SpaceX is targeting a Falcon 9 rocket launch on Thursday, Sept. 18, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — sparking a succession of five launches within an eight-day span on Florida’s Space Coast.
Thursday’s morning launch window extends from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at Launch Complex 40. The Falcon 9 will deploy 28 satellites, expanding Starlink’s global network of nearly 8,400 internet-beaming satellites in low-Earth orbit.
No Brevard County sonic booms should occur. Instead, the rocket’s first-stage booster will target landing aboard a SpaceX drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
The liftoff will kick off a busy eight-day span for space fans. Brief details on the four following missions:
NASA’s IMAP spacecraft will study solar wind and its impact on Earth after launching from Kennedy Space Center atop a Falcon 9. Two other spacecraft, NOAA’s SWFO-L1 and NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, will join the ride.
The ULA Atlas V rocket will propel 27 Project Kuiper broadband satellites into orbit about 280 miles above Earth. This mission represents Amazon’s fifth launch, which will boost the number of Project Kuiper production satellites in space to 129. Plans call for the constellation to eventually exceed 3,200 satellites.
Florida’s Space Coast has already hosted 78 orbital rocket launches so far this year. The last occurred Sunday, when a Falcon 9 launched a Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft packed with supplies to the International Space Station.
For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space. Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly Space newsletter.
Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX Starlink launch Thursday morning to kick off string of 5 Florida launches within 8 days
Reporting by Rick Neale, Florida Today / Florida Today
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