Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
SpaceX is planning to launch another group of Starlink satellites from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station today, weather permitting. The launch window opens at 3:16 PM ET and extends to 7:45 PM early this evening. According to SpaceX, if the mission does not launch today, then “If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Monday, March 31 starting at 2:57 p.m. ET.”
Booster B1080 will power the rocket off of the pad, and will be flying its 17th mission. B1080 has previously flown Ax-2, Euclid, Ax-3, CRS-30, SES ASTRA 1P, NG-21, and 10 Starlink missions. After stage separation, it will land on ASDS ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ located offshore in the Atlantic Ocean.
At A Glance
- Organization: SpaceX
- Location: Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
- Rocket: Falcon 9
- Pad: Space Launch Complex 40
- Status: Go for Launch
- Status Info: Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
- Window Opens: Sunday, 03/30/2025 3:16:00 PM
- Window Closes: Sunday, 03/30/2025 7:45:00 PM
- Destination: Low Earth Orbit
- Mission Description: A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation – SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system.
* consult SpaceX website for the specific target for T-0.
Weather
There is no forecast available from the 45th Weather Squadron for today’s launch at the time of this writing. The National Weather Service general forecast calls for a 50% chance of showers through the forecast period with light winds, so 50/50 sounds like a good guess.
Since those storms may carry electrical activity and/or potential, the lightning, anvil cloud, heavy cloud cover and other launch criteria may apply, but with no official Launch Mission Execution Forecast available, it is impossible to say.
Trajectory
Southeast, towards The Bahamas.
Online Viewing
SpaceX will have a livestream of the launch on their website: Starlink 6-80 Mission Page. 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 Flight 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. They are also on the web: nextspaceflight.com.
Launch Viewing: In Person
The best free options are available for spectators: Northern Titusville parks on Washington Avenu / US-1 are your best bets: Space View Park, Sands Park, Rotary Riverfront Park.
Local recommendations also say the Cafe Paradiso and Ven pa’ Ca Café are excellent choices for before, after and even during launches. Grab a bite to eat, walk over to the Indian River and watch the launch.
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