SpaceX launches new group of Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral, Florida on Tuesday
At 10:16 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, a Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral’s Launch Complex 40, delivering 20 Starlink satellites to orbit, of which 13 contained Direct to Cell mobile service capabilities.
This launch did not travel the southeast trajectory typically seen on the Space Coast. Instead, it went upward and to the east before disappearing behind the clouds.
While in the past months SpaceX has been launching Group 6 satellites from Cape Canaveral, Tuesday marked the first batch of Group 8 satellites launched from the Space Coast. With this launch aiming for a different orbit, it traveled in a northeast trajectory.
When is the next Florida rocket launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA rocket launch schedule in Florida
SpaceX Starlink Group 8 first Cape Canaveral liftoff
The allotted launch window, according to Geospatial Navigational and FAA warnings, ran from 8:04 p.m. to 11:58 p.m. EDT. With the 45th Weather Squadron calling for weather to be more favorable in the later portion of the launch window, SpaceX announced Tuesday afternoon they would target a 10:16 p.m. EDT liftoff ?which they successfully met.
While Tuesday's Falcon 9 booster celebrated a 20th flight, its most memorable missions include the launch of NASA's Crew-3 and Crew-4. Although this booster carried 10 other Starlink missions to orbit, other launches this booster can claim include: Turksat 5B, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13G, mPOWER-a, PSN SATRIA, Telkomsat Merah Putih 2, and two ISS resupply missions.
Eight and a half minutes after leaving the pad, the Falcon 9 booster landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship in the Atlantic Ocean. With the distance of this landing, Central Florida did not hear any sonic booms.
Next Florida rocket launch
NASA, Boeing and ULA are targeting another launch attempt of Boeing’s Starliner at 10:52 a.m. EDT on June 5 from Cape Canaveral. A backup launch opportunity exists at 10:29 a.m. on Thursday, June 6.
Later in the week, SpaceX is targeting another Starlink launch between 6:58 p.m. to 11:26 p.m on Friday, June 7, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. While SpaceX has yet to confirm the mission, a Geospatial Navigational Warning shows a four-and-a-half hour launch window, which indications a Starlink launch.
Be sure to follow the FLORIDA TODAY Space Team at floridatoday.com/space for the latest updates from the Space Coast.
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 launches first Group 8 Starlink batch from Space Coast, Florida