SpaceX launch recap: Starlink mission Thursday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida

Launch recap: Scroll down to review live coverage of the Thursday, May 2, liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral.

There's another SpaceX rocket launch on tap tonight!

Welcome to FLORIDA TODAY's Space Team live coverage of tonight’s SpaceX Starlink 6-55 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

SpaceX is now targeting 10:37 p.m. EDT — nearly an hour later than originally scheduled — to send up a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40. The Falcon 9 will deploy a batch of 23 Starlink internet satellites, which are packed inside the fairing atop the 230-foot rocket.

No Central Florida sonic booms are expected. Rather, after soaring skyward along a southeasterly trajectory, the rocket's first-stage booster will target landing aboard a SpaceX drone ship out at sea 8? minutes after liftoff.

The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron predicts 85% odds of "go for launch" weather during the 4?-hour launch window, with cumulus and anvil clouds posing the primary concerns.

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

Countdown Timer

SpaceX Falcon 9 booster lands

Update 10:45 p.m.: The Falcon 9 first-stage booster just landed aboard SpaceX's drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas out on the Atlantic Ocean, completing its 19th mission.

Liftoff!

Update 10:37 p.m.: SpaceX has just launched the Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

SpaceX launch webcast begins

Update 10:32 p.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 Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

SpaceX Falcon 9 launch coming up

Update 10:26 p.m.: Eleven minutes before SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch, the countdown appears to be proceeding as planned. Fueling remains well underway at Launch Complex 40.

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 announces Starlink service in Uruguay

Update 10:20 p.m.: Earlier today, SpaceX officials announced Starlink high-speed internet service is available in Uruguay.

Tonight's mission will add another 23 broadband satellites to the ever-expanding Starlink constellation in low-Earth orbit.

SpaceX booster to land on drone ship

Update 10:14 p.m.: Tonight's mission marks the 19th flight for this Falcon 9 first-stage booster, SpaceX reported.

The much-traveled booster previously launched CRS-22, Crew-3, Turksat 5B, Crew-4, CRS-25, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13G, SES 03b mPOWER, PSN SATRIA, Telkomsat Merah Putih 2 and nine Starlink missions.

Following stage separation, crews expect the booster to land on the SpaceX drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas out on the Atlantic Ocean 8 minutes, 24 seconds after liftoff.

SpaceX Falcon 9 fueling finally underway

Update 10:04 p.m.: SpaceX just announced Falcon 9 fueling procedures are now underway at Launch Complex 40.

That means tonight’s Starlink countdown is now locked in to lift off at 10:37 p.m. without any delays, or else the launch must be postponed.

SpaceX now targeting 10:37 p.m. for liftoff

Update 9:50 p.m.: Add a third delay. SpaceX is now targeting 10:37 p.m. for liftoff.

This National Weather Service radar loop from the station at Melbourne Orlando International Airport shows no significant cloud cover over the Space Coast.

SpaceX launch delayed 10 more minutes

Update 9:41 p.m.: Another 10-minute delay: SpaceX just announced tonight's liftoff will occur at 10:23 p.m.

SpaceX, competitors prompt port expansion proposal

Update 9:30 p.m.: This morning, Space Florida released a report outlining a long-term vision for a $2.1 billion northward expansion near Port Canaveral, featuring a new large-scale wharf stretching parallel with the Banana River shoreline along Cape Canaveral Space Force Station property.

Why expand? Led today by SpaceX, the Cape's future launch providers will use drone ships, marine vessels and smaller boats to transport and retrieve rocket boosters, fairings and capsules. For example, one Falcon 9 launch can generate ocean recovery operations for all three of these components.

SpaceX delays liftoff to 10:13 p.m.

Update 9:19 p.m.: SpaceX officials have announced the Falcon 9 liftoff target time has been pushed back to 10:13 p.m.

Backup launch opportunities remain available until 1:17 a.m.

SpaceX aims for 2nd launch of the day

Update 9 p.m.: Less than seven hours ago, SpaceX crews launched a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on the Maxar 1 mission.

The rocket lifted Maxar Intelligence's first two WorldView Legion geospatial satellites into low-Earth orbit, marking SpaceX's 44th mission of 2024 nationwide.

"Our first two WorldView Legion spacecraft deployed their solar arrays and started receiving and sending signals! Now we’ll begin commissioning them for collecting imagery. Thanks @SpaceX for the ride to orbit!" company officials announced in a 5:46 p.m. tweet.

Space Force: 85% odds of favorable weather

Update 8:45 p.m.: Additional details from tonight's Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron launch forecast:

"Surface winds will be onshore, and the East and West Coast Sea Breezes are expected to develop and collide in the evening. Upper-level winds remain weak out of the northwest, reaching only about 35-40 (knots)," the forecast said.

"Anvil development from these thunderstorms may extend far enough eastward to impact the Space Coast but that is not likely," the forecast said.

SpaceX launch prep underway in Brevard

Update 8:30 p.m.: Brevard County Emergency Management officials have activated the agency's launch operations support team ahead of SpaceX’s upcoming Falcon 9 launch.

SpaceX launch countdown timeline

Update 8:15 p.m.: Here's a quick rundown of SpaceX’s upcoming behind-the-scenes Falcon 9 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.

For the latest news 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 (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at [email protected]. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1

Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX launch recap: Starlink mission Thursday from Cape Canaveral