Falcon 9 Liftoff From LC-39A Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
Lather, rinse, repeat: SpaceX plans to launch another Starlink Group 6 mission early this evening from Pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. The launch window opens at 6:45 PM EDT and extends until10:45 PM EDT the same day.
The booster used for the mission will land downrange on the droneship ASDS Just Read The Instructions, which is stationed northeast of The Bahamas, so there wont be any sonic boom on the Space Coast tonight.
23 Starlink satellites, to be used in SpaceXs orbital-based Internet service. They are manufactured at SpaceXs Starlink manufacturing facility in Redmond, Washington, are estimated to weigh 750-800 kg apiece and are about 3.0 meters (9.84 feet) long and 1.3 meters (3.94 feet) wide at liftoff. When a Starlink Mini V2 extends its solar panels, it is an estimated 98.5 feet in diameter.
Each Starlink satellite is equipped with a Argon-fueled Hall-effect thruster (HET) for maneuverability. Once the satellites useful lifetime concludes, SpaceX commands it to re-enter the Earths atmosphere, where it burns up safely and leaves no space junk behind.
According to SpaceX each HET has the following specifications:
There are now around 6.000 Starlink satellites in orbit, with as many as 30,000 planned when SpaceX completes the Starlink network.
SpaceX recently announced that it has three million subscribers worldwide in nearly one hundred countries. This follows its announcement of 2.7 million subscribers in April, clearly showing that the service is growing rapidly.
Just like last nights forecast for Starlink 6-62, weather is about as good as it gets this time of year on the Space Coast: the 45th Weather Squadron of the US Space Force has forecast only a 5% chance of a weather-related range violation (POV), meaning that they expect a 95% chance for acceptable weather through the launch window. In the event of a scrub or launch delay, tomorrow, conditions are slightly less favorable, with a 90% percent chance of favorable conditions and a 10% Probability of Violation.
The National Weather Center forecasts that roughly 5-15% of the sky will be covered by clouds during the launch window. These estimates are often somewhat pessimistic, can be hit-or-miss and in any case are highly local, but are interesting if you are planning to view the launch in person.
The bottom line is that this evenings launch should not have many clouds interrupting a spectators view of the rocket as it flies to space.
The Bimini Highway. Falcon 9 will take a southeasterly direction tonight towards The Bahamas, as has been customary for all Group 6 Starlink missions. Spectators looking in the direction of the Atlantic Ocean will see the rocket flying left to right.
Given that the flight is immediately offshore with no return to launch site, there will be no sonic boom from the launch on the Space Coast.
According to SpaceXs Starlink 6-63 Mission page, This is the 13th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-5, GPS III Space Vehicle 06, Inmarsat I6-F2, CRS-28, Intelsat G-37, NG-20, and six Starlink missions.
Thats Booster B1077. This booster flew 36 days ago when it lofted the Starlink Group 6-51 mission.
There are key events in the countdown that you may hear called out in launch coverage.
Remember that once Propellant Loading (T-minus thirty-eight minutes) starts, Falcon 9 is committed to the launch attempt. Because of the nature of the cryogenic fuels used to power the rockets, any hold precludes a later launch attempt the same day. While it only rarely happens, there have been occasions where that has happened, and a launch scrub is called for the days attempt.
SpaceX provides the following countdown milestones on their mission information page:
SpaceX has published a timeline of expected events during the mission:
All events up to the end of the 1st stage entry burn should be visible for launch spectators watching the launch in person, so long as clouds are not blocking the viewers line of sight. Fairing separation is generally only visible during daytime launches and then only using advanced optics like high-powered binoculars or a super-telephoto lens (500mm+).
SpaceCoastLaunchCalendar.comwill have a livestream of the launch if youre not able to watch the launch in person:Livestream
SpaceXwill have a livestream of the launch on their website:Starlink 6-63This will also be available on the X platform. Coverage starts about five minutes before liftoff.
Spaceflight Nowwill have coverage of the launch starting about one hour before liftoff on Youtube:link
For official updates regarding launch times, SpaceX.com is the best source of information. Starlink launch times change from time to time, and the company generally updates their website within minutes of the decision to change the launch time. This is very handy if none of the streaming options on YouTube have started their broadcasts.
Remember that there is a delay between a launch stream and the actual countdown clock. That is simply because of physics: it takes time for the signal to travel from the launch site, through the Internet, and back down to your phone, resulting in a five to fifteen-second delay.
Space Launch Schedule, an app for iOS and Android phones, has a real-time countdown clock that is accurate to a second, give or take. The app is free. Search the App Store or Google Play.
This evenings planned launch is from LC-39A at Cape Canaveral, which means that the best direct views of liftoff are the northern Titusville riverfront parks, one of the local businesses or Playalinda Beach:
The following restaurants will be open for the beginning of the launch window.
Playalinda Beach out on the Cape Canaveral National Seashore will be open to spectators, that is, if KSC Security and the National Park Service allow viewers for the launch. This varies from launch to launch, but as a general rule, they have allowed spectators to watch Starlink launches from the beach. You could be as close as 4.25 miles from the launch pad at liftoff.
Generally speaking, spectators have been allowed at Playalinda if the mission is not a national-security mission (for example, a National Reconnaissance Office payload) or a NASA mission.Thats not a certainty, however, and it would be wise to call ahead before making the trip out.
Cape Canaveral National Seashore Phone: 386 428-3384x0
If you are going to Playalinda, and if it is open, remember:
Cocoa Beach,Cocoa Beach Pier,Jetty Park Pierwill have indirect views, meaning that liftoff will not be visible, but after the rocket clears the pad and any ground obstructions, you will be able to see Falcon 9 ascending clearly assuming there are no clouds between you and the rocket.
Be prepared for potential changes or pushbacks in the launch schedule, and keep up by monitoring the live stream links mentioned above.
Keep up with launch news and other space events that affect the local area by subscribing to alerts when we publish a new article by entering your email at the link at the bottom of this page, or by visitingSpace Talkhere on th
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SpaceX Plans To Launch Starlink 6-63 Aboard Falcon 9 Early This Evening - Talk of Titusville
