Latest news with #Starlink12-20
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX sends up Starlink satellites Sunday night, but rocket booster tips over atop drone ship
SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 rocket during Sunday night's Oscars ceremony, sending up another payload of 21 Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. But after the first-stage booster successfully landed atop a SpaceX drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean, a fire in the aft end of the rocket damaged one of the landing legs — and the booster tipped over, SpaceX reported. "While disappointing to lose a rocket after a successful mission, the team will use the data to make Falcon even more reliable on ascent and landing," SpaceX officials said in a Monday morning tweet. Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral The Starlink 12-20 mission lifted off at 9:24 p.m. EST from Launch Complex 40. Sunday's launch marked the Falcon 9 first-stage booster's fifth — and final — flight, the company reported. This booster previously launched GOES-U, Maxar 3 and two Starlink missions. Ten minutes before liftoff, rocket fueling was well underway at the pad. Behind the scenes, SpaceX crews rattled off a list of key countdown milestones before liftoff. 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. Following stage separation, the descending booster returned to Earth for a landing atop the drone ship Just Read the Instructions roughly 250 nautical miles off the Florida coast. Despite the booster mishap, SpaceX confirmed the 21 Starlink satellites successfully deployed. The SpaceX mission marked the 20th orbital rocket launch of the year thus far from Florida's Space Coast. Sunday's prime-time liftoff occurred during stellar meteorological conditions. The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron had forecasted a 90% chance of "go for launch" weather, with liftoff winds and cumulus clouds representing slim threats. Looking past Sunday's liftoff, SpaceX is targeting early Wednesday morning for another Falcon 9 launch on a Starlink mission, a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory shows. The 4½-hour launch window extends from 1 a.m. to 5:31 a.m. Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage kicks off 90 minutes before liftoff at Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@ 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 launches Starlink satellites Sunday; booster tips over on ship
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX sends up Starlink satellites Sunday night from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 rocket during Sunday night's Oscars ceremony, sending up another payload of 21 Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Starlink 12-20 mission lifted off at 9:24 p.m. EST from Launch Complex 40. The SpaceX mission marked the 20th orbital rocket launch of the year thus far from Florida's Space Coast. Sunday's prime-time liftoff occurred during stellar meteorological conditions. The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron had forecasted a 90% chance of "go for launch" weather, with liftoff winds and cumulus clouds representing slim threats. Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral Ten minutes before liftoff, rocket fueling was well underway at the pad. SpaceX crews rattled off a list of key countdown milestones before liftoff. 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. Sunday's launch marked the Falcon 9 first-stage booster's fifth flight, SpaceX reported. This booster previously launched GOES-U, Maxar 3 and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the booster returned to Earth for a landing atop the SpaceX drone ship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. Looking past Sunday's liftoff, SpaceX is targeting early Wednesday morning for another Falcon 9 launch on a Starlink mission, a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory shows. The 4½-hour launch window extends from 1 a.m. to 5:31 a.m. Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage kicks off 90 minutes before liftoff at Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@ 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 launches Starlink satellites Sunday aboard rocket from Florida
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX eyes Sunday night Falcon 9 rocket launch on Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral
On the heels of Wednesday's Falcon 9 rocket launch doubleheader, SpaceX crews are now eyeing Sunday night for the next liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. SpaceX is targeting a 9:24 p.m. EST liftoff for the Starlink 12-20 mission. Backup opportunities will remain available at Launch Complex 40 until 12:21 a.m. Monday, if needed. Expect the Falcon 9 to deploy a payload of Starlink internet-beaming satellites into low-Earth orbit after ascending in a southeasterly trajectory. No Central Florida sonic booms should occur — rather, the rocket's first-stage booster will target landing aboard a SpaceX drone ship hundreds of miles away in the Atlantic Ocean. Sunday's nighttime launch will clock in as the 20th orbital rocket launch of the year from the Space Force installation and NASA's neighboring Kennedy Space Center. Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral On Wednesday, SpaceX launched Intuitive Machines' second lunar lander on a trek to the moon at 7:16 p.m. from KSC. Then, a second Falcon 9 lifted off on a Starlink mission at 10:34 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. "Less than 4 hours apart, #SpaceX launched #Starlink 12-13 & Intuitive Machines' IM-2, showcasing joint collaboration & rapid launch capability," Space Launch Delta 45 officials said in a Thursday tweet. "The space domain never sleeps — and neither do we," the tweet said. For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@ 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 targets Sunday night Falcon 9 rocket launch from Cape Canaveral
