon 9.

The rocket will deploy a batch of 23 Starlink broadband satellites, which are packed inside the 230-foot rocket's fairing. No Central Florida sonic booms are expected.

After soaring skyward along a northeasterly trajectory, the rocket's first-stage booster will target landing aboard a SpaceX drone ship out at sea a bit more than eight minutes after liftoff.

Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule from Florida

Countdown Timer

SpaceX Falcon 9 booster lands

Update 6:45 a.m.: The Falcon 9 first-stage booster just settled atop SpaceX's drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean, completing its 17th mission.

Liftoff!

Update 6:37 a.m.: SpaceX has just launched the Falcon 9 carrying 23 Starlink satellites from KSC.

SpaceX launch webcast begins

Update 6:32 a.m.: SpaceX's launch webcast hosted on X (formerly Twitter) is now posted above, right below the countdown clock.

Liftoff is scheduled in five minutes from KSC.

SpaceX Falcon 9 launch in 10 minutes

Update 6:27 a.m.: Ten minutes before SpaceX's Falcon 9 liftoff attempt, the countdown appears to be proceeding as planned. Rocket fueling remains well underway.

Following is a list of key remaining countdown milestones. T-minus:

• 7 minutes: Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch.

• 1 minute: Command flight computer begins final prelaunch checks; propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins.

• 45 seconds: SpaceX launch director verifies “go for launch.”

• 3 seconds: Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start.

• 0 seconds: Falcon 9 liftoff.

SpaceX booster to land on drone ship

Update 6:24 a.m.: Today's pre-sunrise mission will mark the Falcon 9 first-stage booster’s 17th flight, SpaceX reported.

The booster previously launched SES-22, ispace's HAKUTO-R MISSION 1, Amazonas-6, CRS-27, Bandwagon-1 and 11 Starlink missions.

Following stage separation, crews expect the booster to land on the SpaceX drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean 8 minutes, 12 seconds after liftoff.

SpaceX launch prep underway in Brevard

Update 6:14 a.m.: Brevard County Emergency Management officials have activated the agency's launch operations support team ahead of SpaceX’s upcoming Falcon 9 launch.

SpaceX Falcon 9 fueling underway

Update 6:02 a.m.: SpaceX just announced Falcon 9 fueling procedures are underway at pad 39A, and "weather is looking good."

That means this morning's Starlink countdown is now locked in to lift off at 6:37 a.m. without any delays, or else the launch must be postponed.

SpaceX COO: Starlink can serve all of rural U.S.

Update 5:55 a.m.: During a fireside chat last week at the Mountain Connect Broadband Development Conference in Denver, Colorado, SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell said fiber optic cable is better suited to serving densely populated cities — but Starlink satellite internet best serves less-populated places.

"What's brilliant about the constellation concept is that it is very complementary with fiber," Shotwell said.

She noted that cable installation can cost $10,000 to $30,000 per mile — and, "I can bridge that gap with one Starlink kit, which is 500 bucks."

"What we really want to make sure folks understand is, yeah, we can serve cities — but we can't serve everybody in cities, right? But we can serve everybody in (the) rural U.S. and semi-rural," she said.

SpaceX Falcon 9 launch countdown

Update 5:42 a.m.: Here's a rundown of highlights of SpaceX’s behind-the-scenes countdown timeline. T-minus:

• 38 minutes: SpaceX launch director verifies “go” for propellant load.

• 35 minutes: Rocket-grade kerosene and first-stage liquid oxygen loading begins.

• 16 minutes: Second-stage liquid oxygen loading begins.

• 7 minutes: Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch.

• 1 minute: Command flight computer begins final prelaunch checks; propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins.

• 45 seconds: SpaceX launch director verifies “go” for launch.

• 3 seconds: Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start.

• 0 seconds: Liftoff.

Space Force: 95% chance of favorable weather

Update 5:24 a.m.: The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron issued a sterling forecast for this morning's mission, declaring a 95% chance of "go for launch" meteorological conditions. That also applies for tomorrow's backup launch window.

"The Atlantic subtropical ridge axis, currently located over southern Florida, will be moving slowly northward over the next several days. This pattern typically brings seasonal afternoon thunderstorm activity, and conditions should be favorable for either window," the forecast said.

"There’s a slight concern each morning for a Cumulus Cloud Rule violation, primarily near the end of the window," the forecast said.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service predicts heat indexes will soar as high as 107 later today across East-Central Florida, with afternoon storms dumping as much as 3 inches of rain in some communities.

For the latest news and launch schedule from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space.

Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at [email protected]. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1

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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX launch recap: Live updates from Starlink mission Monday at Cape