SLC-40

The FAA has announced that the public meeting for the SpaceX SLC-40 Enviromental Assessment that was originally scheduled for April 16th has been rescheduled to May 8, 2025. The original meeting was postponed due to a nationwide Zoom outage on that date earlier this month. Additionally, the public comment period has also been extended to May 15th.

For a summary and links to all original documents, please click here:

FAA Posts Draft Environmental Assessment For Increasing SLC-40 to 120 Falcon Launches A Year

Official Announcement

The FAA previously issued a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzing SpaceX’s proposal to increase Falcon 9 operations from 50 up to 120 per year from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The draft EA also reviews the construction of a first-stage booster landing zone at the site with up to 34 landings per year. 

Due to technical difficulties associated with the nationwide Zoom platform outage, the virtual public meeting scheduled for April 16, 2025, was cancelled. The new meeting date is scheduled for May 8, 2025. In addition, the public comment period is extended and will close on May 15, 2025.

Registration is required to join the virtual public meeting. Those who registered for the cancelled meeting must re-register.

For registration, meeting and other details, click here: https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/SpaceX_Falcon_SLC_40_EA

Talk of Titusville strongly encourages all interested parties to attend the virtual session as well as filing a written comment at the links above.

Anyone interested in attending the virtual session must register in advance. If you signed up for the cancelled event, you’ll need to register again.

For details on how to register, attend the meeting, or submit comments, visit: https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/SpaceX_Falcon_SLC_40_EA

Starlink 9-47 launching from 
Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Starlink 9-47 launching from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
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The FAA has announced that the public meeting set for tonight that was to discuss draft results of an Environmental Assessment concerning Space Launch Complex 40 has been canceled.

Due to the nationwide Zoom outage, the April 16, 2025, SpaceX Falcon 9 Operations at Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Environmental Assessment in Cape Canaveral, Florida virtual public meeting is cancelled. The meeting will be rescheduled.

Additional information will be provided on the project website soon:

https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/SpaceX_Falcon_SLC_40_EA

Thank you,

The FAA SpaceX Falcon 9 Operations at SLC-40 Project Team

At the time of this writing (6:15PM April 16) Zoom is operating sporadically and had a widespread national outage of about two hours today. Given that the service is likely still recovering from the interruption, it seems a prudent course to make sure everyone who would like to attend the meeting may do so.

The meeting concerned plans for the relocation of landing zones for Falcon 9 from the current location at SLC-13 to near SLC-40, as well as more than doubling the allowable launch operations at SLC-40 starting in 2026. Up to 34 first-stage booster landings at the new landing zone annually is planned, as well as additional launches and static fires at the launch pad as well.

For More Detail Of SLC-40 Changes: FAA Posts Draft Environmental Assessment For Increasing SLC-40 to 120 Falcon Launches A Year

As the FAA states, the meeting will be rescheduled for a future date.

Talk of Titusville strongly encourages all interested citizens to learn what is planned and to make their voices heard to the FAA and others if they wish to participate in the public comment process. Follow the FAA link above for the latest official information.

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SpaceX Starlink 8-10’s ascent as seen from Veteran’s Memorial Park in Titusville.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

SpaceX got right back to business early Saturday morning as it launched the Starlink 8-10 mission aboard Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Liftoff was at 03:43 AM EDT, with Booster B1085 completing its first mission successfully 8:22 minutes later when it touched down offshore on ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions.’ At 5:06 AM, SpaceX confirmed satellite deployment and the conclusion of another successful launch for the company.

This was the 61st mission launch from the Eastern Range overall so far in 2024.

Payload

According to SpaceX, tonight’s payload was “21 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, to low-Earth orbit.”

Starlink now has approximately 6300 active satellites in its expanding constellation, which serves over three million customers in over 100 countries and territories globally.

Launch Replay

Next Launch

This one is tricky: Polaris Dawn is vertical at LC-39A and is awaiting good weather prior to its start. SpaceX nor the Polaris Dawn program have announced the date for the next launch attempt, but one may be forthcoming at any time.

Otherwise, if Polaris Dawn does not launch by mid-week next week, SpaceX has the Starlink 8-11 mission penciled in for Wednesday, September 4th with a launch window between 08:59 AM and 12:59 AM EDT.

Starlink 8-10, close to Main Engine Cutoff on August 31, 2024
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
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Falcon 9 lifts off in January lofting the Northrup Grumman NG-21 payload towards ISS.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Update: 12 PM EDT Saturday

A wave of thunderstorms passed through the Cape Canaveral area around 90 minutes before liftoff Saturday, forcing SpaceX to stand down from its launch attempt today.

The company said in a latter post on X.com that they would try again tomorrow, but with a 90% Probability of Violation and an approaching tropical system off of Florida’s west coast, the chances of that don’t seem very high. Monday’s forecast is equally squirrelly as the system is forecast to arc through northern Florida, creating storm squalls and windy conditions across the state.

On the other hand, it’s Florida and the weather here can be unpredictable. So, we’ll see when SpaceX can get this launch off of the pad.

—————-

SpaceX is planning to launch Falcon 9 carrying the NG-21 ISS Resupply mission for Northrup Grumman. Liftoff Saturday morning is set 11:28 AM EDT (1538Z) in an instantaneous window from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

SpaceX plans for the booster to return and land at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral. The Space Coast will hear a sonic boom from the booster as it herald’s its return, which should happen approximately 7.5 minutes after liftoff.

Weather is a major concern for this launch, as a tropical disturbance’s passing to the west in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to bring heavy rains to the Space Coast over the weekend. Current forecasts are calling for weather to arrive sometime Saturday, so the timing of the storm coupled with the normal storm activity of Florida in summer leaves forecasters calling the chances of acceptable weather a coin flip with a 50% chance of a Probability of Violation at launch time.

At A Glance

  • Mission: Northrup Grumman NG-21
  • Date: NET August 3, 2024
  • Launch Window: 11:28AM EDT (1528 Zulu)
  • Weather: 50% GO at launch time
  • Organization: SpaceX
  • Rocket: Falcon 9
  • Trajectory: Northeastward
  • Launch Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
  • Booster Landing: Landing Zone 1, CCSFS
  • Payload: Cygnus CRS-2 NG-21 (S.S. Francis R. “Dick” Scobee)
  • Destination: International Space Station

Payload

Northrup Grumman’s Cygnus (S.S. Francis R. “Dick” Scobee) cargo spacecraft, loaded with scientific investigations, supplies, and equipment.

Graphic: NASA

According to NASA, the payload includes:

  • Test articles to evaluate liquid and gas flow through porous media found in space station life support systems.
  • balloon, penny, and hexnut for a new STEMonstration on centripetal force.
  • Microorganisms known as Rotifers to examine the effects of spaceflight on DNA repair mechanisms.
  • bioreactor to demonstrate the production of many high-quality blood and immune stem cells.
  • Vascularized liver tissue to analyze the development of blood vessels in engineered tissue flown to the space station.

Weather

General Forecast

The forecast at launch time looks relatively benign:

Temperature28.9°C
Humidity~65%
PrecipitationNone, Probably
Cloud coverVariable
Windspeed (at ground level)10-15 MPH / 4.5-6.7 m/s
Visibility~16.5 miles / 27.0 km

Official Launch Forecast

The 45th Weather Squadron’s discussion in their launch forecast mentions the tropical system noted above. “All eyes will remain on Potential Tropical Cyclone Four (PTC 4) as it lifts out of the Greater Antilles and into the Gulf of Mexico. The official forecast from the National Hurricane Center has the system becoming a named storm Saturday and skirting the western Florida Peninsula Sunday, potentially making landfall as a Tropical Storm anywhere from the Florida Big Bend to southwest Florida.

Regardless of where the center of the storm makes landfall, the Space Coast will be on the eastern side of the system, and weather is likely to deteriorate with time from Saturday afternoon into Sunday. For the initial launch window, scattered showers are expected to approach the coastline out of the southeast and potentially move onshore.”

Their primary concerns that could necessitate a delay are: the Cumulus Cloud Rule, Surface Electric Fields Rule, and Thick Cloud Layers Rule.

via 4th Weather Squadron
Retrieved 1600 EDT, 08/02/2024

Trajectory

Northeastwards.

Landing

The booster used for this mission, B1080, will land at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

A Falcon Heavy side booster firing up its engines to land last month at Cape Canaveral
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Online Viewing

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: NG-21 Mission. This will also be available on the X platform. Coverage starts about five minutes before liftoff.

NASA’s launch coverage begins at 11:00 AM EDT on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA appYouTube, and the agency’s website.

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

For official updates regarding launch timesSpaceX.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

This morning’s planned launch is from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral, which means that the best direct views of liftoff are: 

Banana River Bridge on FL-528 W near Port Canaveral, where you will be able to see ignition, liftoff and the booster landing. Free.

Kennedy Space Center Vistor’s Center. From Apollo/Saturn V Center. Premium Launch Transportation Ticket. Bleacher seating is available, expert commentary, and closer view of the launch from across Banana Creek. Landing is pretty far away, relatively speaking. $70 for the launch viewing ticket plus entrance fees and parking. If you choose this go very early — lines will be long!

The southern parks on US-1 / S. Washington Avenue in Titusville. Kennedy Point Park and Rotary Riverview Park (among others) are your best bets for free viewing sites. These sites will be great for the launch, but not as good for the landing.

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 of the landing — probably the best that the public can get to. The launch view is indirect.
  • 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. Launch and landing is indirect.
  • Northern Titusville Parks
    • Further away, but really nice views after liftoff.
    • You won’t see the landing directly, but instead from a good distance away.

Restaurants With Good Launch Views

  • 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

Playalinda Beach

Playalinda Beach out on the Cape Canaveral National Seashore should be open to spectators until 8 PM EDT, that is if KSC Security and the National Park Service allow viewers for the launch. Generally, they have been, but security concerns can differ for each launch. It opens to visitors at 6 AM.

This is a popular place, so if you go, go early.

Call ahead to be sure they are open..

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.
  • 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.

Booster: B0180

SpaceX states on their website, “This is the tenth flight of the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Ax-2, Euclid, Ax-3, CRS-30, SES ASTRA 1P, and four Starlink missions.”

That’s Booster B1080.

Booster B1080
Flight NumberMissionDate
1Axiom-2May 21, 2023
2EuclidJuly 1, 2023
3Starlink 6-11August 27 2023
4Starlink 6-24October 22, 2023
5Axiom-3January 18, 2024
6CRS-30March 21, 2024
7Starlink 6-52April18, 2024
8Starlink 6-62May 23, 2024
9Astra 1P / SES-24June 20, 2024
B1080 record as of June 20, 2024

Countdown Timeline

Hr/Min/SecEvent
00:38:00SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load
00:35:00RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins
00:35:001st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading begins
00:16:002nd stage LOX loading begins
00:07:00Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch
00:01:00Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks
00:01:00Propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins
00:00:45SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch
00:00:03Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start
00:00:00Falcon 9 liftoff
via SpaceX

Launch, Landing and Deployment

Hr/Min/SecEvent
00:01:08Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
00:02:181st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
00:02:221st and 2nd stages separate
00:02:302nd stage engine starts (SES-1)
00:02:35Boostback Burn Starts
00:02:58Fairing deployment
00:03:24Boostback Burn Ends
00:06:171st stage entry burn start
00:06:341st stage entry burn ends
00:07:241st stage landing burn start
00:07:311st stage landing
00:08:332nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)
00:14:35Cygnus Deploys
Via Spacex
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A representative view of a Starlink launch at night from SLC-40 with a low cloud deck.
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

SpaceX plans to send another tranche of 23 Starlink satellites to orbit Monday Tuesday evening from Pad SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch window opens at 6:15 PM EDT and extends to 10:15 PM. Weather may be a concern, especially in the first hours of the launch window, according to the 45th Weather Squadron of the US Space Force in their official launch forecast.

Weather

Note: updated due to the launch schedule change announced on April 22:

Weather for the launch is about as good as it gets in Florida any time during the year: the 45th Space Wing has forecast conditions with a better than 95% chance of acceptable weather conditions for liftoff. Their only concern is a small chance of cumulus clouds interfering at a given T-0 time.

Trajectory

Southeast. This is the well-trodden path of Group 6 Starlink satellites on their way to orbit, and tomorrow’s trajectory is no different.

Landing

The landing will be aboard the autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS) ‘Just Read The Instructions’ (JRTI), which is stationed in the Atlantic Ocean northeast of the Bahamas.

After the landing, JRTI will return to Port Canaveral with the booster. It will then be returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility on Roberts Road inside Kennedy Space Center for inspection, refurbishment and preparation for its next mission.

Booster: B1078

SpaceX stated on its website that this launch is using the booster that “previously launched Crew-6, SES O3b mPOWER, USSF-124, and five Starlink missions.” That booster’s tail number is B1078.

Booster B1078
Flight NumberPayloadDate
1Crew-6March 2, 2023
2O3b mPOWER 3 & 4April 28, 2023
3Starlink 6-4June 4, 2023
4Starlink 6-8August 7, 2023
5Starlink 6-16September 16, 2023
6Starlink 6-31December 3, 2023
7USSF-124February 14, 2024
8Starlink 6-46March 25, 2024
Booster B1078 as of March 25, 2024

Online Viewing

A live webcast of this mission will begin on SpaceX’s X account feed about five minutes prior to liftoff. 
Watch live on X.

SpaceX’s official web page has links to live coverage as well as up-to-date planned launch times. Starlink 6-53 Mission Page.

Spaceflight Now will begin its live launch feed one hour prior to liftoff.
SFN on Youtube.

Watching In Person

This evening’s planned launch is from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral, which means that the best direct views of liftoff are: the Banana River Bridge on FL-528 W near Port Canaveral, or the southern parks on US-1 / S. Washington Avenue in Titusville. Kennedy Point Park and Rotary Riverview Park (among others) are your best bets for free viewing sites

Cocoa Beach, Cocoa Beach Pier, and Jetty Park Pier will have indirect views, meaning that liftoff will not be visible. However, after the rocket clears the pad and any ground obstructions, you will be able to see Falcon 9 ascending clearly, assuming there are no clouds between you and the rocket. Jetty Park does charge admission, and they do not accept cash. Visit their website to purchase an entry pass before you go.

SpaceX may well push back their target launch time more than once tomorrow, especially if conditions are slightly marginal and close to acceptable for liftoff.

Read more

Liftoff of SpaceX Starlink 6-46.
Photo: SpaceX Livestream

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 booster carrying 23 more Starlink V2 Mini satellites to orbit tonight from Pad SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Station. Launch was at 7:42 PM EDT, and was successful and the booster used for the mission — B1078 — safely touched down off the Bahamas eight minutes and twenty-five seconds later.

SpaceX has now more launched more than 6,000 Starlink satellites for their orbiting constellation that provides Internet service to more than two million customers globally. Nearly 5,700 of those satellites are currently operational.

When a given Starlink satellite is designated inactive, it is purposely sent for a safe re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, where it burns up safely. The same will happen to the Falcon 9 second stage used for tonight’s mission: it too will be sent back into the atmosphere, where it will also burn up safely. These maneuvers prevent Starlink from creating any “space junk.”

Booster: B1078

Booster B1078 successfully completed its 8th flight tonight.

B1078 was first entered service in March, 2023 when it launched Stephen Bowen, Warren Hoburg, Sultan Al Neyadi and Andrey Fedyaev to the International Space Station as part of NASA/SpaceX’s Crew-6 for the Commercial Crew Program. Since that maiden launch, it has also lofted  SES O3b mPOWER, USSF-124, and now five Starlink missions.

After the landing, ASOG will return to Port Canaveral with the booster. It will then be returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility on Roberts Road inside Kennedy Space Center for inspection, refurbishment and possible preparation for its next mission, which will be its 20th.

Booster B1078
Flight NumberPayloadDate
1Crew-6March 2, 2023
2O3b mPOWER 3 & 4April 28, 2023
3Starlink 6-4June 4, 2023
4Starlink 6-8August 7, 2023
5Starlink 6-16September 16, 2023
6Starlink 6-31December 3, 2023
7USSF-124February 14, 2024
8Starlink 6-46March 25, 2024
Booster B1078 as of March 25, 2024

Next Launch

United Launch Alliance is planning to launch its final Delta IV Heavy from SLC-37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Delta IV Heavy is the world’s second highest-capacity rocket in operation. After this launch, SLC-37 will be shuttered and is currently being studied by the US Space Force and SpaceX for potential use for the company’s Starship Heavy.

The launch window extends from 1:40 until 6:51 PM EDT.

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Space Falcon 9 rises off of SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station shortly after 10:30 AM EST on February 29, 2024.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

While Crew-8’s Falcon 9 sits on Pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center this morning waiting for weather to improve along its launch corridor, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 carrying 23 more Starlink Version 2 Mini satellites to low-Earth orbit from its other launch pad on the Eastern Range at SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Liftoff at 10:30 AM EST under almost-overcast skies, with the rocket completely disappearing 10-15 seconds after liftoff when it entered the cloud deck and rose towards orbit. About 8.5 minutes later, Booster B1076 completed its 11th mission and landed safely offshore on the company’s autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS) Just Read The Instructions.

JRTI will now head back to Port Canaveral and should arrive several days from now to offload the booster so it can be inspected and refurbished for another flight.

Today’s launch was the 13th of the year so far as February comes to a close. That’s a launch rate of one every 4.6-odd days on the average.

Next Launch

SpaceX and NASA hope to launch Crew-8 from pad LC-39A on Saturday, March 2nd from Pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. This launch was rescheduled from 12:04 AM EST March 1st, due to weather concerns along its flight path as it heads towards the International Space Station.

Read more

Falcon 9 lifts off to begin the Starlink 6-39 mission today at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Pad SLC-40.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 today from Pad SLC-40 and sent another twenty-four Starlink satellites to orbit. Liftoff occurred at 5:06 PM EST on what might best be described as a “travel brochure day” — crystal clear skies, with a light breeze and temperatures in the high 60s. In other words, the sort of winter day in Florida draws many tourists because the weather is darn near perfect.

Booster Touches Down Safely

About eight and a half minutes after liftoff, Booster B1069 touched down safely on SpaceX’s A Shortfall of Gravitas automated droneship located offshore in the Atlantic Ocean near the Bahamas. It was the booster’s fourteenth flight since it went into service on December 21, 2021, launching the CRS-24 mission to ferry supplies to the International Space Station.

Shortly before staging, Falcon 9 flies high above the Florida coastline today.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

After returning to Port Canaveral several days from now, Booster B1069 will be returned to SpaceX’s facilities at Hangar X at Kennedy Space Center, where it will be inspected, refurbished, and presumably prepared for its next flight.

Falcon 9 Performance Boosts

In a post on the X platform today, SpaceX noted that today’s “mission [was] carrying one additional Starlink satellite from previous East Coast missions thanks in part to performance increases on Falcon 9.”

Picture Perfect Launch

Initially scheduled for yesterday, today’s launch was the second attempt to complete the Starlink 6-39 mission. Crowds of spectators lined the parks on US-1 in Titusville, the beaches and along FL-528W to watch the liftoff, and weren’t disappointed by the views they could see. Falcon 9 was visible all the way through first stage and slightly afterwards, which is a rare site for a daytime launch.

Next Launch

It will be a busy week at the Eastern Range, so long as the weather cooperates: SpaceX will launch another batch of Starlink satellites to orbit on Wednesday, February 28th, with the Starlink 6-40 mission slated to liftoff between 11:00 AM and 2:31 PM EST from Pad SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Not long after that, at 12:04 AM EST on Friday, March 1st, Crew-8 will head to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center.

Read more

SpaceX successfully launched the HTS 113BT telecommunications satellite to orbit from Cape Canaveral this afternoon at 3:11 PM EST for Indonesian company PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk. Around eight and one-half minutes later, Booster 1067 safely touched down on SpaceX’s Automated Spaceport Droneship “Just Read The Instructions,” (JRTI) which was located offshore in the Atlantic Ocean.

For more in-depth coverage of the launch, go here: SpaceX Launches HT-113BT Satellite; Booster Lands Safely

Here’s a video of the launch:

Falcon9 launches HTS-113BT from Cape Canaveral on January 20, 2024
Read more

Falcon 9 lifting off from SLC-40 in 2022, as seen from the Banana River Bridge on FL 528 W in Cape Canaveral.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

SpaceX is planning to launch a Falcon 9 carrying the Indonesian satellite Telkomsat HTS 113BT tomorrow afternoon from Pad SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The first stage booster will then land offshore on Just Read The Instructions, one of the company’s Automated Spaceport Drone Ships. The launch window opens at 3:11 PM EST and extends to 5:44 PM.

This will be SpaceX’s 16th flight this year.

Payload

Owned by Indonesian companies PT Telkom (Persero) Tbk (Telkom), HTS 113BT is a high-throughput telecommunications satellite that will provide communications services in C-band/Ku-Band from its orbital position at 113° East once it reaches its final orbital destination and successfully completes it commissioning activities.

According to Thales, the company that built HTS 113BT, the satellite will “provide more than 32 Gbps capacity over Indonesia. The satellite will weigh about 4 metric tons at launch and will be delivered early 2024 for a 15-year expected lifetime.”

Endi Fitri Herlianto, CEO of Telkomsat, said in a 2021 Thales press release announcing the contract to build the satellite that “HTS 113BT will strengthening connectivity infrastructure across Indonesia archipelago to support digital business by providing better quality of service for Indonesia society.”

Weather

After weekend of three days of near-steady rains that brought as much as four inches of precipitation to the Space Coast area, the 45th Weather Squadron has forecast only a 5% chance of a Probability of Violation of launch weather criteria for tomorrow. That means that they expect a 95% chance of acceptable conditions.

L-1 forecast released by the 45th Weather Squadron at 9:30 AM EST on 19 FEB 24.

Should technical issues force a delay, the weather on Wednesday is expected to be a near repeat of Tuesday’s favorable forecast.

Trajectory

Falcon 9 is planned to head nearly due east after liftoff. Just Read The Instructions, SpaceX’s landing point for this mission, will be located ~300 miles offshore.

Booster

Booster B1067 will be flying its 17th mission. It last launched 01/07/2024 and has completed 16 successful missions since its first launch in 2021

Booster 1067
Flight NumberMissionDate
1CRS-22June 21, 2021
2NASA Crew-3November 11, 2021
3Türksat 5BDecember 19, 2021
4NASA Crew-4April 27, 2022
5CRS-25July 14, 2022
6Starlink 4-34September 19, 2022
7Hotbird 13GNovember 3, 2022
8O3b mPOWER 1 & 2December 16, 2022
9Starlink 5-2January 26, 2023
10Starlink 5-5March 24, 2023
11Starlink 5-9May 14, 2023
12Satria-1June 18, 2023
13Starlink 6-10August 17, 2023
14Starlink 6-22October 13, 2023
15Starlink 6-29November 22, 2023
16Starlink 6-35January 7, 2024
Booster B1067

Coverage

Typically, SpaceX begins live coverage of its launches fifteen minutes before the planned liftoff on the X platform at https://twitter.com/SpaceX

Spaceflight Now typically begins its live coverage of launches from the Space Coast one hour before liftoff on its Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceflightNowVideo

Launch Viewing

Tomorrow’s launch is from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral, which means that the best direct views of liftoff are at either the Banana River Bridge on FL-528 W near Port Canaveral, or the southern parks on US-1 / S. Washington Avenue in Titusville.

Kennedy Space Center’s Visitor’s Center has not offered a specific ticket package for this launch, but first part of the launch window is within its hours of operation. That means that watching the launch may be possible from the Apollo Saturn V Center. Check with the KSCVC site for up-to-date information. Admission and parking fees will of course apply.

Indirect views where the rocket becomes visible after it clears the pad and the trees in the distance are at Jetty Park in Port Canaveral, Playalinda Beach in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge or of course on any of the beaches in the Cape Canaveral / Cocoa Beach area. For launch viewing at Playalinda, arriving two hours early is strongly advised, as the National Park Service and KSC Police will close the gates to new entrants once parking lots are full or as liftoff time approaches. Entry fees apply to Jetty Park and Playalinda, consult their websites for the cost and payment methods available.

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