In a milestone for space exploration and commercial spaceflight, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket successfully lifted off from Launch Complex 36 at Kennedy Space Center on Thursday.
At 2:03 a.m. EST, the 320-foot-tall New Glenn finally roared to life after two holds and was propelled by seven Blue Origin BE-4 engines fueled by liquid oxygen and methane.
Spectators crowded the beaches and riverfront to witness the spectacle, as the rocket ascended gracefully into a cloudy sky obscuring a nearly full moon.
New Glenn during its Integrated Static Fire earlier this month. Photo: Blue Origin
Everything appears to be ready at the launch pad for the maiden launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, but weather offshore has forced at least a two-day delay in the company’s first launch attempt of the 320-foot tall rocket.
New Glenn Launch Update: We're shifting our NG-1 launch date to no earlier than January 12 due to a high sea state in the Atlantic where we hope to land our booster. Our three-hour window remains the same, opening Sunday at 1 a.m. EST (0600 UTC).
The ECWMF forecast model is calling for 12-foot seas overnight tonight, as Blue Origin indicates in their post on X. On Sunday morning, things aren’t predicted to improve much, with 12-14 foot seas in the general vicinity of Blue Origin’s recovery vessel, Jacklyn and its support ship, Harvey Stone.
Position of Jacklyn and Harvey Stone on January 9, 2024
The now-deleted LME from the 45th Weather Squadron corroborates what the commercial forecast models are saying. The 48 hour forecast — for Sunday morning — is also calling for high seas:
Via 45th Weather Squadron of Space Launch Delta 45 Retrieved 01/09/2025 07:00 am EST
For their part, the 45th will release a new LME forecast prior to Sunday’s attempt.
With those forecasts in mind, do not be surprised if Blue Origin is forced to shift New Glenn’s launch date to the right sometime over the weekend. On the other hand, it’s the weather, and it’s the ocean, two things that are well known to defy forecasts.
Starlink 6-71 ascending towards orbit on January 6, 2024 Photo: Ed Cordero / Florida Media Now
SpaceX launched another set of Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit today from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 aboard a Falcon 9. Liftoff was at 3:43 PM ET (2043 UTC) after several pushbacks in the window, presumably due to windy weather from an approaching cold front expected to arrive this evening on the Space Coast.
Around 8.2 minutes after liftoff, Booster B1077 successfully completed its 17th mission when it touched down offshore on ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions’, which was positioned offshore near The Bahamas. Previously, previously launched Crew-5, CRS-28, Intelsat G-37, Optus-X, Immarsat I6-F2, GPS III-6, NG-20, and nine Starlink missions.
JRTI will now return to Port Canaveral, where the booster will be offloaded and returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility for inspection and any needed refurbishment prior to its next flight.
Spectators watch the liftoff of Falcon 9 from Titusville. Photo: Michael Lynch / Talk of Titusville
At 8:39 into flight, Falcon 9’s second stage and the Starlink payload achieved their initial elliptical orbit, which was rounded by a short second burn at the 54:03 mark of the mission. Payload deployment was one hour, five minutes and twelve seconds after liftoff, marking a successful end to SpaceX’s second mission in 2025 from the Eastern Range.
24 Starlink Mini v2 satellites, which will join Group 6 of Starlink’s orbital Internet connectivity constellation. Currently, there are over 6,900 Starlink satellites in orbit, according to Dr. Jonathon McDowell of the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
Starlink Mini v2 satellites being deployed. This photo was provided by SpaceX last year and was not from today’s mission. Photo: SpaceX
Launch Replay
Next Launch
SpaceX plans to launch Starlink 12-11 from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center.
Date: NET January 8, 2025
Organization: SpaceX
Mission: Starlink 12-11
Rocket: Falcon 9
Launch Site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center
Launch Window: 10:24 AM – 2:55 PM EST
Payload: Starlink satellites for SpaceX’s ISP constellation.
After two previous delays, including an abort-at-ignition and a booster swap, SpaceX launched the ‘From One To Many’ payload for Astranis tonight from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral aboard Falcon 9. Liftoff was at 12:00 AM EST (05:00 UTC) under broken skies on the Space Coast.
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 carrying the SXM-9 satellite for Sirius-XM today. Liftoff was at 11:10 AM EST from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center and into hazy but blue skies over Florida.
Around 8.25 minutes later, Falcon 9 booster B1076 touched down offshore on ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions’, successfully concluding its 19th mission. ‘Just Read The Instructions’ had been pre-positioned offshore downrange and will now return to Port Canaveral where B1076 will be returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X for inspection and, presumably, preparation for its 20th flight.
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.
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.
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.
Beautiful SKies, But Launch Bad Photography Weather
The cooler air over warmer water meant different air densities were mixing, creating perfect conditions for something I call “shimmer” but is more properly called “heat distortion.” Given that 8-9 miles is as close as almost anyone can view some launches (Starlink, especially) these are a real PITA for photographers. The stars twinkle in the night sky because of the same principles.
So, that meant taking the picture the situation allows. This is about as good a launch photo as anyone got from this launch location.
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
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 / 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.
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.
November 18, 2024, Cape Canaveral 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.
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.
SpaceX launched the TD7 satellite for operator Optus-X on November 17, 2024 from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff was at 5:28 PM EST into partly cloudy skies just as the sun was officially setting.
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