SpaceX launch recap: Live updates from Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Original story: Keep your eyes peeled for another SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch early this morning from Florida's Space Coast.
Welcome to FLORIDA TODAY Space Team live coverage of SpaceX's Starlink 10-28 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. SpaceX is targeting 4:21 a.m. to launch the Falcon 9 into low-Earth orbit.
The Falcon 9 will deploy 28 Starlink communications satellites. No Brevard County sonic booms are expected. Instead, after soaring skyward along a northeasterly trajectory, the rocket's first-stage booster will target landing aboard the SpaceX drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas out at sea a bit more than eight minutes after liftoff.
The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron now predicts 95% odds of favorable launch weather, with cumulus clouds posing the lone threat.
Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral
Countdown Timer
Update 4:29 a.m.: The Falcon 9 first-stage booster just landed aboard SpaceX's drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean, completing its 22nd mission.
Update 4:21 a.m.: Liftoff! SpaceX has just launched the Falcon 9 carrying 28 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Update 4:16 a.m.: SpaceX's launch webcast is now posted above, right below our countdown clock.
Liftoff is scheduled in five minutes from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Update 4:10 a.m.: Eleven minutes before SpaceX's Falcon 9 lifts off, the countdown appears to be proceeding as planned. Rocket fueling remains well underway at Launch Complex 40.
Following is a list of key remaining countdown milestones. T-minus:
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: Falcon 9 liftoff.
Update 4 a.m.: The early morning mission will mark the Falcon 9 first-stage booster's 22nd flight, SpaceX reported.
This booster previously launched Crew-5, GPS III Space Vehicle 06, Inmarsat I6-F2, CRS-28, Intelsat G-37, NG-20, TD7 and 14 Starlink missions.
Following stage separation, crews expect the booster to land on the SpaceX drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean 8 minutes, 14 seconds after liftoff.
Update 3:50 a.m.: Falcon 9 fueling procedures are now underway at Launch Complex 40, visual cues indicate.
That means the Starlink mission countdown is locked in to lift off at 4:21 a.m. without any delays, or else tonight's launch must be postponed to a later date.
Update 3:40 a.m.: Here's a rundown of SpaceX's upcoming behind-the-scenes Falcon 9 launch countdown timeline. 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.
Update 3:30 a.m.: SpaceX's upcoming Falcon 9 launch will clock in as the 59th orbital rocket launch thus far during 2025 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
Click here for the FLORIDA TODAY Space Team's updating tally listing all of this year's missions, complete with photo galleries and story links.
Update 3:20 a.m.: Brevard County Emergency Management officials have activated the agency's launch operations support team ahead of SpaceX's upcoming Falcon 9 launch.
Update 3:07 a.m.: Monday afternoon, Port Canaveral officials tweeted a photo featuring twin SpaceX Falcon 9 first-stage boosters.
"A busy day for Port Canaveral's two mobile harbor cranes, lifting 2 @SpaceX boosters that recently flew into space," the tweet said.
"Later this year a third mobile harbor crane will be delivered. Maybe we can get 3 boosters at once getting lifted at the same time!"
Update 2:54 a.m.: The 45th Weather Squadron upped its forecast odds of "go for launch" weather from 90% to 95%.
In a key move, meteorologists deleted a low-to-moderate threat of poor booster recovery weather at sea in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Chantal's Sunday landfall in South Carolina.
"The western Atlantic ridge will rebuild across the state early this week with its axis initially acrossSouth Florida before lifting northwards into mid-week. Expect a seasonally typical pattern over the next few days with showers and storms developing along the inland moving seabreeze each afternoon," the squadron's updated forecast said.
"Most activity will diminish in the evenings, leaving partly cloudy skies and favorable conditions in the overnight hours" for today's primary launch target day, the forecast said.
For the latest news and launch schedule from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space. Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly Space newsletter.
Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX launch recap: Live Starlink 10-28 updates from Cape Canaveral
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