SpaceX successfully launched two Falcon 9 rockets from Florida Today. It will be a tripleheader if you count a third SpaceX launch scheduled for California later tonight.
First up: a SpaceX Falcon 9 launched the Eutelsat36D satellite at 5:52 p.m. from Kennedy Space Center’s Pad 39A. It’s a telecommunications satellite for Africa and Eurasia. The Falcon 9 booster returned with a landing out on Just Read the Instructions drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
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Less than four hours later, SpaceX launched its next batch of 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Launch Complex 40. The Starlink 6-45 mission blasted off at 9:30 p.m.
The booster landed on A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.
To add to the launch fever, over on the U.S. West Coast, SpaceX intends to launch another batch of 22 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. That launch is targeting 11:54 p.m. ET. If all launches go, that would mean SpaceX sent three Falcon 9 rockets up into space in the span of hours on Saturday.
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Meanwhile, the earliest the Delta IV Heavy could make another attempt after its Thursday scrub looks to be at 1:25 p.m. Monday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
10:03 p.m. SpaceX pushes back launch time for California launch
SpaceX is going for a tripleheader with a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 8:54 p.m. PT, which is 11:54 p.m. ET. The window extends until 11:30 p.m. PT or 2:30 a.m. ET.
This will end our live launch coverage but we’ll come back in the morning to provide updates on the California mission.
9:38 p.m. SpaceX Falcon 9 booster lands
The Falcon 9 first-stage booster just landed aboard SpaceX’s drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas out on the Atlantic Ocean, completing its 18th mission.
9:31 p.m. Falcon 9 supersonic, faster than speed of sound
It passed through Max Q. The rumble is passing right now over Merritt Island.
9:30 p.m. LIFTOFF! SpaceX Falcon 9 lifts off on Starlink mission
And SpaceX is off with a doubleheader as it launches the Falcon 9 rocket on a Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force.