Latest news with #Starlink6-74
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 28 Starlink satellites, aces droneship booster landing (photos)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. SpaceX continues its steady pace of Starlink launches, ever growing the company's orbital internet constellation. A Falcon 9 rocket launched SpaceX's Starlink 6-74 mission Thursday night, April 24, out of Florida's Space Coast. Liftoff occurred at 9:52 p.m. ET (0152 GMT, April 25) from Launch Complex-40 (LC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Stacked 28-tall inside the Falcon 9 fairing, the newest additions to SpaceX's Starlink megaconstellation headed toward low Earth orbit (LEO), powered by the Falcon 9's nine first-stage Merlin engines. Booster 1069 missions CRS-24 | Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13F | OneWeb 1 | SES-18 and SES-19 The rocket's first stage booster, tail number B1069, executed main engine cutoff and separated from the rocket's upper stage about 2.5 minutes into flight. Approximately six minutes later, B1069 landed safely on SpaceX's A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the 23rd launch of B1069, and the booster's 19th Starlink mission. The rocket's upper stage continued into LEO with its 28 Starlink satellites, releasing them from the rocket's payload adapter one hour into flight. They will spend the next few days maneuvering into more specific orbits to join SpaceX's growing megaconstellation. Related stories: — SpaceX: Facts about Elon Musk's private spaceflight company — Starlink satellites: Facts, tracking and impact on astronomy — SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 21 Starlink satellites on record-setting 26th flight (video, photos) SpaceX's Starlink network consists of more than 7,000 satellites and counting. As a whole, they operate in a grid that blankets nearly all of the planet, save for the poles. Starlink offers users a high-speed internet connection from anywhere (other than the poles) they are able to point their Starlink receiver toward the sky. Thursday's launch was SpaceX's 47th Falcon 9 mission of 2025, and the company's 30th Starlink launch so far this year.
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Science
- Time of India
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched 28 Starlink satellites into orbit from Cape Canaveral on April 24
Source: SpaceX made a key milestone in delivering global internet connectivity on April 24, 2025, with the successful launch of the Starlink 6-74 mission. In the mission, 28 satellites were deployed in low Earth orbit, adding further to Spacex's Starlink constellation. This expansion is central to the company's mission of providing high-speed internet connectivity to even the most distant and underserved parts of the globe. With every successful deployment, SpaceX is incrementally moving closer to its vision of delivering low-latency, reliable internet to millions of individuals around the world, improving connectivity in rural communities. SpaceX Falcon 9 launched Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral The rocket launched at 9:52 pm ET from Launch Complex 40 (LC-40) at Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Falcon 9 rocket blasted into the evening sky, accelerated by nine Merlin engines in its initial stage. The successful launch is another milestone for SpaceX as it inches nearer to finishing its ambitious Starlink megaconstellation. Within the nose fairing of the rocket, a neatly stacked array of 28 Starlink satellites was securely fastened. The satellites are intended to reach low Earth orbit (LEO), where they will deliver high-speed internet to large regions around the globe. As part of the expanding Starlink constellation, these satellites will improve global connectivity, especially in remote and underserved communities, by providing low-latency, reliable broadband services. SpaceX booster successfully lands after 23rd flight, satellites deployed in orbit Around 2.5 minutes into flight, the first stage of the rocket—a booster named B1069—finished burning its main engines and jettisoned itself from the top stage. This booster has quite a good history. The April 24 flight was its 23rd, which makes it one of the most reused Falcon 9 boosters to have flown so far. Upon separation, B1069 started its descent to Earth. Approximately six minutes after that, it made a spot landing on the droneship "A Shortfall of Gravitas," which was docked in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the 19th Starlink mission for B1069 and yet again highlighted the efficiency and affordability of SpaceX's reusable rocket system. As the booster landed safely back on Earth, the Falcon 9 upper stage continued to ascend. Having the payload of 28 satellites, it entered low Earth orbit and ultimately deployed the satellites an hour after launch. From there, individual satellites will employ onboard thrusters to move into final orbit, joining the larger Starlink constellation. SpaceX achieves record-breaking launch milestones in 2025 The Starlink 6-74 mission was not just another success of deployment—it was also SpaceX's record-breaking year. The company's 47th Falcon 9 launch of 2025 and its 30th Starlink-specific mission in 2025, this mission made it into the history books. This staggering rate indicates SpaceX's industrial and logistical prowess, allowing it to take over the space launch market. The reuse capability of boosters such as B1069 is the key to this fast pace. Reusability is key to lowering the cost of launches and making frequent launches feasible, which makes SpaceX all the more different from the rest. Space enthusiasts and photographers flocked to places like Woodside Park in Viera, Florida, to take awe-inspiring pictures of the liftoff. Powerful lenses captured the rocket's blazing climb, stage separation, and even the landing burn on the droneship. The mission's visibility in the evening sky was a spectacle for skywatchers and only served to boost public interest in space exploration. Future of Starlink and SpaceX's broader vision With thousands of satellites already in orbit, Starlink is set to be a global internet infrastructure leader. The network has already demonstrated potential in increasing rural and remote communities' connectivity. As the constellation expands, Starlink is likely to bring faster speeds, wider coverage, and higher reliability—rivaling traditional ISPs. Also Read | Mysterious 'zombie star' speeds through the Milky Way at 177,000 km/h, capable of ripping human atoms; origin remains unknown
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
SpaceX rocket launch recap: Live updates from April 24 Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral
Launch recap: Scroll down to review live updates from from Cape Canaveral on the Starlink 6-74 mission. Original story: Look for another SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to take flight tonight amid scattered clouds and highly favorable launch weather from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Welcome to FLORIDA TODAY Space Team live coverage of tonight's SpaceX Starlink 6-74 mission. SpaceX is targeting 9:52 p.m. for liftoff from Launch Complex 40. The Falcon 9 will deploy a payload of 28 Starlink internet-beaming satellites, which are packed inside the fairing atop the 230-foot rocket. No Central Florida sonic booms should occur during this mission. Rather, after soaring skyward along a southeasterly trajectory, the rocket's first-stage booster will target landing aboard a SpaceX drone ship out at sea a bit more than eight minutes after liftoff. The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron pegged the odds of "go for launch" weather at greater than 95%, citing a warm, dry weather pattern throughout the remainder of the week at the spaceport. Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral Countdown Timer Update 10:01 p.m.: The Falcon 9 first-stage booster just landed aboard SpaceX's drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean, completing its 23rd mission. Update 9:52 p.m.: Liftoff! SpaceX has just launched the rocket carrying 28 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Update 9:47 p.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 9:42 p.m.: Tonight's mission marks this Falcon 9 first-stage booster's 23rd flight, SpaceX reported. The booster previously launched CRS-24, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13F, OneWeb 1, SES-18 and SES-19, and 18 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, 27 seconds after liftoff. Update 9:32 p.m.: National Weather Service radar from the Melbourne Orlando International Airport station shows the Space Coast remains free of meaningful cloud cover ahead of the upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 launch. Liftoff is scheduled in 20 minutes. Update 9:21 p.m.: Falcon 9 fueling procedures are now underway at Launch Complex 40, indicated by white water vapor billowing near the lower third of the rocket. That means the Starlink mission countdown is now locked in to lift off at 9:52 p.m. without any delays, or else tonight's launch must be postponed to a later date. Update 9:10 p.m.: Earlier today, Blue Origin crews conducted a New Glenn rocket upper-stage engine test at Launch Complex 36, just south of SpaceX's twin Falcon booster landing zones. "Today, we completed a full duration 15-second hotfire test of the upper stage for our NG-2 mission. This time, we achieved enhanced performance from the BE-3U engine, increasing the maximum thrust from 173,000 lbf to 175,000 lbf per engine, further expanding New Glenn's capabilities for our customers," Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said in a tweet. Update 9 p.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 8:45 p.m.: Brevard County Emergency Management officials have activated the agency's launch operations support team ahead of SpaceX's upcoming Falcon 9 launch. Update 8:31 p.m.: Tonight's upcoming SpaceX launch is slated to become the 33rd of the year thus far from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's neighboring Kennedy Space Center. Update 8:15 p.m.: Additional details from the 45th Weather Squadron's launch forecast: "The Spaceport will remain in a warm and dry pattern throughout the remainder of the week asthe area remains under the influence of the broad and weak high over the western Atlantic. The axis of this feature will remain north of the area, bringing persistent low-level onshore flow," the forecast said. "Aloft, the upper-level ridge will break down, allowing additional mid to high clouds to spill across the region late this week. Models continue to trend too high and cold with this layer to pose any launch weather concern," the forecast said. For the latest news and launch schedule 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 launch recap: Live updates from April 24 Starlink night mission
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX launches Falcon 9 on Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral; booster lands for 23rd time
Another SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket took flight in the darkness Thursday, April 24, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, lifting another 28 Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit. SpaceX's Starlink 6-74 mission lifted off at 9:52 p.m. from Launch Complex 40. The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron had pegged the odds of "go for launch" weather at greater than 95%, citing a warm, dry weather pattern at the spaceport. Of note, the mission marked the Falcon 9 first-stage booster's 23rd flight, SpaceX reported. The booster previously launched CRS-24, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13F, OneWeb 1, SES-18 and SES-19, and 18 Starlink missions. Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral Following stage separation, the rocket booster returned to Earth and touched down atop the SpaceX drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean roughly 8½ minutes after liftoff. Hours before the launch, Blue Origin crews conducted a New Glenn rocket upper-stage engine test at Launch Complex 36, just south of SpaceX's twin Falcon booster landing zones at the Space Force installation. "Today, we completed a full duration 15-second hotfire test of the upper stage for our NG-2 mission. This time, we achieved enhanced performance from the BE-3U engine, increasing the maximum thrust from 173,000 lbf to 175,000 lbf per engine, further expanding New Glenn's capabilities for our customers," Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said in a tweet. Looking ahead on the Eastern Range schedule, SpaceX will try to launch a Falcon 9 on another Starlink mission on Sunday, April 27, according to the Space Coast Office of Tourism. Target liftoff time: 10:04 p.m. Then on Monday, April 28, United Launch Alliance will again attempt to launch an Atlas V rocket with five solid rocket boosters, deploying the first payload of Amazon's Project Kuiper internet production satellites into low-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. That ULA two-hour launch window opens at 7 p.m. Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage will kick off about 90 minutes before the SpaceX liftoff and two hours before the ULA launch 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 booster lands for 23rd time on Starlink launch from Cape Canaveral
