Ten things you need to know before SpaceX's next Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral

Jamie Groh, Florida Today
·2 min read

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Update: Launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 with 56 Starlink satellites at 4:01 p.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The first-stage booster successfully landed on a drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean a short time later. Read our full post-launch story here.

SpaceX launch teams are gearing up for the next Falcon 9 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Set for liftoff from Launch Complex 40 during a nearly four-hour-long launch window on Wednesday, the company's 77th dedicated Starlink mission will carry another batch of the internet-beaming satellites to orbit.

Look for FLORIDA TODAY's live launch coverage to begin 90 minutes before liftoff at https://www.floridatoday.com/space/.

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Here are 10 things you need to know before liftoff:

  • Company / Agency: Internal SpaceX mission

  • Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

  • Launch location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

  • Launch Window: 4:01 p.m. to 7:54 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, March 29

  • Trajectory: This launch will fly through the southerly corridor, meaning Falcon 9 will orient itself toward the southeast and follow a path between Florida's east coast and the Bahamas.

  • Payload: Tucked safely inside the Falcon 9's payload fairing are Starlink satellites that provide global coverage of internet service to hard-to-reach destinations, including recreational vehicles, planes, and cruise ships.

  • Weather: Space Force forecasters predict a 60% chance of "go" conditions.

  • Primary weather concerns: At the launch site, the main concerns are lingering clouds and wind produced by a passing frontal boundary that could hinder liftoff. High above the launch pad, upper-level winds pose a "low-to-moderate risk" to Falcon 9 as it ascends to orbit. Conditions downrange in the Atlantic Ocean, where the first-stage booster is expected to land on a drone ship shortly after liftoff, were listed as "low risk."

  • Booster Landing: The booster will land on SpaceX's Just Read the Instructions Drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. No local sonic booms this time.

  • Launch statistics:

    • The 17th launch from Florida this year.

    • SpaceX's 21st mission of 2023.

    • The fourth flight and landing attempt for this Falcon 9 first-stage booster.

For the latest, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.

Contact Jamie Groh at JGroh@floridatoday.com and follow her on Twitter at @AlteredJamie.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX: 10 things to know about the latest Starlink satellite mission