SpaceX now targeting Tuesday for next Falcon 9 Starlink mission liftoff
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Update: SpaceX successfully launched this mission at 8:18 p.m. EDT Sunday, Sept. 18, and landed on the Just Read the Instructions drone ship a few minutes later. Read our full post-launch story here.
Update (Saturday, Sept. 17): SpaceX will not attempt a launch on Saturday, Sept. 17, due to poor weather around Launch Complex 40. Teams are now targeting 8:18 p.m. EDT Sunday, Sept. 18, for the next attempt.
Previous update (Friday, Sept. 16): SpaceX scrubbed its launch attempt on Friday due to poor weather around Launch Complex 40. Teams are now targeting 8:43 p.m. EDT Saturday, Sept. 17, for the next attempt.
Previous update (Thursday, Sept. 15): SpaceX scrubbed its third launch attempt on Thursday due to poor weather around Launch Complex 40. Teams are now targeting 9:05 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 16, for the next attempt.
After Saturday night's SpaceX Falcon 9 liftoff, the company says its next launch is now expected no earlier than Tuesday, September 13.
Saturday's 9:20 p.m. EDT liftoff from pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center marked Florida's 39th launch of the year and carried a batch of 34 Starlink satellites to orbit, as well as the BlueWalker 3 satellite for customer AST SpaceMobile.
After a Sunday morning pre-launch Falcon 9 engine test was completed at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station the company announced its next liftoff would be no earlier than Tuesday. It was originally expected for Sunday night.
Updates: SpaceX launches more Starlink satellites from Florida's Kennedy Space Center
Previous launch coverage: NASA Artemis I launch weather Monday should be OK, weekend storms expected for SpaceX
Liftoff is now scheduled on Tuesday between 10:00 p.m. and 11:07 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Florida's 40th launch this year will carry another batch of the company's Starlink satellites to orbit to join the more than 3,200 already in service. It will be the 61st dedicated mission of the internet-beaming satellites to date.
The first stage of the Falcon 9 is expected to land on a drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean and be towed back into Port Canaveral a few days later.
Weather forecasters with the U.S. Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45 on Sunday predicted a 70% chance of "go" conditions during Tuesday's window.
Late-afternoon developing thunderstorms and clouds that could linger into the evening are the primary concern but, "activity will likely be winding down by the start of the primary launch window Tuesday evening," forecasters said on Sunday.
Should it be needed, SpaceX has a backup launch opportunity 24 hours later on Wednesday, Sept. 14, but the weather outlook deteriorates slightly to 60%.
For the latest, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.
Visit floridatoday.com/space 90 minutes before liftoff on Tuesday, Sept. 13, for real-time updates and live video.
Jamie Groh is a space reporter for Florida Today. You can contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @AlteredJamie.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX's next launch is expected Tuesday from Space Force Station
