KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — After a weather delay Friday, SpaceX launched over 20 Starlink satellites late Saturday night.

What You Need To Know

  • More than 20 Starlink satellites were sent to orbit

  • The liftoff took place at Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center

The Starlink 6-42 mission took off at 11:09 p.m. EDT, Saturday, thanks to the Falcon 9 rocket as it left Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center.

SpaceX was eyeing for Friday, 7:57 p.m. ET for the mission.  

But it was suspected that the launch would not happen on Friday evening. The 45th Weather Squadron did call for a 25% chance of good liftoff conditions, with the concerns being liftoff winds and the anvil cloud and cumulus cloud rules.

“Conditions will deteriorate through the day Friday as the Gulf Low moves northeast, bringing gusty winds, showers, and isolated thunderstorms across Central Florida,” the squadron stated.

Liftoff conditions improved for Saturday night, increasing to 75% chance favorable, stated the squadron, adding that winds and the cumulus cloud rule were the only issues.

A little first-stage booster history

Named B1060, this Falcon 9 first-stage booster for the Starlink 6-42 mission already has an impressive resume with 18 memorable launches.

After the stage separation, the rocket landed on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed out in the Atlantic Ocean.

Understanding the mission

SpaceX sent up 23 Starlink satellites, where they will provide internet services with the others already in low-Earth orbit.

Starlink is a company owned by SpaceX.

Before the launch, Dr. Jonathan McDowell of Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics recorded the following Starlink satellites.

  • 5,634 are in orbit
  • 5,564 in working order
  • 5,154 are in operational orbit

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