CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE — SpaceX launched two dozen Starlink satellites early Sunday evening, a liftoff that comes on the heels of the first moon landing by a commercial company.

What You Need To Know

  • SpaceX scrubbed Saturday night's launch of Starlink satellites

  • The liftoff will happen at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

  • Get more space coverage here  ▶

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket left Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 5:06 p.m. ET, stated the company.

Sunday's first launch window time was at 4:34 p.m. ET, but it was delayed, just like Saturday's numerous attempts until it was scrubbed. SpaceX had a few more chances to launch on Sunday until 8:34 p.m. ET.

The 45th Weather Squadron had given about a 95% favorable forecast for Saturday's launch, with the only concern being liftoff winds. For Sunday's launch, the percentage was the same, but the concern was the cumulus clouds, stated the squadron.  

Going up all the way

This was first-stage booster B1069’s 13th flight and nothing unlucky happened to it. Its 12 successful launches are:

After the first-stage separation, it landed in the Atlantic Ocean on SpaceX’s droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.

About the mission

Heading to low-Earth orbit, the 24 Starlink satellites are expected to join the thousands of other ones that are already there.

These satellites provide internet service, stated the SpaceX-owned company Starlink.

Before the launch, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics’ Dr. Jonathan McDowell recorded the following information about the Starlink satellites.

  • 5,480 are in orbit
  • 5,442 in working order
  • 4,762 are in operational orbit

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