Photo: Ed Cordero / FMN
SpaceX launched another set of Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit today from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 aboard a Falcon 9. Liftoff was at 3:43 PM ET (2043 UTC) after several pushbacks in the window, presumably due to windy weather from an approaching cold front expected to arrive this evening on the Space Coast.
Around 8.2 minutes after liftoff, Booster B1077 successfully completed its 17th mission when it touched down offshore on ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions’, which was positioned offshore near The Bahamas. Previously, previously launched Crew-5, CRS-28, Intelsat G-37, Optus-X, Immarsat I6-F2, GPS III-6, NG-20, and nine Starlink missions.
JRTI will now return to Port Canaveral, where the booster will be offloaded and returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility for inspection and any needed refurbishment prior to its next flight.
At 8:39 into flight, Falcon 9’s second stage and the Starlink payload achieved their initial elliptical orbit, which was rounded by a short second burn at the 54:03 mark of the mission. Payload deployment was one hour, five minutes and twelve seconds after liftoff, marking a successful end to SpaceX’s second mission in 2025 from the Eastern Range.
Payload
24 Starlink Mini v2 satellites, which will join Group 6 of Starlink’s orbital Internet connectivity constellation. Currently, there are over 6,900 Starlink satellites in orbit, according to Dr. Jonathon McDowell of the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
Launch Replay
Next Launch
SpaceX plans to launch Starlink 12-11 from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center aboard Falcon 9.
- Date: NET January 8, 2025
- Organization: SpaceX
- Mission: Starlink 12-11
- Rocket: Falcon 9
- Launch Site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center
- Launch Window: 10:24 AM – 2:55 PM EST
- Payload: Starlink satellites for SpaceX’s ISP constellation.
