SpaceX ready for the second Florida launch this weekend first Galileo and then Starlink smallsats SatNews – SatNews

SpaceX is targeting Sunday, April 28 for a Falcon 9 launch of 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 5:50 p.m. ET, with backup opportunities available until 9:50 p.m. ET. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Monday, April 29 starting at 5:25 p.m. ET.

The forecast calls for a temperature of 74F, broken clouds, 81% cloud cover and a wind speed of 15mph.

A live webcast of this mission will begin on X @SpaceX about five minutes prior to liftoff. Watch live.

This is the 13th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched CRS-26, OneWeb Launch 16, Intelsat IS-40e, O3b mPOWER, Ovzon 3, EUTELSAT 36D, and six Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

In 2024 this is SpaceXs 81st orbital launch attempt, the 343rd mission, the 43rd of this year and Falcon 9s 329th mission and the 43rd in 2024.

SpaceX has not publicly announced that a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a batch of Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Launch Complex 40, however a National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency navigational warning shows this launch window will open Sunday, April 28, 2024.

The launch window is 5:50 p.m. to 10:21 p.m. EDT Sunday, April 28, 2024 with no local sonic boom.

The cost of the launch is $52 million.

Space Launch Complex 40 has witnessed the launch of 237 rockets, including 237 orbital launch attempts, while Cape Canaveral, FL, USA, has been the site for 948 rocket launches.

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SpaceX ready for the second Florida launch this weekend first Galileo and then Starlink smallsats SatNews - SatNews