Early this morning (April 5), SpaceX plans to launch a second batch of its internet satellites into orbit.
During an hour-long window that begins at 5:12 a.m. EDT (0912 GMT) today, a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 of SpaceX’s Starlink broadband satellites is planned to blast off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
SpaceX will begin webcasting the launch approximately five minutes before to the window opening through its account on X.
If all goes as planned, the first stage of the Falcon 9 will safely return to Earth today. Approximately 8.5 minutes after liftoff, it will land vertically on the SpaceX droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas, which will be positioned in the Atlantic Ocean.
As per the SpaceX mission description, this will be the booster’s 14th launch and landing.
The 23 Starlink satellites will be launched into low Earth orbit by the Falcon 9’s upper stage and will remain there for roughly 65 minutes following liftoff.
With this morning’s launch, SpaceX will have already completed 33 orbital missions this year, with the 22nd of 2024 being dedicated to the construction of the massive Starlink megaconstellation.
If all goes as planned, tonight’s liftoff will also serve as the first leg of a Starlink doubleheader: SpaceX intends to launch 21 additional internet satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California within a four-hour window that begins at 10:31 p.m. EDT (0231 GMT on April 6).
