Thursday, June 5
    CLICK HERE for all posts on this page

    SpaceX Set to Expand Starlink Constellation with 22 Satellite Launch from Florida

    Science & Tech 4 Mins Read

    Elon Musk is about to stun the world with fantastic broadband services, a well as cellular, shocking the industry.  There is a method to the madness, as it was once called, of littering the skies of the Earth with his satellites.

    Elon’s SpaceX is gearing up for another launch of its Starlink broadband satellites, planning to send 22 more into orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch was scheduled for Friday, June 14, within a launch window that spans just over three hours, starting at 5:07 p.m. EDT.  It had to be called off and rescheduled.

    This launch had been postponed from its original schedule earlier in the week—initially set for Wednesday and then pushed to Thursday—due to unfavorable weather conditions. A backup date has been set for Saturday, June 15, if necessary, which has now been changed as well.  Things have to be as perfect as possible before launch.

    The mission, when it finally goes up,  will utilize a Falcon 9 rocket, whose first stage is expected to return to Earth and land on the drone ship “Just Read the Instructions” in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 8.5 minutes after launch. This particular Falcon 9 booster is notable for its longevity and reliability, embarking on its 16th flight. It has previously completed 15 missions, ten of which were for deploying Starlink satellites, with the remaining involving a mix of commercial and NASA missions, including transporting the SES-22 satellite, ispace’s Hakuto-R Mission 1 moon lander, the Amazonas-6 communications satellite, a NASA cargo mission (CRS-27), and the Bandwagon-1 multi-payload rideshare flight.

    After stage separation, the Falcon 9’s upper stage will continue to low Earth orbit, where it will deploy the 22 Starlink satellites approximately 53 minutes after launch.

    The addition of these satellites aims to expand the already extensive Starlink megaconstellation, which as of now comprises nearly 6,100 operational spacecraft. The rapid pace of SpaceX’s launches in 2024 is evident, with the company achieving an average of one launch every 2.7 days, totaling 60 orbital missions this year alone, 43 of which have been dedicated to enhancing the Starlink network. This aggressive deployment underscores SpaceX’s commitment to building a robust infrastructure to provide global broadband coverage through its satellite constellation.

    Major Points:

    • SpaceX is planning to launch 22 more Starlink broadband satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida within days
    • This follows delays from the originally scheduled dates on June 12 and 13 due to poor weather conditions.
    • The mission will utilize a Falcon 9 rocket, marking the 16th flight for its first stage, which will attempt a landing on the drone ship “Just Read the Instructions” shortly after liftoff.
    • The launch is part of a busy year for SpaceX, which has conducted 60 orbital missions in 2024, 43 of which have been to expand the nearly 6,100-strong Starlink satellite megaconstellation.

    Charles William III – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News

    Keep Reading

    Add A Comment

    Leave A Reply