Doubleheader!
SpaceX successfully launched two Falcon 9 rockets from Florida Today. The company initially aimed for a tripleheader with a third SpaceX launch scheduled for California overnight but weather forced a scrub.
First up: a SpaceX Falcon 9 launched the Eutelsat36D satellite at 5:52 p.m. from Kennedy Space Center’s Pad 39A. It’s a telecommunications satellite for Africa and Eurasia. The Falcon 9 booster returned with a landing out on Just Read the Instructions drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
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Less than four hours later, SpaceX launched its next batch of 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Launch Complex 40. The Starlink 6-45 mission blasted off at 9:30 p.m.
The booster landed on A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.
To add to the launch fever, over on the U.S. West Coast, SpaceX intended to launch another batch of 22 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. That launch scrubbed due to weather concerns.
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Meanwhile, the earliest the Delta IV Heavy could make another attempt after its Thursday scrub looks to be at 1:25 p.m. Monday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Weather remains the primary concern of this planned Starlink launch, which has now pushed back to 9:46 p.m. PT which is 12:46 a.m. ET. The window extends until 2:30 a.m. ET. SpaceX later scrubbed due to weather.
SpaceX is going for a tripleheader with a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 8:54 p.m. PT, which is 11:54 p.m. ET. The window extends until 11:30 p.m. PT or 2:30 a.m. ET.
This will end our live launch coverage but we’ll come back in the morning to provide updates on the California mission.
For those who are interested, here is a list of all 2024 launches so far from the Cape.
The Falcon 9 first-stage booster just landed aboard SpaceX’s drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas out on the Atlantic Ocean, completing its 18th mission.
It passed through Max Q. The rumble is passing right now over Merritt Island.
And SpaceX is off with a doubleheader as it launches the Falcon 9 rocket on a Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force.
.SpaceX’s launch webcast hosted on X (formerly Twitter) is now posted above, right below the countdown clock.
Liftoff is scheduled in five minutes from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Now is the time to make sure you get to your viewing spot. Seven minutes before launch, the Falcon 9 will begin engine chill.
After SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launches, a key moment will come 1 minute and 12 seconds after liftoff. That’s known as Max Q and it’s when the rocket experiences the peak mechanical stress.
Other key moments include what’s known as MECO or Main Engine Cutoff at 2 minutes and 26 seconds after liftoff. The first and second stage separate at 2 minutes and 30 seconds after lift-off.
The fairing deploys at 3 minutes and 4 seconds.
The booster or first-stage won’t land back until 8 minutes and 26 seconds, and there will be entry burns proceeding that. There won’t be a sonic boom because it’s landing on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. But if the sky is clear enough, you might get lucky and see something.
As we count down toward the launch, thinking back to a previous holiday, Valentine’s Day, and a previous doubleheader. The Space Coast saw a double-header was February 14-15 , when SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Intuitive Machines moon lander from KSC Pad 39A, just over seven hours after a Falcon 9 rocket launched a secretive USSF-124 national security mission from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Odysseus moon lander did make it to the moon albeit with a tipped-over landing, becoming the first American spacecraft to land on the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972.
A reader just pointed out that we may get a chance to spot the International Space Station as it passes over the Space Coast about 9:09 p.m. appearing in the north-northwest part of the sky and heading eastward.
Here’s a link to find the location: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/
SpaceX said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that they are loading the propellant into the rocket, which means they are now committed to a 9:30 p.m. liftoff.
Here’s what SpaceX said: “All systems are ready and weather looks perfect for launch.”
As we wait for some confirmation that fueling has started, here’s some information for our visitors.
SLC-40 is located further south than pad 39A. Look towards the area which lies south of Kennedy Space Center, according to your location. For example, if you are located south of the Cape, look northeast. If you are north of the Cape, look to the southeast.
For those who live in the Cape area (Titusville, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, etc..) it would be hard to miss the bright rocket, even in daylight, under a clear sky.
SpaceX’s launch director will make the call to start fueling 38 minutes before the planned liftoff at 9:30 p.m. Once that call is made and fueling begins, SpaceX is locked in to the 9:30 p.m. liftoff time. If they have to delay, it’s a scrub and they’d have to use another launch opportunity Sunday.
So the start of fueling becomes a key moment in whether this launch is happening on schedule. Stay tuned.
If SpaceX’s Starlink’s 6-45 mission launches tonight, it will be the 22nd launch from Florida this year. It would be the second launch today.
Here’s our 2024 launch list but just note: we haven’t put in the earlier launch from today yet.
Here’s a behind-the-scenes rundown of SpaceX’s countdown timeline as we approach the one hour mark to the new launch time of 9:30 p.m.. SpaceX does not provide audio coverage into their launch control center.
T-minus
- 38 minutes: SpaceX launch director verifies “go” for propellant load.
- 35 minutes: Rocket-grade kerosene and first-stage liquid oxygen loading begins.
- 16 minutes: Second-stage liquid oxygen loading begins.
- 7 minutes: Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch.
- 1 minute: Command flight computer begins final prelaunch checks; propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins.
- 45 seconds: SpaceX launch director verifies “go” for launch.
- 3 seconds: Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start.
- 0 seconds: Liftoff.
If you’re never seen a Falcon 9 launch, you’re in for quite a show.
After the rocket rises into the sky, the 1st and 2nd stages of the rocket will separate after two-and-a-half minutes into flight.
The 1st stage continues to put on an additional show, which is best viewed from the beach — depending on the droneship location, you may be able to catch the 1st stage entry and landing burns, which occur at 6 minutes and 10 second and 8 minutes and 4 seconds respectively.
Because of the droneship landing at sea, there will be no sonic booms.
SpaceX has moved the launch time and is now working toward a 9:30 p.m. launch. They have until 10 p.m. to launch.
With one hour to launch, Brevard County Emergency Management officials have activated the agency’s launch operations support team ahead of SpaceX’s upcoming Falcon 9 launch. This is the second launch of the day.
All of these launches do have an impact. If you’re curious, FLORIDA TODAY reporters wrote a story about it last year. Here’s the link.
Just as with the earlier SpaceX Falcon 9 launch, the 45th Weather Squadron had forecast near ideal launching conditions.
They put the chance of weather violating a launch rule at less than 5 percent. The main concern: thick cloud layers.
It’s a little cooler as the sun sets on the Space Coast, and right now the sky looks decorated in the colors of Easter eggs as we await this second-of-the-night rocket launch.
This launch will mark the 18th flight for this Falcon 9 booster. Its most memorable previous launches include NASA Crew-3 and NASA Crew-4. This will be the booster’s 9th Starlink mission.
Where is the SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage booster landing?
This specific SpaceX Falcon 9 will land out in the Atlantic Ocean on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship — which will ferry the booster to shore in the coming days.
With it coming in over the ocean, no sonic booms are expected. No need to cover your ears tonight but you’ll still get that launch rumble if you’re close enough and the wind is right.
If you missed the launch earlier this evening, here is your chance to see one tonight.
A group of 23 Starlink satellites will be headed to low-Earth orbit in what promises to be a spectacular night launch at 9:02 p.m.
This is the second in back-to-back launches from the Space Coast. The launch will occur from Space Launch Complex 40, which is at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
SpaceX is in the process of transforming pad 40 into a facility that can also launch crews.
The launch window tonight goes until 10 p.m., and there are backup opportunities tomorrow, too, starting at 7 p.m.
We’re just over 90 minutes until the planned 9:02 p.m. liftoff of a Falcon 9 Starlink mission on what will be the second SpaceX launch from Florida today. For this launch, we turn to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
But first, below is a photo of the Falcon 9 that blasted off from KSC flying behind an American flag. Great capture by our veteran Space Photographer Craig Bailey
We’ll be back to bring you live countdown coverage of the SpaceX Starlink launch, which is set for 9:02 p.m. right now from Cape Canaveral Space Force Launch Complex 40.
This is a real treat — a double launch in Florida, including one nighttime launch. Nighttime launches can be spectacuar.
Also up tonight, SpaceX is hoping to make it a tripleheader with a launch at 10:30 p.m. ET from California.
The Eutelsat36D satellite will be deployed 33 minutes and 57 seconds after liftoff, according to SpaceX.
Next up: launch preps for the second SpaceX launch from Florida tonight.
The Falcon 9 booster returned with a landing out on Just Read the Instructions drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. This marked SpaceX’s 289th recovery of a first-stage rocket.
SpaceX has just launched the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the EutelSat36D satellite from KSC, in what’s the first of two launches planned today from Florida’s Cape. A third launch is being targeted for California.
SpaceX says the Falcon 9 is tracking no issues. Weather is green meaning go for launch.
All is looking good for the planned 5:52 p.m. launch from Kennedy Space Center’s Pad 39A.
SpaceX’s launch webcast hosted on X (formerly Twitter) is now posted above, right above the countdown clock. Liftoff is scheduled at 5:52 p.m.
Head outside if you plan on catching this launch! If you have clear skies, it will be hard to miss the bright rocket rising into the sky. And get ready for the rumble (my favorite part!).
At T-1 minute, the command flight computer will begin final checks.
At 45 seconds to launch, the launch director verifies they are go for launch.
After launch, the rocket will reach Max Q, that’s the moment of the most mechanical stress, at 1 minute and 14 seconds into the flight. At 2 minutes 30 seconds, there’s MECO – Main Engine Cutoff. At 2 minutes 34 seconds, the first and second stage separate.
The first stage is set to land on the drone ship at 8 minutes 36 seconds into the flight.
The satellite deploys 33 minutes and 57 seconds into the flight.
Visual cues on the rocket indicate SpaceX has begun fueling the Falcon 9 ahead of a planned 5:52 p.m. launch from KSC’s Launch Pad 39A.
If SpaceX plans to make the 5:52 p.m. launch, they will have begun fueling the Falcon 9 at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39A.
SpaceX has yet to make an official announcement. Unlike United Launch Alliance and SpaceX missions for NASA, SpaceX doesn’t make audio from its launch control center available to listen in.
Once fueling gets underway, that means tonight’s Starlink mission would be locked in to lift off at 5:52 p.m. without any countdown delays, or else the launch must be postponed. But if fueling is not underway, SpaceX still has time in their launch window to pick a new launch time.
Both of today’s launches will be landing on droneships in the Atlantic Ocean. Sonic booms are not expected.
This first Falcon 9 will land on the Just Read the Instructions droneship.
But while there won’t be sonic booms, expect a rumble as the sound wave hits you after liftoff.
SpaceX just posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “all systems are looking good and there are blue skies” over the launch pad.
Brevard County Emergency Management officials have activated the agency’s launch operations support team ahead of SpaceX’s upcoming Falcon 9 launch from Kennedy Space Center.
The launch window is 5:52 p.m. to 8 p.m. At this point, we’re anticipating a launch at the opening of the window but we’ll let you know if that changes.
With one hour to go until launch, we’re looking for some key milestones. The first critical one is at At T-38 minutes, the SpaceX launch director will decide to “go” or not for fueling.
Here’s a behind-the-scenes rundown of SpaceX’s countdown timeline. T-minus:
- 35 minutes: Rocket-grade kerosene and first-stage liquid oxygen loading begins.
- 16 minutes: Second-stage liquid oxygen loading begins.
- 7 minutes: Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch.
- 1 minute: Command flight computer begins final prelaunch checks; propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins.
- 45 seconds: SpaceX launch director verifies “go” for launch.
- 3 seconds: Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start.
- 0 seconds: Liftoff.
If all goes as planned today, this would be one for the record books. SpaceX is trying to launch three missions from three different launch pads in two states within hours of each other. First up, is the Falcon 9 EUTELSAT 36D mission launching from the storied KSC Launch Complex 39A.
This might be the most famous launchpad in the world. It’s where Apollo 11 launched on July 16, 1969, with astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Collins for the first mission to put a man on the moon. It’s also the location where the first and last launches of NASA’s space shuttle program occurred 30 years apart.
Want to know what other launch pads are active on the Space Coast? Here’s a great guide.
The second launch from Florida tonight is targeting 9:02 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Launch Complex 40 and the third launch is in California at Vandenberg Space Force Base at 10:30 p.m. ET.
EUTELSAT 36D is a telecommunications satellite which will serve Africa and Eurasia.
According to an Airbus press release earlier this month, the satellite was built by Airbus and has a 15-year life expectancy. Its purpose is to provide TV broadcasting as well as government services for Africa, Europe, and Eurasian countries.
The satellite was transported to Kennedy Space Center earlier this month after arriving in Stanford, Florida, via an Airbus Beluga transport aircraft.
The most memorable of launches for this Falcon 9 may be CRS-26, a commercial resupply mission for the International Space Station which launched on November 26, 2022.
Overall, this will be its 12th launch.
In fact, every one of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 boosters flying on all three planned launches today have flown before.
With just under two hours to go to the first SpaceX launch, the skies over the Cape are cloudy with patches of blue. The Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron had forecast a less than 5 percent chance of weather conditions violating the launch rules. The main weather concern: thick cloud layer.
When was the first SpaceX Falcon 9 launch Saturday
The first SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched at 5:52 p.m. from KSC’s Launch Pad 39A.
When was the second SpaceX Falcon 9 launch Saturday
SpaceX will try for a doubleheader by launching a batch of Starlink satellites on another Falcon 9 at 9:30 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Launch Complex 40.
When is the third SpaceX Falcon 9 launch Saturday – this one from California?
On the U.S. West Coast, SpaceX intends to launch another batch of 22 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. That launch is targeting 10:30 p.m. ET. If all launches go, that would mean SpaceX sent three Falcon 9 rockets up into space in the span of hours on Saturday.
Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@FloridaToday.com