SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, September 4 for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink small satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 8:59 a.m. ET, with backup opportunities available until 12:59 p.m. ET. If needed, additional launch opportunities are available on Thursday, September 5 starting at 8:35 a.m. ET.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about five minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch on X @SpaceX.
This is the 15th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-5, GPS III Space Vehicle 06, Inmarsat I6-F2, CRS-28, Intelsat G-37, NG-20, and eight Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Just Read The Instructions droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
If successful, this launch will mark the 7,000th Starlink satellite launched to date, according to statistics compiled by Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer and expert orbital tracker. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is set for 8:59 a.m. EDT (1259 UTC).
According to the 45th Weather Squadron, “Another wet day is expected as deep tropical moisture pools across the Florida Peninsula south of a lingering trough. This pattern will continue above normal rain chances for the state through the week.”
There’s a 70 percent chance of favorable weather at liftoff and may include the presence of cumulus and anvil clouds. The forecast calls for a temperature of 83°F, scattered clouds, 37% cloud cover and a wind speed of 9mph.