CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – SpaceX is gearing up to launch its next batch of Starlink Satellite in the forefront of the company’s ever-growing broadband internet mega-constellation and you can watch it live online.
On Tuesday (August 18), the California-based rocket launcher will launch 58 Starlink satellites and three Planet Earth imaging satellites for Planet on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is scheduled for no earlier than 10:31 am EDT (1431 GMT).
You can launch SpaceX’s Starlink live here and on the Space.com website, thanks to SpaceX, starting about 15 minutes before liftoff. You can watch the launch of SpaceX directly here.
Related: Starlink satellite constellation launches in photos
SpaceX has a banner so far. The company became the first private company to launch humans to the International Space Station when it Demo-2 mission canceled on May 30, and gave his astronaut crew safe return to Earth just over two months later on August 2nd.
The company also demonstrated this with success their latest Starship prototype could fly. On August 4, the giant silver tube took off, 150 meters above the Texas landscape. SpaceX also snagged a very coveted one national security launch contract, defeated rivals Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman. Now the company is gearing up for its 13th launch of the year, and is launching another set of its internet-radiating satellites.
As part of SpaceX’s recently launched rideshare program, this latest batch of Starlink satellites will be connected by other passengers – three small SkySat satellites of the California-based imaging company Planet. This is SpaceX’s second joint mission with Planet, having launched another set of three small satellites earlier in June.
Related: SpaceX launches 60 Starlink satellites and lands rocket in dazzling night sky
Falcon 9’s booster supporting this mission previously launched Telstar 18 VANTAGE, Iridium-8, and three separate Starlink flights pic.twitter.com/Dwc7EXFiiLAugust 17, 2020
This upcoming launch marks the 91st flight for SpaceX’s workhorse rocket, the Falcon 9. The launch will feature a veteran Falcon 9 rocket with a record five flights under its belt. The booster, designated B1049, previously launched three separate Starlink flights, such as the Telstar 18 VANTAGE en Iridium-8 missions.
Flying earlier flight boosters have become commonplace for SpaceX, but this launch is the first time one of its fleet of proven boosters has attempted to launch and land for the sixth time.
So far, the company has launched five boosters five times (each), with all but one landing successfully. (The one failed landing was dismissed by some residual cleaning fluid causing the booster to experience an anomaly of an engine during flight. Then it misses its landing on the drone ship.)
SpaceX is both the launch provider and the customer for its Starlink mission, and has thus maintained a rapid launch pace this summer, relying heavily on its fleet of dedicated boosters. In fact, the Falcon 9 snagged the title of most flying American rocket this year from its competitor, the Atlas V.
So far, SpaceX’s first stage boosters have landed 57 times successfully. Now that the company has two fully operational drone ships – “Of course I still love you” and “Just Read the Instructions” – in Florida, it’s capable of launching (and landing) more missiles. The original East Coast ship, Of course I Still Love You, is already in the recovery zone, waiting its turn to catch B1049 when it returns to Earth on Tuesday morning.
Related: Why Spacelink’s Starlink Satellites Captured Astronomers
Target Tuesday, August 18 at 10:31 AM EDT for the launch of Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida of 58 Starlink satellites and 3 @ planetlabs spacecraftAugust 17, 2020
With its Starlink mega-constellation, SpaceX hopes to provide high-speed Internet access to users around the world. By using a small terminal (not larger than a laptop) users on the ground would be able to connect to the ever-growing constellation.
In addition, SpaceX founder and CEO, Elon Musk has said that at the very least 500-800 Starlink satellites must be in the air for coverage to roll out. To date, its airline has launched more than 600.
The weather on Tuesday morning looks promising, with only a 20% chance of it warning, according to forecasters at the 45th Weather Squadron. Temperatures in the area would assume to be about 83 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius) with some scattered clouds.
Related: See the evolution of SpaceX rockets in photos
In addition to a planned booster recovery, SpaceX has deployed all two of its fairing-captured ships: GO Ms. Tree and GO Ms. Chief, who intends to use it around the lean fairings as they fall back to Earth. So far, Ms. Tree captured four barbers, one of which is part of the first double catch.
The fairing halves are equipped with software that navigates them to the recovery zone, as well as a parachute system that allows them to land gently in the ocean if it does not extend from the company’s twin recovery vessels. Each fair costs about $ 6 million, so SpaceX cuts launch costs by retrieving and using this piece of hardware.
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