Prepare to witness SpaceX’s groundbreaking mission as they launch the largest group of second-generation Starlink satellites to date from the West Coast. This extraordinary event will mark the 50th Starlink launch of the year, showcasing the company’s unmatched innovation and commitment to revolutionizing space exploration.
The highly-anticipated Falcon 9 mission, carrying an impressive payload of 22 satellites, is scheduled to liftoff from the prestigious Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The planned launch time is set for 2 a.m. PDT (5 a.m. EDT / 0900 UTC), with backup launch times available at 2:50:40 a.m. PDT (5:50:40 p.m. EDT / 09:50:40 UTC) and 3:08:40 a.m. PDT (6:08:40 a.m. EDT / 10:08:40 UTC).
Immerse yourself in the excitement of this historic moment by tuning in to Spaceflight Now’s 24-7 Launch Pad Live stream, where you can witness every thrilling detail of the California launch.
Following the West Coast mission, SpaceX has another groundbreaking Starlink delivery lined up for Sunday. This mission, set to launch from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 7:45 p.m. EDT (2345 UTC), will carry 23 satellites, adding to the ever-growing Starlink constellation.
Notably, the Starlink 7-6 mission will be the first time a Falcon 9 rocket has carried 22 of the innovative V2 Mini satellites from the West Coast. Previous launches from this region were limited to 15 or 21 Starlinks, depending on the specific orbit. On the East Coast, just last week, a Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched 23 V2 Minis from Cape Canaveral, exceeding the previous maximum load.
SpaceX has not divulged the details behind this remarkable increase in delivery capacity. It could be attributed to an improvement in the performance of the Falcon 9 or a manufacturing alteration that has reduced the satellites’ overall weight.
Adding to the excitement, the Falcon 9 first-stage booster, known as tail number B1075, will embark on its seventh flight during this mission. Since its debut in January of this year, this booster has played an instrumental role in various space missions, including carrying 51 older-generation Starlinks into orbit, supporting the U.S. military’s Space Development Agency, and completing four more Starlink delivery flights. Its previous flight occurred just 34 days ago on Sept. 25, showcasing the rapid turnaround capabilities of SpaceX’s technology.
After separating from the Falcon 9 second stage, B1075 will continue its journey, making an epic landing on the droneship Of Course I Just Love You, stationed in the majestic Pacific off the coast of Baja California.
Approximately one hour into the flight, the 22 Starlink satellites will be gracefully released from the second stage, steadily expanding the constellation’s presence in the Earth’s orbit. If all goes according to plan, this deployment will bring the total number of Starlink satellites in orbit to an astounding 4,989, as reported by Jonathan McDowell’s comprehensive statistics.
In addition to the technical achievements, this launch signifies another impressive milestone for SpaceX. If the launch proceeds as scheduled, it will mark the completion of an impressive 25 orbital missions from Vandenberg within the last 365 days. Astonishingly, this averages out to one launch every 14.6 days. When including launches from Cape Canaveral, this upcoming mission will be the 89th orbital mission completed by SpaceX in the last 365 days, showcasing an astonishing average of one launch every 4.1 days.
