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Update: SpaceX, citing pre-flight checkouts, said teams are now targeting Sunday, February 26, for the launch of this Starlink mission. An updated release time has not been provided. The company also said that if everyone stays on track for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission scheduled for liftoff at 1:45 a.m. Monday, Feb. 27, teams will withdraw from the Starlink mission on Sunday to prioritize the crewed mission to the space station.
Weather conditions are expected to be great on Thursday, February 23, for this afternoon’s SpaceX launch from the Florida Space Coast.
The Falcon 9 rocket, which is targeted for liftoff during a roughly six-hour window that opens at 1:37 p.m. EST, is likely to have a 95% chance of “takeoff” weather conditions, according to Forecasters with the US Space Force.
Launch Complex 40 at Space Force Station Cape Canaveral will host SpaceX’s 71st launch of the company’s Starlink satellites during a window that lasts until 7:30 p.m. EDT.
“Weather is not expected to be a major concern for this particular mission,” Delta 45 space meteorologists said Monday. “It is possible that we could see a few cumulus clouds floating around during the day, but at this time, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be a particular problem for launches.”
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Shortly after liftoff, the rocket’s first stage is expected to flip over and land on an unmanned ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Meanwhile, this month’s latest SpaceX launch from Florida is set to send NASA’s Stephen Bowen and Warren Hoburg, joined by the Sultan of the United Arab Emirates Sultan al-Neyadi and Russian cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev, to the International Space Station. The Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon are set to lift off from Platform 39A at Kennedy Space Center at 1:45 a.m. EST on Monday, February 27.
Catch Florida Today’s live coverage of both missions on launch day 90 minutes before liftoff at https://www.floridatoday.com/space/.
For the latest, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.
Jamie Groh is a satellite correspondent for Florida Today. You can contact her at [email protected] follow her Twitter @AlteredJamie.
Launching Sunday, February 26th
- Company/Agency: SpaceX’s internal mission
- rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9
- location: Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
- launch window: to be announced later on
- a path: southeast
- weather: to be announced later on
- Landing: unmanned ship
- Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before take-off at floridatoday.com/space
- on: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the company’s 71st Starlink internet mission from Cape Canaveral.
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