SpaceX Launches Starlink 10-6 Early Friday

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 carrying the Starlink 10-6 mission from Pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center aboard a Falcon 9 Rocket. Liftoff was at 01:01 AM EDT.

After a nominal ascent, around 8.5 minutes after liftoff, the first-stage booster used for the mission, tail number B1078, touched down safely on ASDS ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’, stationed downrange in the Atlantic Ocean east of the Carolinas.

B1078 has now flown twelve successful missions, after previously launching Crew-6, O3b mPOWER, USSF-124, and now nine Starlink missions.

Falcon 9’s second-stage two burns were also right on the money, and the Starlink Group 10-6 of 23 Starlink Mini v2 satellites were placed into their intended initial orbit.

With Booster B1078 safely aboard, ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ will now return to Port Canaveral, where the booster will be unloaded, transported to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility at Kennedy Space Center and prepared for its next flight after inspection and refurbishment.

At 02:07 AM EDT, SpaceX confirmed deployment of tonight’s payload, marking another successful mission for the company and for Falcon 9.

Launch Replay

Payload

Today’s payload was another 23 Starlink satellites that will join SpaceX’s constellation in low-Earth orbit. Now under their own power, the satellites will move into the final orbital positions before being commissioned and beginning operation.

Next Launch

SpaceX will launch the NG-21 ISS resupply for Northrup Grumman and NASA aboard a Falcon 9 from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Station on Saturday morning.

• Date: NET August 3, 2024
• Organization: SpaceX / NASA and Northrup Grumman
• Mission: NG-21
• Rocket: Falcon 9
• Launch Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
• Launch Window: 11:28 AM – instantaneous window
• Payload: Northrup Grumman Cygnus