#SpaceCoast Archives - Page 9 of 32

June 25, 2025

Axiom 4 Launches From KSC, On Its Way To ISS

After several delays, Axiom 4 is on its way to the International Space Station. The corporate mission, commanded by NASA veteran Peggy Whitson, lifted off at 2:31 AM Eastern Time from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon.

In addition to Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla, an officer in the Indian Air Force and astronaut with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), will serve as the pilot. Mission specialists include Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, a project astronaut with the European Space Agency (ESA) representing Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. Notably, this mission marks the first time astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary will visit the ISS, representing each nation’s first government-sponsored human spaceflight in over 40 years.

After a nominal ascent, Booster B1094 returned to land at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s LZ-1 about secen minutes and thirty nine seconds from liftoff. A few seconds later, Falcon 9’s second stage and Crew Dragon were reaching their initial orbit, which will be modified later as Axiom 4 begins chasing down ISS in earnest.

Docking is expected Thursday morning, around 7:00 AM ET.

After docking with Station, Axiom 4’s crew will begin a two-week stay aboard ISS, where they will conduct a number of experiments on behalf of their respective space agencies.

Axiom-4 Mission Objectives

Ax-4 will be a busy mission, as it is slated to conduct approximately 60 scientific experiments and activities involving participants from 31 nations, such as the United States, India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, and various European countries. This marks the highest number of research initiatives undertaken on an Axiom Space mission to the International Space Station (ISS) thus far, highlighting the mission’s global importance and collaborative spirit in advancing microgravity research in low-Earth orbit (LEO).

The mission places a particular emphasis on scientific endeavors led by the countries represented in the Ax-4 crew, including the United States, India, Poland (in collaboration with the European Space Agency), and Hungary. The research conducted will enhance global understanding in areas such as human health, Earth observation, and life, biological, and material sciences, reflecting the space research capabilities of the crew’s home countries.

Axiom Space is also collaborating with research organizations and academic institutions to further investigate the effects of spaceflight on the human body and to explore how space-based research can lead to improvements in health and medical treatments on Earth. The mission underscores the significance of commercial and academic partnerships, as Axiom Space spearheads the development of a global research community and a sustainable economic ecosystem in LEO. The mission also sets the stage for Axiom Station, the first commercial space station, which will provide a permanent platform for research, manufacturing, and human spaceflight.

Launch Replay

June 23, 2025

Atlas V and Kuiper KA-02 Rises With Monday Sun From Canaveral

Atlas V lifts off on June 23, 2025 through the hazy early morning light.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Under clear, hot skies this morning, United Launch Alliance launched one of their fifteen remaining Atlas V rockets carrying 27 satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper. Launch was at 6:54 AM from LC-41 at Cape Canaveral and by all appearances, it was a nominal flight for the veteran rocket. This was the 103rd launch for an Atlas V which entered service on August 21, 2002. All missions save one have been successful, and that mission was a partial success on Atlas V’s first launch.

Today’s launch was the second attempt for this mission. On June 16th, the countdown was halted due to an engine problem, necessitating a return trip to ULA’s Vertical Integration Facility, located at LC-37, for repairs. Once the issues were remediated, the rocket and the weather both cooperated flawlessly in today’s countdown, leading to the launch at the opening of the launch window.

Atlas V rising with the sun on June 23, 2025
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Today’s mission will place 27 Kuiper satellites into orbit, making 54 of the planned 3,236 satellites in 98 orbital planes across three orbital shells at altitudes of 590 km, 610 km, and 630 km. Those satellites that will comprise the constellation Amazon is planning for Internet connectivity services. While Amazon has thousands of satellites left on the manifest to launch for Project Kuiper, the company has stated that they plan to start providing internet service later this year.

“We are proud to continue our strong partnership with Amazon and empower their mission to bridge the digital divide through reliable satellite technology,” said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs. “ULA, working as a catalyst to global connectivity in collaboration with Amazon, enables delivery of these critical satellites designed to drive innovation and connect the world.”

The flight path of Atlas V carrying Project Kuiper’s KA-2 payload.
Graphic: Charles Boyer / Google Earth

At 8:02 AM ET, ULA announced that they had placed the payload into a successful orbit, marking the operational end of the mission.

Kuiper is planned to compete against SpaceX’s Starlink Internet service, which is already far ahead both in terms of satellites on orbit (Starlink has over 7,000, with their number increasing with as many as three launches per week) and customers (Starlink has over six million customers in over 100 countries and territories worldwide.) While Starlink has a massive head start, Amazon is hoping to play the hare to SpaceX’s rabbit and to provide a viable source of competition to the SpaceX product as soon as is possible.

ULA’s next launch is the first Vulcan mission for the U.S. Space Force, USSF-106.

Payload

Not much is known about the appearance of the Kuiper satellite, as Amazon has kept a tight lid on the information released about the physical appearance of their orbital platforms.

Next Launch

Wednesday afternoon, SpaceX plans to launch another group of Starlink satellites from SLC-40.

Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 10‑16 Mission Details

Mission	Falcon 9 Block 5 \| Starlink Group 10‑16
Organization	SpaceX
Location	Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Rocket	Falcon 9 Block 5
Pad	Space Launch Complex 40
Status	To Be Confirmed
Status Info	Awaiting official confirmation – current date is known with some certainty.
Window Opens	Wednesday, 06/25/2025 12:33:00 PM EDT
Window Closes	Wednesday, 06/25/2025 4:33:00 PM EDT
Destination	Low Earth Orbit
Mission Description	A batch of satellites for the Starlink mega‑constellation – SpaceX’s project for a space‑based Internet communication system.

June 20, 2025

Ax-4 Sunday Launch Off The Table, NASA Needs More Time

The delayed launch of Axiom 4 to the International Space Station will have to wait a little bit longer. The company announced today that the “space agency needs additional time to continue evaluating International Space Station operations after recent repair work in the aft (back) most segment of the orbital laboratory’s Zvezda service module.”

The delay is labeled as “indefinite” and no new launch target date has been announced.

The crew remains in quarantine, and the Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon planned for the flight remain in healthy condition and ready for the flight.”

The root cause of the delay is a series of micro-leaks in the Zvezda module, first detected months ago but considered under control after previous repair efforts. However, on June 14, cosmonauts aboard the ISS noted a fresh pressure signature in the aft segment of Zvezda, indicating that some seals may have degraded or reopened under flight conditions. Although the module has held pressure more consistently since the latest inspections, NASA and its Russian partners determined that more data were needed to rule out any risk to incoming crew.

On a blog update published last week, NASA detailed the troubleshooting steps taken by cosmonauts: interior surfaces were inspected, suspect seals were re-torqued, and additional leak-rate measurements were conducted. “Following the most recent repair, pressure in the transfer tunnel has been stable,” NASA wrote, “but additional time is required for Roscosmos and NASA to evaluate whether further action is necessary.” This review window now overlaps with the Monday launch opportunity, effectively ruling it out until the investigation concludes.

There are also ISS logistics to consider: Ax-4’s launch window is tightly constrained by orbital mechanics and ISS traffic. The current opportunity closes on June 30 to accommodate other scheduled resupply and crewed flights. Pushing through before fully resolving the leak could risk mission safety and station integrity, particularly given the interconnected life-support systems aboard the ISS. Axiom Space President Michael Suffredini emphasized that while commercial missions must adhere to tight timelines, safety remains the non-negotiable priority.

Stay tuned.

June 18, 2025

Axiom 4 Set To Try Again On Sunday, June 22

Ax-3 On The Launch Pad Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Axiom 4, the privately operated crewed spaceflight, now has a confirmed launch date of June 22, 2025. The mission is slated to lift off at 3:42 AM ET, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

Originally scheduled for June 19, the flight window was pushed back as engineers addressed technical issues and concerns about the ISS leaks. The new timeline promises a mission duration ranging from 14 to 21 days to complete its planned research program.

“No one remembers launch delays, but no one ever forgets a real problem.”

–V.L. Pinson Sr., former ABMA and NASA veteran

The mission will utilize a Falcon 9 to carry the newly built Crew Dragon spacecraft C213 into low Earth orbit, marking the final Crew Dragon capsule to enter service in SpaceX’s original slate of capsules. The four-person crew—veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson commanding, Indian pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA’s Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Hungarian specialist Tibor Kapu—will conduct science and technology demonstrations aboard ISS during their flight.

Axiom Space first announced on April 3 that Ax-4 would launch no earlier than May, reflecting a cautious approach as technical reviews and ISS scheduling took shape.

By mid-April, the Ax-4 team was gearing up for a busy agenda aboard ISS with a target window of no earlier than late May. The packed schedule—includes biological experiments, materials science tests, and station maintenance tasks.

After some shifts to the right on the schedule, the mission stood ready to launch on June 10th, but weather in the ascent corridor forced mission managers to call of any launch attempt that day. The ascent corridor is the zone where Crew Dragon and its crew would land in the unlikely event of an abort. The zone extends offshore in the Atlantic Ocean from Kennedy Space all the way to Ireland, and weather inside it must be suitable — just in case.

The next day, the first launch attempt on June 11 was scrubbed after engineers detected a propellant leak in the rocket’s liquid oxygen system and called off the launch to remediate the issue.

Next, a pressure leak in the Zvezda service module on the ISS prompted NASA and Roscosmos to stabilize the module before approving further dockings, contributing to another postponement announced on June 12.

NASA, SpaceX and Axiom have now agreed on a launch attempt in the predawn hours of the first full day of summer: June 22nd. Falcon 9’s leaks have been resolved, the Space Station leak issue is now under control, and at this point, weather on the 22nd looks as though it will be acceptable for Axiom 4’s ascent into orbit.

The Indian Connection

For India’s space program, Ax-4 represents a milestone: it provides the first opportunity for an Indian astronaut to fly to ISS. Pilot and Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu “Shux” Shukla, part of ISRO’s cadre of astronauts, will carry out experiments developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation in fields ranging from microbial adaptation to muscle atrophy studies.

His flight will be the precursor to his upcoming flight aboard ISRO’s Gaganyaan-1, India’s first domestically built crewed orbital spacecraft. At 39, Shukla is a veteran test pilot, having flown everything from MiG-21s to Su-30s.

One Of America’s Most Astronauts Commands

Axiom 4 will be commanded by Peggy Whitson—a former NASA chief astronaut and current Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space—Ax-4 brings seasoned leadership to this venture. Whitson holds multiple Station records and is tasked with overseeing the flights to and from ISS. She has spent 665 days in space so far.

Poland and Hungary Returning To Spaceflight After 40 Years

Joining Whitson and Shukla is Sławosz Uznański, a Polish engineer and the first representative of his country in space since 1978. Back then, it was Mirosław Hermaszewski aboard a Soviet Soyuz. This time, it’s Uznański flying under the banner of the European Space Agency as a mission specialist. A former CERN engineer and ESA reserve astronaut, Uznański’s path to space was defined more by science than by spectacle. His role on Ax-4 emphasizes research, including a number of biomedical and Earth-monitoring experiments designed by Polish institutions.

Hungary, too, is returning to space after a four-decade absence. Tibor Kapu, an engineer selected under the Hungarian government’s HUNOR program, became only the second Hungarian to ever fly in space. He beat out nearly 250 applicants for the role. The first, Bertalan Farkas, flew aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft in 1980.

Kapu’s mission is both technical and symbolic. “This is not just a mission for Hungary,” he said before launch. “It’s for all the small nations looking toward the stars and asking if they can be part of the next chapter.”

June 16, 2025

Amazon Launching 27 Kuiper Satellites Today

Atlas V with the Kuiper 2 payload at LC-41. Photo: United Launch Alliance

Amazon’s satellite internet project, Kuiper, will continue its deployment today with the planned launch of the Kuiper K-02 mission at 1:25 PM ET aboard an United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 551 rocket. This mission will deliver 27 operational satellites into low Earth orbit, adding to the 27 satellites deployed earlier this year in April.

The Kuiper project is Amazon’s initiative to provide broadband internet service through a constellation of satellites. Today’s launch is the second of a series that aims to meet the conditions set by the Federal Communications Commission, which require half of the planned 3,236 satellites to be in orbit by mid-2026. The full network is expected to be completed by mid-2029.

The Atlas V 551 rocket, used for this launch, is among ULA’s more powerful configurations. It includes five solid rocket boosters and a medium payload fairing.

Following deployment, the satellites will be elevated from their initial orbit of approximately 450 kilometers to an operational altitude of around 630 kilometers. From this position, they will begin supporting future broadband service coverage as part of Amazon’s long-term strategy to enter the satellite internet market.

Operational Strategy and Technology Capabilities

Each satellite in the Kuiper constellation is equipped with propulsion and communication technologies to maintain orbit and link with both ground stations and other satellites. The system includes inter-satellite laser links, which allow the satellites to pass data directly between one another. These optical links are designed to support high-throughput connections, improving the flexibility and resilience of the network.

The K-02 mission represents the continued transition from prototype to full-scale operations. The first launch in April tested Amazon’s satellite bus and operational model. With K-02, Amazon is moving forward with production models that are expected to serve as a foundational layer of the broader constellation. The mission is part of a deployment strategy that includes multiple launch providers and vehicle types, including upcoming launches on ULA’s Vulcan Centaur, SpaceX Falcon 9, and the European Ariane 6.

Amazon has publicly committed more than $10 billion to the development and deployment of the Kuiper constellation. The company is building out supporting infrastructure in tandem with the satellites, including user terminals and ground communication sites. The terminals, developed in-house, are designed to be compact and cost-effective. Amazon has said these terminals will support download speeds up to 400 Mbps and will be priced under $400, though full commercial service has not yet begun.

In the near term, newly launched satellites will undergo a series of health and status checks, after which their thrusters will be used to reach final orbit. Amazon’s Kuiper operations team, based in Redmond, Washington, is managing the process, which includes positioning, testing communication links, and preparing the satellites to eventually join the active broadband network.

Trajectory

Northeast.

Weather

June 12, 2025

Delta IV Infrastructure Demolished at LC-37 This Morning

Much of the infrastructure at Launch Complex 37’s launch pad was demolished in a controlled explosion today, marking the end of one era and the beginning of another. For those who knew the site, who watched Delta IV rockets claw their way into orbit or remembered the echoes of the Apollo era, the moment was as much about letting go of the past as it was embracing the future.

Out With The Old, In With The New

The primary targets of Thursday’s demolition were the massive Mobile Service Tower and supporting infrastructure built for Delta IV operations. These towering steel and concrete structures were no longer needed and stood as reminders of a program that had fulfilled its mission. Shortly after 9:00 AM ET a series of explosive charges, precisely placed along key support points, triggered a cascading collapse. Within seconds, the launch tower folded in on itself, kicking up clouds of dust that drifted over the grounds where giants once stood.

Crews began rigging the complex for demolition earlier this spring, following the final Delta IV Heavy launch in April 2024. Afte that final flight, United Launch Alliance (ULA) has fully retired the Delta family, closing the door on a long-running chapter in the US launch industry. The demolition marks the next major step in a broader shift at Cape Canaveral, as SpaceX prepares to reshape LC-37 for its Starship launch system as well as at LC-39A.

In both cases, a final Environmental Impact Statement will be released in the coming months for both sites. A draft of the LC-37 EIS was recently released, with findings of No Significant Impact for all ecological, cultural and land use aspects of Starship launches at the site, albeit with one major exception: Starship launches will be the loudest rocket ever launched from the Space Coast, something the Draft EIS noted with its finding of a Significant Impact being the result of Starship launches from Cape Canaveral.

After the debris is cleaned up, new construction can begin in earnest.

Note: Talk of Titusville was unable to create any original photographs of the demolition or its aftermath, as this reporter is western Canada today.

June 6, 2025

DAF Releases Draft Starship Environmental Impact Statement for SLC-37

Starship Heavy lifts off from Boca Chica, Texas to start the IFT-6 mission. Photo: Richard Gallagher, FMN

The Department of the Air Force has released its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which reviews the proposed repurposing of Launch Complex 37 (LC-37) for Starship launches at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS).

The Draft is months late, and had been expected December of 2024, six months ago.

From May 15, 2024: Notice of Environmental Impact Statement for Starship Launches From KSC’s LC-39A Filed

LC-37 At was used until recently by United Launch Alliance for Delta IV Heavy, with the last launch coming fourteen months ago when the last Delta IV Heavy built by ULA flew the NROL-70 for the National Reconnaissance Office.

At A Glance – A High Level Summary Of The Impacts

Talk of Titusville is still reading the document, which spans hundreds of pages.

The Draft outlines the anticipated environmental effects of permitting SpaceX to conduct up to 76 Starship launches and landings per year at the site, along with associated construction, fueling, testing, and transportation activities. The document also represents the most detailed public blueprint to date of SpaceX’s plans for regular Starship operations in Florida.

Noise Impacts

A map shows the Noise Contours for a typical Starship launch. Also from the Draft:

Noise Impact Mitigations

From page 12 of the Executive Summary Noise Impact Mitigation:

Mitigation-3 is interesting — if it can be proven that sound damage from Starship has resulted in property damage, under Federal law, SpaceX is responsible for making the property owner whole again.

You just have to prove it.

The Report

The entire document as released on June 6, 2025.

Read it for yourself here, or download directly from the Department of Air Force. If you are a resident of the Space Coast — all of it — this is required reading because it will be affecting your life.

There is an upcoming public commentary period, and Talk of Titusville urges you to add your thoughts — no matter how you feel — on the record.

Draft-SpaceX-Starship-Super-Heavy-CCSFS-Environmental-Impact-Statement Download

May 30, 2025

Between Storms, SpaceX Launches GPS III-7 Aboard Falcon 9

It was a typical summer’s day here on the Space Coast: at first, sunny and warm, humid with an ever-present threat of a thunderstorm lingering off in the distance.

An hour and a half before today’s launch, while the countdown clock was ticking towards T-0, the skies made good on their threat of a thunderstorm, with plenty of lightning strikes and heavy showers near Space Launch Complex 40, where the GPS III-7 satellite, also known as SV-08, waited atop Falcon 9 for liftoff just before the end of the launch window at 1:38 PM Eastern Time.

Fortunately, there was a short gap between the first passing storm and the next one springing up on the western horizon, and SpaceX took good advantage of it as Booster B1092 fired up for its fourth mission and headed into a suddenly blue sky.

Other than the interesting weather, it was a typically normal mission for SpaceX: ascent was completely normal, with the booster reaching orbit about the same time as the second stage and payload. B1092 landed offshore on ASDS ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ safely at 8:29 a second after the company announced a nominal orbit insertion of stage 2 and GPS III-7.

After additional burns of stage 2 were completed to place the payload precisely in its delivery location, GPS III-7 was deployed at T+01:29:28, marking another successful mission for SpaceX. It was the company’s 68th mission this year, and the 30th from SLC-40.

Payload

The Lockheed Martin GPS III-7 satellite is part of the next-generation Global Positioning System (GPS) constellation, delivering improved accuracy, resilience, and security to the overall system.

The GPS III series replaces older satellites to modernize the U.S. Space Force’s navigation infrastructure. GPS III-7 enhances positioning precision up to three times better than previous models and extends its lifespan to 15 years, reducing long-term costs and increasing operational reliability.

Launch Replay

Next Launch

Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 12-19 Mission Details

Mission	Falcon 9 Block 5 \| Starlink Group 12-19
Organization	SpaceX
Location	Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Rocket	Falcon 9 Block 5
Pad	Space Launch Complex 40
Status	To Be Confirmed
Status Info	Awaiting official confirmation – current date is known with some certainty.
Window Opens	Monday, 06/02/2025 12:57:00 AM EDT
Window Closes	Monday, 06/02/2025 4:57:00 AM EDT
Destination	Low Earth Orbit
Mission Description	A batch of satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation – SpaceX’s project for a space-based Internet communication system.

May 28, 2025

Launch Report: SpaceX Launches Starlink 10-32 From KSC This Morning

Starlink 10-32 in flight. Photo: Ed Cordero, ERC Photos

SpaceX sent another tranche of 27 Starlink satellites to orbit this morning when it launched Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-32 mission from Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff was at 9:30 AM ET from Launch Complex 39A beneath warm, summery skies.

Ascent was as expected as by all appearances, everything went to plan during the rise to orbit. Main Engine Cutoff (MECO) was at T+ 02:24, and Booster B1080 completed its 19th mission when it landed on ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions’ at T+ 08:09.

Starlink 10-32 lifts off, as seen from Kennedy Point Park in Titusville.
Photo: Ed Cordero, ERC Photos

According to SpaceX, this is the same booster that launched Ax-2, Euclid, Ax-3, CRS-30, SES ASTRA 1P, NG-21, and 12 Starlink missions. ‘Just Read The Instructions’ will now return to Port Canaveral, where B1080 will be offloaded and returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility on Roberts Road for processing and preparation for its next flight.

About the same time the booster was landing, the second stage and the payload of Starlink satellites were reaching orbit.

Payload

Starlink is a satellite internet constellation developed, launched and operated by SpaceX, providing high-speed internet access across the globe—especially in remote and underserved regions. Unlike traditional satellite internet systems that rely on a few large satellites in geostationary orbit, Starlink uses thousands of small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), about 550 kilometers above the surface.

This network of satellites forms a mesh of constantly moving nodes that relay data between user terminals on the ground and internet gateways. The lower altitude significantly reduces latency compared to older satellite systems. While traditional satellite Internet can have latencies of 600 milliseconds or more, Starlink aims for 20 to 40 milliseconds, making it viable for online gaming, video calls, and other real-time applications.

Each Starlink satellite weighs about 260 kilograms and is equipped with multiple high-throughput antennas and a single solar array for power. The satellites use phased-array antennas to dynamically steer beams of data as needed, optimizing coverage and performance. Some newer models are also equipped with laser links that allow satellites to communicate with each other directly, reducing the need to bounce data through ground stations and increasing the system’s resilience.

Launch Replay

Next Launch

Falcon 9 Block 5 | GPS III SV08 Mission Details

Mission	Falcon 9 Block 5 \| GPS III SV08
Organization	SpaceX
Location	Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Rocket	Falcon 9 Block 5
Pad	Space Launch Complex 40
Status	To Be Confirmed
Status Info	Awaiting official confirmation – current date is known with some certainty.
Window Opens	Friday, 05/30/2025 1:23:00 PM EDT
Window Closes	Friday, 05/30/2025 1:38:00 PM EDT
Destination	Medium Earth Orbit
Mission Description	Eighth of ten GPS III missions.

May 14, 2025

Launch Report: SpaceX Sends Starlink 6-67 To Orbit In A Lunchtime Launch

Starlink 6-67 launch. Photo by Ed Cordero

SpaceX launched their 57th mission of 2025 this afternoon from Cape Canaveral when the company sent the Starlink 6-67 mission to low Earth orbit aboard Falcon 9. Liftoff was at 12:38 PM EDT, right at the opening of the launch window.

Following a “norminal” initial ascent and stage separation, Falcon 9 first-stage booster B1090 touched down on ASDS ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ in the Atlantic Ocean, concluding its fourth flight. This booster previously launched the SES O3b mPOWER-E, Crew-10 and Bandwagon-3 missions, and will now return to Port Canaveral for offloading and refurbishment at SpaceX’s Hangar X facility at Kennedy Space Center prior to its next flight.

The second stage and payload also had a “norminal” day, where they reached orbit a little more than eight minutes after liftoff. At 1:47 PM ET, SpaceX announced a successful payload deployment, marking another successful mission for the company (pending second stage disposal).

Payload

Today’s payload was 28 Starlink satellites that will now join the other Starlink satellites from Group 6 in the Starlink constellation.

That array of satellites provides Internet connectivity globally to over five million customers in over 125 countries and territories, spanning all seven continents.

Launch Replay

Next Launch

Another group of Starlink satellites are scheduled to launch NET Monday evening:

Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 12-15 Mission Details

Mission	Falcon 9 Block 5 \| Starlink Group 12-15
Organization	SpaceX
Location	Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Rocket	Falcon 9 Block 5
Pad	Space Launch Complex 40
Status	To Be Confirmed
Status Info	Awaiting official confirmation – current date is known with some certainty.
Window Opens	Monday, 05/19/2025 11:40:00 PM EDT
Window Closes	Tuesday, 05/20/2025 12:46:00 AM EDT
Destination	Low Earth Orbit
Mission Description	A batch of satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation – SpaceX’s project for a space-based Internet communication system.

Please note that the launch window times are provided in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

For the most current information regarding the launch schedule and status, please refer to official updates from SpaceX.