SpaceX launches first of back-to-back Starlink missions Wednesday from Cape Canaveral
With an on-time liftoff of 10:35 p.m. Wednesday, a Falcon 9 rocket soared off the launch pad, illuminating the night sky over Cape Canaveral. Its payload: Starlink 6-62, which is the mission name for this batch of 23 Starlink satellites.
The rocket soared into the night on a southeast trajectory as it gave off a loud rumble.
Eight-and-a-half minutes later, the Falcon 9 booster landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.
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Wednesday's booster saw its eighth flight. Its past missions include three other Starlink missions, ESA Euclid, CRS-30, and two Axiom Space crewed missions: Ax-2 and Ax-3.
The first in a SpaceX double-header
Wednesday night was the first of another SpaceX launch double-header.
As the Falcon 9 rocket carried a batch of Starlink satellites into orbit, the SpaceX team had stated plans to launch another batch ? in less than 24-hours.
Thursday evening, another batch of Starlink satellites was set to launch from the Space Coast.
As of Thursday morning, SpaceX had confirmed they were targeting a 6:45 p.m. EDT launch from Kennedy Space Center's Pad 39A. However, the launch was later announced to be moved to the end of the window at 10:13 p.m. EDT.
Like Wednesday's launch, the Falcon 9 rocket was expected to travel in a southeast trajectory and land on a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Starliner launch update
The Space Coast almost saw a triple-launch week. NASA released a statement that the launch of Starliner's Crewed Flight Test has been further delayed, waving off a Saturday, May 25 attempt. The next launch attempt is now slated for no earlier than 12:25 p.m. EDT, Saturday, June 1. This will give the teams more time to ensure the spacecraft is ready for launch.
The last launch attempt on May 6 was scrubbed when a faulty oxygen valve was discovered on the Atlas V rocket. ULA crews worked to replace the oxygen valve, yet further delays came after a helium leak was discovered coming from a thruster in the spacecraft's service module — a disposable module containing thrusters which sits underneath the spacecraft.
"It has been important that we take our time to understand all the complexities of each issue including the redundant capabilities of the Starliner propulsion system and any implications to our Interim Human Rating Certification. We will launch Butch and Suni on this test mission after the entire community has reviewed the teams progress and flight rationale at the upcoming Delta Agency Flight Test Readiness Review," Steve Stich, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program was quoted in a press update.
Backup launch opportunities extend into Sunday, June 2, Wednesday, June 5, and Thursday, June 6.
The FLORIDA TODAY Space Team will continue to bring you the latest information on this story and all the launches at the Cape at Floridatoday.com/space.
Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at [email protected] or on X: @brookeofstars.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lights up night sky over Space Coast, Florida
