Within a span of a late night, SpaceX plans to launch dozens of Starlink internet satellites with two rockets ready to go in Florida and California.
SpaceX has a constellation of more than 4,000 satellites in low-Earth orbit, providing internet to Starlink customers around the globe. Space-based internet can provide signals almost anywhere, including remote areas such as Antarctica. SpaceX is also offering service for RVs and marine vessels.
Starlink has been beneficial after natural disasters, including the brush fires in Hawaii.
Many areas in Maui where the fires destroyed infrastructure still do not have communications restored more than a week after the deadly fires. SpaceX said it sent 450 Starlink kits to more than 40 organizations on the island helping with recovery efforts. Starlink users in Hawaii have reportedly been opening up their Starlink WiFi to people in need.
After Hurricane Ian made landfall last year off the coast of Southwest Florida, bringing deadly storm surge and destruction, Starlink was set up around the Fort Myers area during the initial search and recovery efforts.
On Wednesday, SpaceX plans to launch 22 Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base. The launch window opens at 8:14 p.m. ET and four additional backup launch times are available after 9:07 p.m. ET.
Florida’s forecast this week is not ideal for launching a rocket.
Launch weather officers with the Space Force 45th Weather Squadron are forecasting a 20% chance of good launch conditions at the start of the launch window and improving to 65% toward the end of the window closing at midnight on Thursday.
Florida faces rounds of showers and thunderstorms throughout the week, with up to 5 inches of rain by Sunday. SpaceX will have to find a launch window between a broad coverage of thunderstorms. Storms will begin building along the coast Wednesday afternoon and into the evening and are expected to dissipate around midnight.
STARLINK INTERNET ‘DISHY‘ FACES OFF AGAINST SNOW, WILDFIRES IN REMOTE CANADA
If the launch is delayed, additional opportunities exist on Thursday night, but Florida’s forecast remains unchanged.
The launch will mark the 13th for the Falcon 9 booster. After separating from the second stage, the first stage booster will return to land on a SpaceX droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Hours later, SpaceX is targeting 12:01 a.m. PT Thursday to launch 21 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
SpaceX said it has additional opportunities throughout the launch window from 12:51 a.m. to 3:23 a.m.
The rocket booster supporting the launch has flown 14 times previously, including launching two NASA astronaut missions. After launch, SpaceX plans to land the booster on a droneship in the Pacific Ocean.
If Thursday’s launch scrubs, SpaceX could try again on Friday.