CCSFS

Falcon 9, Booster B1077, Astranis 'From One To Many,' September 20, 2024

Despite no rockets heading to space this weekend from the Eastern Range, it was still quite a busy weekend for both SpaceX and Blue Origin at Cape Canaveral.

Friday Evening / Saturday Morning

Falcon 9 / Astranis ‘From One To Many’ standing at the launch pad early Friday evening at Space Launch Complex 40.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

First up on deck was SpaceX and Falcon 9 out at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for the Astranis “From One To Many” mission. After a couple of short pushes to later in the evening, T-0 was set for midnight on Saturday morning.

The countdown seemed smooth and without incident, but when Falcon 9 ignited its engines, there was an immediate shutdown and a launch abort. Due to the nature of Falcon 9’s propellants, a scrub for the evening was called immediately.

Falcon 9, Booster B1077, Astranis 'From One To Many,' September 20, 2024
Falcon 9, Booster B1077, Astranis ‘From One To Many,’ September 20, 2024
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

SpaceX has not disclosed what caused the shutdown to happen, but as of Sunday morning, Falcon 9 is horizontal on the launch mount at SLC-40. Both rocket and payload are safe, and SpaceX’s team is working to remediate the issue(s) that caused the shutdown. They have not announced a new launch day/time for the next attempt for this mission.

Falcon 9, horizontal at SLC-40 on Sunday, December 22, 2024
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Blue Origin Continues Wet Dress Testing of New Glenn

Over at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral, Blue Origin continued testing New Glenn as it prepares for the first launch of the company’s first orbital rocket.

New Glenn standing tall at LC-36 in Cape Canaveral on Saturday, December 21, 2024. The rocket was venting vapors and the burnoff towers were aflame most of the day.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Throughout the day and early to the evening, Blue’s team conducted a Wet Dress Rehearsal for New Glenn, and at times a Static Fire of the first stage seemed imminent: the venting would stop, flame from burn-off stacks would diminish, while ice was falling off of the rocket. But, alas, it was not meant to be.

The status and outcomes of the Wet Dress Rehearsals have not been released by Blue Origin. Given that New Glenn remains upright and that no statement of any potential delays have been announced, optimistically, things seem to be going well.

As seen from the pier at Jetty Park, Blue Origin’s New Glenn on its launch mount on September 21, 2024. To the right, the Cape Canaveral lighthouse.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk o Titusville

No timelines for any potential static-fire or launch attempts have been given. Aside from successfully completing prelaunch operations and a static fire of New Glenn, Blue Origin still needs a launch license from the FAA before it can send New Glenn on its debut flight. Given that Blue Origin has said that they are planning to launch this year, it will need to come soon — and the Christmas holiday looms next week.

New Glenn venting on December 21, 2024
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Both Blue Origin and SpaceX Are Staying Busy At Port Canaveral

A quick look at Port Canaveral saw no SpaceX automdated drone ships in port, but both of their support ships, Bob and Doug, were moored at the SpaceX docks.

Booster B1090 is on the dock awaiting transportation to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility at Kennedy Space Center, and by all appearances, that move will be made quite soon.

Only a few yards to the northwest, Blue Origin’s booster landing ship Jacklyn and its support ship, ‘Harvey Stone’ were also in port.

Booster B1090 on SpaceX's dock at Port Canaveral Saturday morning.
Booster B1090 on SpaceX’s dock at Port Canaveral Saturday morning.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Blue Origin's Jacklyn and Harvey Stone look ship-shape and ready to head out to see when the word is given. After a successful static fire, when this pair heads out things will be getting real for the first flight of New Glenn.
Blue Origin’s Jacklyn and Harvey Stone look ship-shape and ready to head out to see when the word is given. After a successful static fire, when this pair heads out things will be getting real for the first flight of New Glenn.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
SpaceX's 'Doug' moored in Port Canaveral on December 21, 2024
SpaceX’s ‘Doug’ moored in Port Canaveral on December 21, 2024
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Good Neighbors: from left to right: Blue Origin’s ‘Jacklyn’, Blue’s ‘Harvey Stone’, SpaceX’s berth and Booster B1090.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Next Launch

SpaceX is on deck for Starlink 12-2.

  • Date: NET December 23, 2024
  • Organization: SpaceX
  • Mission: Starlink 12-2
  • Rocket: Falcon 9
  • Launch Site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center
  • Launch Window: 12:35 AM – 3:21 AM EST
  • Payload: Telecommunications satellites
Read more

SpaceX launched an undisclosed payload for the US Space Force tonight from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral aboard Falcon 9. Liftoff was at 7:52 EST (00:52 UTC) under heavy skies on the Space Coast.

Falcon 9 RRTS-1 Liftoff, as seen on the SpaceX livestream.

Around 8.5 minutes later, Falcon 9 Booster B1085 completed its fourth mission successfully when it touched down on ASDS ‘A Shortfall Of Gravitas’ stationed off of the coast of the Carolinas. ASOG and B1085 will now return to Port Canaveral, where the booster will be offloaded and returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X at Kennedy Space Center for inspection and preparation for its fifth flight.

Payload

Good question. Those who know aren’t saying, but evidence points towards a GPS satellite according to a number of sources who closely analyzed the publicly available information of the flight path for this launch and then compared that to other missions.

See: Spaceflight Now RRT-1 mission coverage

Others were more specific, saying it is the GPS-IIIA satellite. If so, that would mean that the first of the third-generation GPS satellites has been launched.

Launch Replay

Next Launch

SpaceX is planning to launch the O3b mPower 7 & 8 mission from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center NET Tuesday, December 17, 2024. The launch window opens at 3:59 PM EST and closes at 5:26 PM the same day.

Weather is a major watch item for this flight, with a 45% Probability of Violation at any point in the launch window, according to the December 16 launch forecast issued by the US Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron.

  • Date: NET December 17, 2024
  • Organization: SpaceX
  • Mission: O3b mPower 7 & 8
  • Rocket: Falcon 9
  • Launch Site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center
  • Launch Window: 3:59 – 5:26 PM EST
  • Payload: Officially undisclosed
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Vaya Space Vortex engine during a test fire. Credit: Vaya Space
A rendering of Vaya’s Dauntless rocket.
Credit: Vaya Space

Vaya Space has secured a multi-launch contract to deploy up to 250 satellites for Space Telecommunications, Inc.’s small-satellite constellation using its Dauntless rocket, with launches starting in 2027.

“Today’s announcement is validation of the hard work of our entire team and a testament to the vision of our partners at Space Telecommunications,” said Kevin Lowdermilk, Vaya Space CEO. “This collaboration underscores the transformative potential of hybrid propulsion in shaping the future of satellite launch and space exploration.” 

Who Is Vaya Space?

Vaya Space a space and defense company, was founded in 2017 by Sid Gutierrez, the former Space Shuttle Commander and NASA’s first US-born Hispanic astronaut as Rocket Crafters, based in Cocoa. Since then, the company has developed a hybrid propulsion system and rocket technologies that are non-explosive, non-toxic, using solid rocket fuel is produced from 99% recycled post-industrial thermoplastics.

A Vaya Space Vortex engine test in late 2023
Photo: Vaya Space

The company’s Dauntless Block I is a ~60-foot (18.3) two-stage rocket, and is about the same size as a Rocket Lab Electron. It is planned to be able to launch at least 500 kilograms to orbit, versus 320 kilograms for Electron to Low-Earth Orbit.

Unlike Electron, a kerolox (kerosene-liquid oxygen system), Vaya’s Vortex solid rocket motors make Dauntless a nearly portable system that can be launched virtually anywhere. Dauntless is planned to launch for the first time in 2026. The company plans to launch from LC-13 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Vaya also has a Dauntless Block II in development, which will increase the maximum payload to orbit to at least 1100 kilograms, giving the system many more mission applications for which it will be suitable.

Comments On The New Contract

“Working with Vaya Space ensures our constellation will achieve the highest level of precision and reliability, which is critical to our mission of connecting communities worldwide,” Tae Oh, Founder of Space Telecommunications. 

“This partnership represents a pivotal moment for both companies,” said Mary Baldino, Director of Sales and Marketing at Vaya Space. “Our affordable and reliable hybrid rocket technology positions Dauntless to meet the growing demands of satellite constellations like Space Telecommunications’, ensuring timely, precise deployment and maximum operational efficiency.” 

“The launch campaign will mark a significant milestone in transitioning Dauntless from its inaugural mission to a regular launch cadence,” said Vaya Chairman Sid Gutierrez. “Designed, built, and tested on Florida’s Space Coast, Dauntless and its hybrid propulsion system are designed to bring simplicity, safety, affordability, and reliability to orbital launch.” 

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Lather, rinse, repeat: SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 carrying the Starlink 12-5 mission shortly after midnight this morning. Liftoff was at 12:10 AM EST from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral and into cool, clear, star-studded skies over the Space Coast.

Starlink 12-5’s path through the sky this morning.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Around 8.3 minutes later, Falcon 9 touched down offshore on ASDS ‘A Shortfall Of Gravitas’, successfully concluding its 2nd mission. ‘A Shortfall Of Gravitas’ had been pre-positioned offshore downrange and will now return to Port Canaveral where the booster will be returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X for inspection and, presumably, preparation for its 3rd flight.

It is believed that the booster used for this morning’s flight is B1086, which was first used as a side-booster for the Falcon Heavy GOES-U launch earlier this year, but SpaceX only stated “This is the second flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched GOES-U.”

Spectators who lined the usual spots in Cape Canaveral, Titusville and other Space Coast locations were able to watch Falcon 9 for quite a long while in the clear skies: from 528 West at the Banana River Bridge, Falcon 9’s second stage was visible for at least 6.5 minutes after launch, while the booster Entry Burn was in plain sight for the entirety of that phase of flight. Such are winter night launches into dry air and clear skies.

Falcon 9 and Starlink 12-5 in flight, as seen in Orlando.
Photo: Ed Cordero / Florida Media Now

Payload

On their mission web page, SpaceX stated that tonight’s payload was “23 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capability.”

Those satellites will join the nearly 7,000 other Starlink satellites as part of SpaceX’s internet connectivity service serving over 4 million customers in more than 100 countries world-wide.

Launch Replay

By The Numbers

  • 60th launch from SLC-40 this year
  • 991st Cape Canaveral launch
  • 129th SpaceX launch in 2024
  • 2.7 days between SpaceX launches in 2024
  • 441st SpaceX launch all time
  • 384th Falcon-family booster landing (includes Falcon Heavy cores)
  • 89th landing on A Shortfall Of Gravitas
  • 56th consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch

Next Launch

SpaceX is planning to launch the O3b mPower 7 & 8 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral NET Friday, December 13, 2024. The launch window opens at 3:55 PM EST and closes at 5:55 PM the same day.

  • Date: NET December 13, 2024
  • Organization: SpaceX
  • Mission: O3b mPower 7 & 8
  • Rocket: Falcon 9
  • Launch Site: Space Launch Complex 40, CCSFS
  • Launch Window: 3:55 – 5:55 PM EST
  • Payload: Telecommunication satellites for SES

Keep in mind that launch dates and times change often. Launch attempts can be scrubbed anytime due to weather, technical reasons, or range conditions.

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SpaceX Falcon 9 launches from Launch Complex 40 at Kennedy Space Center on November 25, 2024. Photo: SpaceX

SpaceX launched the Starlink 12-1 mission to low-Earth orbit aboard a Falcon 9 early Monday morning from Cape Canaveral. The launch time was 5:02 AM. According to the company, 23 Starlink satellites were deployed successfully, including 12 of the communications platform’s Direct-To-Cell capable version. According to SpaceX, “Starlink Direct to Cell network delivers seamless access to texting, voice and data on phones across the globe.”

Starlink 12-1 launches aboard Falcon 9 on November 25, 2024.
Photo courtesy SpaceX

Around 8.5 minutes after liftoff, Booster B1080 touched down safely on the company’s drone ship ‘A Shortfall Of Gravitas’ to complete its twelfth mission successfully, while the second stage and payload continued to low Earth orbit. About the same time that the booster landed, the initial orbit for the payload was achieved, with a short orbit rounding burn just before payload deployment.

B0180 flew today only 14 days after its Starlink 6-69 mission on November 11th, only fourteen days ago. That’s the fastest turnaround on record thus far for a Falcon 9 booster, besting the previous record of 21 days, achieved by B1062 in 2022. Now safely aboard ‘Just Read The Instructions,’ booster and barge will now return with B0180 to Port Canaveral, where B1080 will be offloaded, returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility at Kennedy Space Center, where it will be inspected, and presumably begin the process of it being prepared for its next mission.

At 6:08 AM EDT, SpaceX confirmed a successful deployment of the payload of Starlink satellites and a successful end to the flight.

Launch Replay

By The Numbers

  • SpaceX launch this year
  • 434th SpaceX launch all time
  • 50th consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch
  • 377th Falcon Family Booster landing
  • 98th landing on ‘Just Read The Instructions’
  • 57th launch from Space Launch Complex 40 this year

Next Launch

Space Coast residents won’t have to wait long for the next launch. SpaceX has a Falcon 9 launch carrying the Starlink 6-76 group planned for late this evening from pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. The launch window opens at 10:35 PM and extends to 2:31 AM EST Tuesday morning.

  • Date: NET November 25, 2024
  • Organization: SpaceX
  • Mission: Starlink 6-76
  • Rocket: Falcon 9
  • Launch Site: Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center
  • Launch Window: 10:35 PM – 2:31 AM EST
  • Payload: Starlink satellites

Keep in mind that launch dates and times change often. Launch attempts can be scrubbed anytime due to weather, technical reasons, or range conditions.

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Starship Heavy lifts off from Boca Chica, Texas to start the IFT-6 mission. Photo: Richard Gallagher, FMN

Some weeks, they say, are better than others. This week was one of those better ones, as there has been major activities and milestones set this week:

  • SpaceX flies Starship Heavy on sixth test flight
  • Blue Origin raises New Glenn to vertical for final tests prior to maiden launch
  • Artemis II assembly begins in the VAB at Kennedy Space Center
  • SpaceX flies four Falcon 9 missions in four days, and is nearing its 400th rocket launch
  • Blue Origin launches New Shepard NS-28 with two Winter Park residents and Emily Calendrelli aboard.

That’s a lot of activity, and a lot of what happened this week sets up some exciting times in the future.

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SpaceX sent another batch of Starlink satellites to orbit this morning from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral. Liftoff was at 11:07 AM EST into seasonably cool (~65ºF) and crystal blue skies over Florida.

SpaceX Starlink 6-66 rises out of the heat distortion in the air over the Banana River on November 21, 2024. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
SpaceX Starlink 6-66 rises out of the heat distortion in the air over the Banana River on November 21, 2024.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Around 8.25 minutes later, Falcon 9 booster B1069 touched down offshore on ASDS ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas, successfully concluding its 20th mission. ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ had been pre-positioned off the coast of The Bahamas in the Atlantic Ocean and will return to Port Canaveral and B1069 will be returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X for inspection and, presumably, preparation for its next flight.

The booster joins an ever-expanding group of Falcon 9 boosters with at least 20 successful missions. SpaceX has said in the past that they are working towards certifying Falcon 9 first-stage boosters for at least forty flights, but so far none has flown more than 23 times successfully: Booster B1067 is the leader in the clubhouse with 23 flights, and it is ostensibly in preparation for its next flight, its 24th.

SpaceX Starlink 6-66 ascending on November 21, 2024 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
SpaceX Starlink 6-66 ascending on November 21, 2024 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

While the booster was landing at sea on its target drone ship, the second stage of Falcon 9 continued to orbit, and achieved its initial elliptical orbit about the same time as the booster was touching down below on Earth’s surface. A quick orbital rounding burn followed, and at 12:13 PM EST, SpaceX announced that the launch was a success when it said that the payload of Starlink satellites had been successfully deployed.

By The Numbers

  • 988th launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
  • 273rd launch from SLC-40 at CCSFS
  • 432nd SpaceX launch all time
  • 56th launch from SLC-40 this year
  • 48th consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch
  • 375th Falcon Family Booster landing
  • 86th landing on ASOG
  • 120th SpaceX launch this year

Launch Replay

Next Launch

SpaceX is scheduled to launch the Northrup Grumman-built Optus X telecommunications satellite aboard a Falcon 9 Sunday afternoon from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center.

  • Date: NET November 25, 2024
  • Organization: SpaceX
  • Mission: Starlink 12-1
  • Rocket: Falcon 9
  • Launch Site: Space Launch Complex 40, CCSFS
  • Launch Window: 4:32 – 8:32 AM EST
  • Payload: Starlink satellites

Keep in mind that launch dates and times change often. Launch attempts can be scrubbed anytime due to weather, technical reasons, or range conditions.

Read more

A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifts off carrying the GSAT-20 mission on November 18, 2024 Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

SpaceX kept up their torrid pace of launches this afternoon when it launched the GSAT-20 for New Space India Ltd. (NSIL) from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Liftoff was at 1:31 PM ET under a nearly completely overcast sky.

Booster B1077 powering Falcon 9 off of the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 40 on November 18th. Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
Booster B1077 powering Falcon 9 off of the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 40 on November 18th
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

This is a very busy time SpaceX. It has launched three Falcon 9 missions over the past two days, and also plans to launch Starship Heavy on its sixth test flight from Texas tomorrow.

About 8.5 minutes after liftoff, Booster B1073 successfully touched down on the SpaceX droneship ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions’, completing its part of the mission. At roughly the same time as the first stage touchdown, Falcon 9’s second stage achieved orbit.

At 2:06 PM ET, SpaceX confirmed the successful deployment of the payload, concluding another successful Falcon 9 mission for the company. Today marked the 114th successful Falcon 9 mission in 2024.

Payload

GSAT-20 Satellite
Courtesy: ISRO

The GSAT-20 satellite was built by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) for New Space India Ltd. (NSIL). NSIL is the commercial arm of ISRO, with the primary responsibility of enabling Indian industries to take up space-related activities.

The GSAT-20 satellite is a 4,700 kilogram geostationary Ka-band high-throughput communications satellite with 32 spot beams and an approximately Gigabit per second throughput. It is designed to cover all of India, with a special emphasis on providing connectivity for Northeastern India. It is slated for a 14-year service life after commissioning.

ISRO opted for SpaceX to launch GSAT 20 because India’s indigenous heavy rocket, the Launch Vehicle Mark 3, lacks the capability to launch a satellite of this size and weight to a geostationary transfer orbit.

By The Numbers

  • 432nd SpaceX launch all time
  • 112th launch rocket launch this year for SpaceX
  • 430th launch all-time for SpaceX
  • 273rd launch from Space Launch Complex 40, all-time
  • 374th Falcon Family Booster landing
  • 87th landing on A Shortfall Of Gravitas
  • 45th consecutive successful landing for a Falcon family booster

Launch Replay

Next Launch

SpaceX plans to launch the Starlink 6-66 mission with a Falcon 9 carrying more Starlink satellites for Group 6 on Thursday, November 21st.

  • Date: NET November 21, 2024
  • Organization: SpaceX
  • Mission: Starlink 6-66
  • Rocket: Falcon 9
  • Launch Site: Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral
  • Launch Window: 10:53 AM – 2:53 PM EST
  • Payload: Starlink satellites

Keep in mind that launch dates and times change often. Launch attempts can be scrubbed anytime due to weather, technical reasons, or range conditions.

Falcon 9 quickly went into the clouds after lifting off on November 18, 2024
Falcon 9 quickly went into the clouds after lifting off on November 18, 2024
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
The tail of the Dragon: as it entered the clouds over Space Launch Complex 40, Falcon 9's Merlin engines put on a brief but colorful display. Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
The tail of the Dragon: as it entered the clouds over Space Launch Complex 40, Falcon 9’s Merlin engines put on a brief but colorful display. Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
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SpaceX launched the Starlink 6-69 mission to low-Earth orbit late this afternoon, and by so doing completed its second launch from the Eastern Range (Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center) in less than five hours. Starlink 6-69 launched aboard Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 at 4:28 PM EST, a mere four hours and six minutes after SpaceX launched Koreasat 6A from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Both launches were successes.

People enjoying late afternoon on Cocoa Beach were treated to a second launch for the day.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Around 8.5 minutes after liftoff, Booster B1080 touched down safely on the company’s drone ship ‘A Shortfall Of Gravitas’ to complete its twelfth mission successfully, while the second stage and payload continued to low Earth orbit. About the same time that the booster landed, the initial orbit for the payload was achieved, with a short orbit rounding burn just before payload deployment.

‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ will now return with B0180 to Port Canaveral, where the booster will be offloaded, returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility at Kennedy Space Center where it will be inspected and presumably begin the process of it being prepared for its next mission,

At 5:33 PM EDT, SpaceX confirmed a successful deployment of the payload of Starlink satellites and a successful end to the flight.

Launch Replay

By The Numbers

  • 113th SpaceX launch this year
  • 426th SpaceX launch all time
  • 40th consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch
  • 369th Falcon Family Booster landing
  • 84th landing on A Shortfall Of Gravitas
  • 53rd launch from Space Launch Complex 40 this year

Next Launch

The next launch from the Eastern Range is a near carbon copy of today’s Starlink 6-69 flight. Starlink 6-68 is slated to launch from SLC-40 on Thursday with the launch window opening at 5:33 AM EST and extending to 9:33 AM the same day. The payload is another group of Starlink satellites to join SpaceX’s constellation of data satellites.

  • Date: NET November 14, 2024
  • Organization: SpaceX / NASA
  • Mission: Starlink 6-68
  • Rocket: Falcon 9
  • Launch Site: Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral
  • Launch Window: 5:33 AM – 9:33 AM EST
  • Payload: Starlink satellites

Keep in mind that launch dates and times change often. Launch attempts can be scrubbed anytime due to weather, technical reasons, or range conditions.

Starlink 6-69 rising to space on November 11, 2024
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Starlink 6-69 rising to space on November 11, 2024
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

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SpaceX Falcon 9 launching the Koreasat 6A mission from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

SpaceX launched the Koreasat 6A satellite from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center this afternoon. Liftoff was at 12:22 PM EDT under blue skies and on a warm afternoon here on the Space Coast.

Several minutes after launching, Booster B1067 touched down at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral and became the first SpaceX booster to successfully complete 23 launches and landings. Two other Falcon 9 boosters have also flown 23 times, with one being expended (with no landing attempt) and another that did not land successfully and was destroyed.

About the same time that the booster landed, the initial orbit for the payload was achieved. At 12:57 PM EST SpaceX announced the payload had been successfully deployed, concluding another successful Falcon 9 mission for the company.

SpaceX Falcon 9 launching with the Koreasat 6A payload aboard on November 11, 2024.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Launch Replay

By The Numbers

  • 112th SpaceX launch this year
  • 20th launch from LC-39A this year
  • 39th consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch
  • 424th SpaceX launch all time
  • 368th Falcon Family Booster landing
  • 47th landing on LZ-1
Falcon 9 emerging from behind its contrail this afternoon over the coast of Florida.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Next Launch

Space Coast residents will not have to wait very long until the next launch: Starlink 6-69 is scheduled for today, with the launch window opening at 4:28 PM EST and extending to 7:44 PM. The payload is another group of Starlink satellites to join SpaceX’s constellation of data satellites.

  • Date: NET November 11, 2024
  • Organization: SpaceX / NASA
  • Mission: Starlink 6-69
  • Rocket: Falcon 9
  • Launch Site: Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral
  • Launch Window: 4:28 PM – 7:44 PM EST
  • Payload: Starlink satellites

Keep in mind that launch dates and times change often. Launch attempts can be scrubbed anytime due to weather, technical reasons, or range conditions.

Falcon 9 ascending with the Koreasat 6A satellite on November 11, 2024
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
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