SpaceX seems to be focusing on Wednesday (Feb. 2) to fly its subsequent batch of Starlink satellites, establishing what might be a coast-to-coast launch doubleheader for the personal spaceflight firm.
According to a forecast from the U.S. Space Force’s Delta 45 climate squadron, SpaceX’s subsequent Starlink mission (referred to as Starlink 4-7) is now anticipated to launch on a Falcon 9 rocket no sooner than Wednesday between 4:41 p.m. and 5:01 p.m. EST (2141-2201 GMT). Liftoff is predicted to happen at 4:51 p.m. EST (2151 GMT) from Pad 39A of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in line with an update from Spaceflight Now, which tracks launch schedules.
While SpaceX has not confirmed the brand new launch date for the Starlink 4-7 mission, the corporate was initially focusing on a liftoff to happen 24 hours after its most up-to-date launch of the Italian Earth-observation satellite Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation FM2. That mission lifted off Monday night (Jan. 31) from a pad on the close by Cape Canaveral Space Force Station after 4 days of delays as a consequence of climate and a wayward cruise ship.
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A Wednesday launch for the Starlink 4-7 mission would come on the heels of yet one more Falcon 9 launch by SpaceX, this time from California. The firm is at present scheduled to launch a brand new labeled satellite for the U.S. National Reconnaissance workplace from a pad on the Vandenberg Space Force Base.
That Vandenberg launch is scheduled to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E at 3:18 p.m. EST (12:18 p.m. PST or 2018 GMT), simply over one hour earlier than the Starlink launch. It will carry the labeled NROL-87 satellite into orbit for the NRO.
Both of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launches are anticipated to aim to get better their rockets’ first levels with drone ship or land-based landings. SpaceX efficiently recovered the Falcon 9 first stage from Monday’s launch after its flawless landing on the firm’s Landing Zone 1 pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
SpaceX is predicted to offer a dwell webcast of each launches on Wednesday, in the event that they do stick with the identical day. The firm’s launch webcasts usually start about quarter-hour earlier than liftoff at its website and YouTube channel.
Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or comply with him @tariqjmalik. Follow us on
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