If there’s anything as certain as death or taxes, it’s that it will rain in the summer in Florida. For the last two days, rain has scuttled SpaceX’s best efforts to launch the Starlink 10-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, with steady rain Wednesday shutting down the first attempt and yesterday, skies that were clearing, but not enough to allow a launch to proceed. They will try again today, and hope for better luck and bluer skies.

According to the company, “Liftoff is targeted for 4:31 p.m. ET, with backup opportunities available until 8:19 p.m. ET. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Saturday, June 15 starting at 4:07 p.m. ET.”

We’ve updated our original launch article with new weather information.

Payload

22 Starlink Mini V2 satellites, to be used in SpaceX’s orbital-based Internet service.

Weather

The 45th Weather Squadron is forecasting a 95% chance of creating a Range Violation Thursday, meaning a mere 5% chance of acceptable conditions throughout the launch window. On Thursday, conditions improve slightly: 15% “Go”, with an 85%” Probability of Violation.

In their discussion, the 45th Weather Squadron states, “Daytime heating and the presence of the boundary will once again kick off numerous showers and storms by mid Friday afternoon with the exact location of activity dependent on how much north-northeasterly flow we see behind the boundary. Models continue to show the tendency for any activity to be inland of the Spaceport, especially heading further into the launch window. Anvil level flow will still be out of the west-northwest, though less robust than this evening, meaning that even with activity to the southwest anvil may still reach the Spaceport and these will remain the primary concern.”

Anvils are of course thunderclouds — they may or may not produce rain and/or thunder and lightning, but they do have enormous potential energy — and rockets are well known to create lightning strikes. That in mind, the 45th and launch providers won’t launch if one is within a given distance of the launch pad. The risk of a lightning bolt creating a bad day is too high.

Sky Cover

The National Weather Service predicts cloud cover of about 40% this afternoon at the opening of the launch window.

Trajectory

The planned trajectory for the launch is northeast, or right-to-left if you are facing the Atlantic Ocean on Florida’s east coast. Depending on the time of day and the weather in their location, people living to the north of the Space Coast may see the rocket as it ascends.

Booster B1073

According to SpaceX, tonight’s booster previously launched “This is the 16th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched previously launched SES-22, ispace’s HAKUTO-R MISSION 1, Amazonas-6, CRS-27, Bandwagon-1, and 10 Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.” and will be on its nineteenth mission overall. That’s Booster B1073.

B1073 last flew May 12, 2024, or thirty-one days ago.

Countdown Timeline

There are key events in the countdown that you may hear called out in launch coverage.

Remember that once Propellant Loading (T-minus thirty-eight minutes) starts, Falcon 9 is committed to the launch attempt. Because of the nature of the cryogenic fuels used to power the rockets, any hold precludes a later launch attempt the same day. While it only rarely happens, there have been occasions where that has happened, and a launch scrub is called for the day’s attempt.

SpaceX provides the following countdown milestones on their mission information page:

Typical SpaceX countdown timeline is presented for information purposes only.

Timeline of Falcon 9 Flight

SpaceX has published a timeline of expected events during the mission:

All events up to the end of the 1st stage entry burn should be visible for launch spectators watching the launch in person, so long as clouds are not blocking the viewer’s line of sight.

Watching Online

SpaceCoastLaunchCalendar.com will have a livestream of the launch if you’re not able to watch the launch in person: Livestream

SpaceX will have a livestream of the launch on their website: Starlink 10-2. This will also be available on the X platform. Coverage starts about five minutes before liftoff.

Spaceflight Now will have coverage of the launch starting about one hour before liftoff on Youtube: link

For official updates regarding launch times, SpaceX.com is the best source of information. Starlink launch times change from time to time, and the company generally updates their website within minutes of the decision to change the launch time. This is very handy if none of the streaming options on YouTube have started their broadcasts.

Remember that there is a delay between a launch stream and the actual countdown clock. That is simply because of physics: it takes time for the signal to travel from the launch site, through the Internet, and back down to your phone, resulting in a five to fifteen-second delay.

Next Space Launch an app for iOS and Android phones, has a real-time countdown clock that is accurate to a second, give or take. The app is free. Search the App Store or Google Play.

Launch Viewing: In Person

This morning’s planned launch is from SLC-40, on the south side of the Eastern Range (KSC and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station combined.) The southern parks in Titusville on Washington Avenue and FL-528/A1A in Cape Canaveral are the best spots to watch liftoff directly.

• Banana River Bridge on FL-528 W in Cape Canaveral
• Kennedy Point Park in Titusville
• Rotary Riverfront Park in Titusville

Restaurants With Good Launch Views

Given the early hours of the launch window (7:30AM – 11:30AM EDT) these restaurants may not be open for launch viewing. Later in the day, all three may well be, so if you are interested, be sure to call ahead to make sure they’ll be ready to serve you.

• The Space Bar ($$$) – atop the Courtyard Marriott near Kennedy Parkway
• New York New York ($$) – on the Indian River with an outdoor seating area. Is family-friendly.
• Shiloh’s ($$$) — located on the Indian River with an outdoor deck overlooking KSC/CCSFS

Indirect Views

There are several excellent viewing spots for SLC-40 launches that offer indirect views — meaning you won’t see the rocket until it clears obstructions such as trees, buildings, even a storm berm in one case.

• Jetty Park, Port Canaveral
  • Fee required, much be purchased in advance: Port Canaveral Store
  • It’s very possible to see a cruise ship coming or going.
  • The pier especially has great views
• Cocoa Beach
  • Parking fees (probably). Pay with your smartphone on the parking app. There are signs everywhere telling you how.
  • Further away, but still good views.
• Northern Titusville Parks
  • Further away, but really nice views.

Playalinda Beach

Playalinda Beach out on the Cape Canaveral National Seashore will be open to spectators until 8 PM EDT, that is if KSC Security and the National Park Service allow viewers for the launch. It opens to visitors at 6 AM.

Call ahead to be sure.

Cape Canaveral National Seashore • Playalinda Beach
Phone: (386) 428-3384 x0
Current operating hours: 6:00 AM–8:00 PM

If you are going to Playalinda, and if it is open, remember these general tips. Some may not apply to this particular launch.

• Get there at least two hours early, or better, earlier than that. Lines are long at the entry gate and they will only allow as many spectator vehicles as there are parking space available.
• If the launch L-0 time is moved to after 8PM, you must leave Playalinda, as the National Park Service is very strict about closing hours.
• Cape Canaveral National Seashore has a fee to get in and cash is not accepted. Debit and credit cards are okay, or if you have one of the National Park Service’s passes for the Seashore or the National Parks, that will work as well.
• Cellphone service is spotty at best and often non-existent at Playalinda. Don’t count on your cellphone to keep up with the launch; you might get a signal, or you might not.
• You are not allowed to view from the pullouts on Beach Road. Stanchions will block them. You’ll have to park and go to the beach.
• Refreshments are not available. There are no stores at Cape Canaveral National Seashore, so you’ll need to bring drinks and food if you want any while you’re there.
• Rangers will keep you back a certain distance from the launch area on the beach. Even if the beach is open, you’ll still be unable to go down to the fence that demarcates the normal security zone. There’s a line that spectators can’t go past somewhat north of the fence. That’s for safety and security.

Be prepared for potential changes or pushbacks in the launch schedule, and keep up by monitoring the live stream links mentioned above.

Keep up with launch news and other space events that affect the local area by subscribing to alerts when we publish a new article by entering your email at the link at the bottom of this page, or by visiting Space Talk here on the website. It’s free, and you can cancel at any time.

After a delay of one day for reasons that SpaceX did not disclose, the company launched Falcon 9 and the Starlink 6-60 mission from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 40 this morning. Liftoff was at 10:24 into hazy skies.

Spectators reported that the haze — lingering smoke from the weekend’s nearby scrub fire and also the ambient humidity typical of Florida in late may — was so heavy that it was difficult to see the rocket lifting off from the usual spectator spots. Once above the thick air, Falcon 9 was visible to most observers on the Space Coast all the way to first stage Main Engine Cutoff and staging.

Around 8.25 minutes after liftoff, the first-stage booster used for the mission, tail number B1078, touched down safely on ASDS ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’, stationed downrange in the Atlantic Ocean near the Bahamas. After landing, B1078 has now flown ten successful missions. ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ will now return to Port Canaveral, where the booster will be unloaded, transported to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility at Kennedy Space Center and prepared for its next flight after inspection and refurbishment.

Launch Replay

Payload

Today’s payload was another 23 Starlink satellites, which will join the ever-growing constellation of low-Earth-based devices in SpaceX’s orbital-based Starlink Internet service. They are manufactured at SpaceX’s Starlink manufacturing facility in Redmond, Washington. There are over 6,000 Starlink satellites in orbit with roughly 3.0 million subscribers in about 100 countries world-wide.

Booster B1078.10 Record

After today’s flight, Booster B1078 has flown ten missions.

Interesting Stats

• 56th SpaceX launch this year
• 26th launch from SLC-40 this year
• 28th launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in 2024
• 40th launch from Eastern Range in 2024
• 5 days, 11:49:00 turnaround for this pad
• 368th SpaceX launch all time
• 313th Falcon Family Booster landing
• 72nd landing on ASOG
• 269th consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch (excluding Amos-6)

Next Launch

Lather, rinse, repeat: another Starlink Group 6 launch is planned for Thursday, May 30, 2024.

Keep in mind that launch dates and times can change without notice at any time.

Keep up with launch news and other space events that affect the local area by subscribing to alerts when we publish a new article by entering your email at the link at the bottom of this page, or by visiting Space Talk here on the website. It’s free and you can unsubscribe at any time.