Intuitive Machines announced today that its IM-2 mission’s Nova-C class lunar lander, Athena, has successfully completed all integration milestones and is now securely enclosed within SpaceX’s payload fairing, ready for launch. This will be the company’s second attempt to land on the lunar surface.
Tomorrow morning, SpaceX plans to launch Starlink 12-8 to low-Earth orbit. The flight has one remarkable aspect: the flight will be the 26th for the company’s Booster B1067. Liftoff is planned for no earlier than 01:14:10 AM EST from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral. Around eight minutes after liftoff, B1067 is planned to land on ASDS ‘A Shortfall Of Gravitas’, which is stationed offshore close to The Bahamas.
B1067 has played a significant role in advancing reusable rocket technology since its inaugural flight in June 2021. Like other boosters in the Falcon 9 Block 5 series, B1067 was engineered for rapid turnaround and multiple reuses, aligning with SpaceX’s goal of reducing the costs associated with space exploration.
B1067’s maiden voyage occurred on June 3, 2021, during the CRS-22 mission, which delivered supplies to the International Space Station (ISS). Following this successful debut, the booster supported several key missions, including:
In addition to these missions, B1067 has flown numerous batches of Starlink satellites, contributing to SpaceX’s expanding satellite internet constellation, which now boosts about five million subscribers in over 200 countries worldwide.
In January 10, 2025, B1067 completed its 25th flight during the Starlink 12-12 mission, setting a new benchmark for booster reusability. Tonight, 37 days after that flight, B1067 is slated to break its own record.
21 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities. SpaceX has around 7,000 Starlink satellites in orbit already, with plans to have up to 42,000 at some point in the future.
Starlink satellites are space debris neutral, meaning after their operational life is concluded, the company de-orbits a given satellite, with almost no portions reaching the ground.
The 45th Weather Squadron of Space Launch Delta 45 of the US Space Force has issued a Launch Mission Execution forecast: 80% GO through the launch window. Their only concerns are clouds and winds.
As it has been with previous Group 12 Starlink launches, Falcon 9 will fly southeast from Cape Canaveral.
SpaceX’s live webcast of this mission will begin about five minutes prior to liftoff. You can view that on the X platform (@SpaceX).
Spaceflight Now will begin their webcast about an hour prior to liftoff. They are an invaluable resource for anyone planning to watch the launch in person, as they will offer the latest information on the countdown as it proceeds.
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral today, and added another 21 satellites to their Starlink constellation. Liftoff was at 1:53 PM EST. Today’s mission was dubbed Starlink 12-18 publicly, and F9-436 internally at SpaceX.
It was the 18th successful mission for the Falcon 9 Booster B1077, which entered service in 2022 when it debuted carrying astronauts on the Crew-5 mission for NASA. Since then B2077 has lifted Crew-5, CRS-28, Intelsat G-37, TD-7, Immarsat I6-F2, GPS III-6, NG-20, and now 11 Starlink missions.
Around eight minutes after liftoff, B1077 touched down offshore near The Bahamas aboard ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions’. JRTI and B1077 will return to Port Canaveral, where the booster will be offloaded and returned to SpaceX’s facilities at the Cape to be refurbished and prepared for its next flight. Today’s landing was the 413th Falcon family booster landing, and the 108th landing on JRTI.
Starlink satellites are part of SpaceX’s initiative to create a global broadband internet network. Some key facts:
Overall, Starlink provides high-speed, low-latency internet access, especially in rural and underserved areas to nearly five million customers in over 200 countries.
Another Group 12 Starlink launch, this time in the wee hours of night:
SpaceX has been awarded the launch contract for Pandora, NASA’s small satellite that will study exoplanets — planets beyond our solar system — and the activity of their host stars. The launch is scheduled for NET Autumn 2025, implying a Q3 or Q4 launch.
Selected in 2021 as part of NASA’s Pioneer mission program, Pandora is designed for long-duration, multiwavelength observations to improve scientists’ understanding of distant worlds.
The mission is a collaborative effort involving NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, NASA’s Ames Research Center, and several other institutions. Pandora will focus on exoplanets previously discovered by other missions, using the transit method—a technique that detects planets as they pass in front of their stars, causing slight dips in starlight. By analyzing these transits, researchers can gather data on planetary atmospheres, helping to determine their composition and characteristics.
At this time, it is unknown what rocket SpaceX will use for the mission: Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy or even Starship. Most likely, given the size of Pandora (it is a small satellite) the flight will be aboard Falcon 9.
For more information on the Pandora mission, visit their website here.
Lather, rinse repeat: SpaceX successfully launched another tranche of Starlink satellites Saturday afternoon from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral. The mission, dubbed Starlink 12-9, lifted off at 2:18 PM into bluebird skies.
The flight plan was a familiar one: southeast, towards The Bahamas on a path some locals have dubbed “The Bimini Highway.” Booster B1078 completed its 17th mission when it touched down successfully aboard ASDS ‘A Shortfall Of Gravitas’, which was stationed downrange in the Atlantic Ocean, and both will now return to Port Canaveral so the booster can be offloaded, returned to SpaceX’s facilities and refurbished for its next flight.
Around the time that the first stage was touching down, the second stage and the Starlink payload was reaching orbit. After a quick rounding burn roughly one hour after launch, the satellites were deployed and the mission concluded successfully.
This was the 434th mission for Falcon 9, and the 1002nd orbital launch from venerable Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
A near-mimeograph of today’s launch NET Tuesday, February 11:
Keep in mind that launch dates and times can and do change often, so be sure to check Talk of Titusville’s Launch Calendar for updates.
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 carrying 21 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The mission, dubbed Starlink 12-3, lifted off at 5:15 AM into nearly opaque fog in the launch area.
It was the 21st successful mission for the Falcon 9 Booster B1069, which entered service in 2021 when it debuted carrying the CRS-24 mission for NASA. Since then it has lofted Hotbird 13F, OneWeb 15, SES 18&19, and now 17 Starlink missions.
At At 6:20 AM, SpaceX confirmed deployment of the satellites, making a successful conclusion to the company’s busy day.
21 Starlink Mini v2 satellites, which will join Group 12 of Starlink’s orbital Internet connectivity constellation. Currently, there are roughly 7,000 operational Starlink satellites in orbit, according to Dr. Jonathon McDowell of the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
SpaceX plans to launch t from Launch the Maxar 4 mission from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams completed a 6.5 hour EVA outside the International Space Station today. During the event, Suni Williams became the record-holder for the most accumulated time by a woman for spacewalks. Williams now has 62 hours, 6 minutes of total spacewalk time. She is fourth on NASA’s all-time list as well.
The two astronauts are, of course, part of the current political kerfuffle surrounding their stay on ISS, when they were assigned to ISS Expedition 71/72 after it was decided to return their Starliner capsule home uncrewed thanks to technical concerns about the Boeing spacecraft.
During their pair’s EVA, Williams surpassed former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson’s total spacewalking time of 60 hours and 21 minutes.
The former record holder posted her congratulations today on X.com:
While outside ISS, the Williams and Wilmore performed work to remove an antenna assembly from the station’s truss, collected samples of surface material for analysis from the Destiny laboratory and the Quest airlock to see whether microorganisms exist on the exterior of ISS, and they also prepared a spare elbow joint for the Canadarm2 robotic arm.
The pair are set to return to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon in late March or early April. Currently, Crew 10 is slated to launch on March 24th, and after a handoff period Crew 9 will return to Earth with Williams and Wilmore aboard a Crew Dragon.
After they joined Expedition’s 71/72 crew, the plan was to bring them home in February, but delays in SpaceX’s completing and qualifying a new Dragon capsule that will be used for the mission forced NASA to further extend the length of their unexpected stay in space.
SpaceX launched SpainSat NG-I aboard Falcon 9 this evening from Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff was right at the opening of the launch window at 8:34 PM EST, and into crystalline winter skies over Florida.
Tonight was a rare expendable mission, meaning no attempt to land booster B1073 was made after it had completed its part of the mission at two minutes and forty seconds after liftoff. That was due to additional performance required to deliver this payload to orbit, and is part of the normal Falcon 9 product catalog.
After 21 successful flights, booster B1073 now sleeps with the fishes offshore in the Atlantic Ocean.
At precisely eight minutes after liftoff, Falcon 9’s second stage and the SpainSat payload were in their initial orbit, one which would be rounded slightly after just a bit more than twenty six and a half minutes by a one minute six second burn. From there, SpaceX deployed SpainSat NG I, concluding another successful mission for the company.
SpainSat NG I will now travel under its own power to its operational orbital position.
Airbus and Thales Alenia Space built SpainSat NG I for Hisdesat Servicios Estratégicos S.A., the Spanish Governmental Satellite Operator.
Airbus, one of the four co-Prime contractors that built SpainSat NG-I described the satellite said:
“SPAINSAT NG will provide coverage on a wide area of the world ranging from the United States and South America to the Middle East, including Africa and Europe and till Singapore in Asia. Both satellites will allow to:
• Ensure effective command and control for beyond line-of-sight operations in 2/3 of the Earth.
• Guarantee communication capability in theatres of operation lacking communications infrastructure.
• Develop more satcom on the move, higher capacity, better secured and assured communications.
• Unlock the potential of the network centric battlespace-netcentric warfare and operations.
The communication payloads of both satellites will be provided by the Spanish industry, including the integration of the Communications Module in Spain, a major step forward for the Spanish industry. Airbus in Spain will be responsible for the X band payload, while Thales Alenia Space in Spain will be responsible for the UHF and mil-Ka band payloads. Other companies from the Spanish space industry will also be involved.
SpaceX returns to Starlink launches early on Monday morning when it plans to launch more Starlink Group 12 satellites.
SpaceX launched another set of Starlink satellites aboard a Falcon 9 this afternoon. Liftoff was at 5:04 PM EST from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The flight was nominal, and Booster B1076, which completed its 20th successful mission when it touched down offshore near The Bahamas on ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions.’
About 20 seconds after the successful touchdown of B1076, the second stage and payload achieved orbit. About one hour after liftoff, the second stage will fire up for a roughly two second burn in order to circularize the spacecraft’s orbit, and after that, the payload will be deployed.
21 Starlink Mini v2 telecommunications satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink division. The Starlink constellation of satellites provides Internet connectivity to more than 118 countries, territories, and other markets around the world, reaching all 7 continents and oceans. As of December 2024, Starlink reported that they have more than 4.6 million customers worldwide.
SpaceX plans to launch SpainSat NG-1 aboard Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Center.
After a rare lull in launch activities from the Cape, business will be picking up this week. SpaceX is planning to launch Starlink 12-7 from Space Launch Complex later this afternoon, and Wednesday evening, the company plans to launch the SpainSat NG I mission from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Both of the company’s flights will be aboard Falcon 9.
Southeastward, or left to right if you are facing the ocean in Titusville.
The 45th Weather Squadron has not released a Mission Execution forecast for this launch at the time of this writing.
As always, keep in mind that launch dates and times are subject to cancellations, moves and time shifts.
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