SpaceX's late-night launch boosts Starlink satellites from Florida

Update: SpaceX’s latest batch of Starlink internet satellites launched at 11:58 PM EST on Sunday, July 9! The successful launch and landing — the 16th for this booster — clears the way for another mission currently targeting as early as Thursday, July 1.3. Check out the latest on our launch schedule here.

–

Catch live updates of SpaceX’s targets at 11:58 p.m. EST on Sunday, July 9 for the Falcon 9 and 22 launches. Starlink Internet Satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Tonight’s launch window is immediate, which means the 230-foot rocket must fly on time at 11:58 p.m. or be delayed no later than Monday evening. The next available opportunity opens at 8:11 PM EST on Monday, July 10th.

After takeoff and flying southeast, the first stage of the Falcon 9 booster will target an unmanned ship landing in the Atlantic Ocean. This will mark the flight’s 16th date, making it the flagship of the SpaceX fleet.

Follow the live updates below:

11:58 PM EST: Another Starlink mission takes off from Cape Canaveral! Next up is landing on the drone ship. Just Read the Instructions, then deploy in just over an hour. Here’s the post-launch timeline:

T-plus 00:01:12: Max Q (the moment of peak mechanical stress on the missile)
00:02:27: First stage main engine cut off (MECO)
00:02:31: The first and second stages are separate
00:02:38: Second stage engine start (SES-1)
00:03:05: Fair publication
00:06:13: First stage entry burn begins
00:07:32: The first stage entry burn ends
00:08:09: First stage landing gear burn begins
00:08:30: First stage descent
00:08:39: Second stage engine cut-off (SECO-1)
00:54:09: The second stage engine (SES-2
00:54:11: Second stage engine cut off (SECO-2)
01:02:19: Starlink satellites deployed

11:53 PM EST: In T-minus five minutes, everything is proceeding as planned toward the launch of the 34th Space Coast mission of the year. If you are a local spectator, enjoy the show!

11:23 PM EST: SpaceX has begun fueling the Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, clearing the way for liftoff on time at 11:58 p.m. EST. Here’s the rest of the schedule:

00:35:00: RP-1 (missile kerosene) starts loading
00:35:00: LOX (Liquid Oxygen) first stage loading begins
00:16:00: Loading of the second stage of LOX begins
00:07:00: Falcon 9 starts engine cooling before launch
00:01:00: The flight computer begins its final pre-launch checks
00:01:00: Fuel tank pressure to flight pressure begins
00:00:45: The SpaceX launch manager checks the “go” for launch
00:00:03: Engine ignition sequence for engine control commands to start
00:00:00: Falcon 9 takes off

women in space 60 years ago, women broke the ceiling in space. More flying with every mission.

10:45 PM EST: After liftoff from Launch Complex 40 at 11:58 p.m. EDT, the Starlink Falcon 9 mission flying tonight will fly along a southeast trajectory. SpaceX has flown nearly 100 constellation missions and has more than 1.5 million customers to date.

10 p.m. EST: Tonight’s 11:58 p.m. EST launch will be the 16th flight of this boost, making it the largest number of Falcon 9 flights to date. If all goes according to plan, you’ll be landing on the Just Read the Instructions drone ship 8 minutes and 30 seconds after takeoff.

Euclid’s telescope: SpaceX has launched a European space telescope to search for dark matter

9 PM EST: SpaceX teams are still counting down to the launch of the Starlink mission, known as 6-5, from Launch Complex 40. Storms have moved up the space coast in the meantime and conditions were more favorable to lift off on time at 11:58 p.m. EDT.

6:30 PM EST: SpaceX is now targeting Last Chance in the launch window tonight at Space Force Station Cape Canaveral, 11:58 p.m. EDT. The company did not disclose details of why the missile was not available to fly during its three previous slots: 8:36 PM, 9:27 PM, and 10:17 PM EST.

If schedules hold, refueling should begin at 11:23 PM EST. Here’s the pre-release schedule: