CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE — It’s a near-weekly occurrence: Another SpaceX launch of Starlink satellites.

What You Need To Know

  • SpaceX to launch 23 Starlink satellites Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET

On Friday, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket is planning to send up 23 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The launch window opens at 6:30 p.m. Friday, with seven backup opportunities available starting at 6:56 p.m. ET until 10:22 p.m. ET.

The 45th weather squadron is calling for 80% good launch weather conditions with the only concerns being the cumulus cloud rule and liftoff winds.

If there is a delay, eight backup opportunities are also available on Saturday, Nov. 4, starting at 6 p.m. ET until 9:55 p.m. ET.

Go here to learn about NASA’s launch weather criteria for the Falcon 9 rocket.

This Falcon 9’s first-stage booster, B1058, has 17 successful missions in its history, not including this one.

  • Crew Demo-2
  • ANASIS-11
  • CRS-21
  • Transporter-1
  • Transporter-3
  • 12 Starlink missions

After the stage separation takes place, the first-stage booster of the rocket is supposed to land in the Atlantic Ocean on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.

About the mission

The Starlink 6-26 mission will send up 23 satellites to low-Earth orbit. The Starlink company’s satellites will join the thousands that are orbiting the little round Earth and will provide internet services to many across the rotating planet.

The Starlink company is owned by SpaceX.

Before the launch, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics’ Dr. Jonathan McDowell has recorded the following information about the Starlink satellites.

  • 5011 are in orbit
  • 4982 in working order
  • 4423 are in operational orbit