Updates: Scroll down to watch the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket's 8:52pm EST liftoff live on Sunday, January 14th.
SpaceX has pushed back the target liftoff time for the Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to 8:52 p.m.
The Falcon 9 deploys an array of 23 Starlink Internet satellites packed inside a fairing on top of the 230-foot rocket. The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron puts the odds of “go to launch” weather at 80%, with thick cloud layers posing the primary risk.
SpaceX has not publicly announced why Saturday's Starlink 6-37 mission was initially postponed.
No local sonic boom is expected tonight. After heading skyward on a southeast trajectory, the rocket's first-stage booster will aim to land on a drone ship in the ocean 8½ minutes after liftoff.
Update at 9 PM: The Falcon 9 first-stage booster landed in the Atlantic Ocean aboard SpaceX's drone A Shortfall of Gravitas, completing its 12th mission.
Updated 8:52 pm: SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
UPDATED 8:47 PM: SpaceX's live launch webcast hosted on X (formerly Twitter) is now posted at the top of this page.
Liftoff is scheduled for five minutes from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Updated 8:40 PM: Twelve minutes before SpaceX's scheduled 8:52pm Falcon 9 launch, the countdown appears to be proceeding as planned. Refueling continues at Launch Complex 40.
As a reminder, here's a list of major upcoming countdown milestones. D-minus:
- 7 minutes: Falcon 9 starts engine cooling before launch.
- 1 minute: Command flight computer begins final preview tests; The propellant tank starts to pressurize to flight pressure.
- 45 seconds: The SpaceX launch director checks the “go” for the launch.
- 3 seconds: The engine controller commands the engine to start the ignition sequence.
- 0 seconds: Falcon 9 liftoff.
Updated 8:34 PM: Tonight's mission marks the 12th flight for the Falcon 9 first-stage booster, SpaceX said.
Following standoff, the booster lifted off after 8 minutes, 13 seconds to land in the Atlantic Ocean aboard the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas.
The booster previously launched SES-22, ispace's HAKUTO-R Mission 1, Hispasat Amazonas Nexus mission, CRS-27 and seven Starlink missions, SpaceX said.
Updated 8:21 pm: Falcon 9 fueling processes are now underway at Launch Complex 40, SpaceX recently announced.
That means tonight's Starlink 6-37 mission will now take off at 8:52 p.m., otherwise the launch will have to be postponed.
UPDATED 8:05 PM: On Wednesday, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will send four European astronauts to the International Space Station in a Dragon capsule.
Axiom-3 Task Details:
- Launch target: 5:11 p.m
- Location: Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center.
- Live Streaming: Starts 90 minutes before departure at floridatoday.com/space.
Updated 7:26 pm: SpaceX announced tonight that liftoff has been pushed back to 8:52 p.m
Additional backup opportunities are available until 11:25 p.m., if needed.
Updated 7:15 pm: A National Weather Service radar loop shows a gradual line of rain southward from Cape Canaveral.
UPDATE 6:48 PM: The SpaceX crew pushed back tonight's target liftoff time from 7:27 to 8:05 p.m.
Showers and thick clouds prevail across the Space Coast in the afternoon and evening.
For the latest launch schedule updates from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.
Rick Neal A space reporter in Florida today (for his stories, Click here.) Contact Neil at 321-242-3638 or [email protected]. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
