SpaceX launch recap: Starlink mission Thursday from Cape Canaveral in Florida

Launch recap: Scroll down for live coverage of the Thursday, Feb. 29, liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral.

Welcome to FLORIDA TODAY's Space Team live coverage of this morning's SpaceX Starlink 6-40 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

SpaceX is targeting 10:30 a.m. EST to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Stationw.

The Falcon 9 will deploy a batch of 23 Starlink internet satellites, which are packed inside the fairing atop the 230-foot rocket. No local sonic booms are expected. After soaring skyward along a southeastern trajectory, the rocket's first-stage booster will target landing aboard a drone ship out at sea 8½ minutes after liftoff.

As a reminder, NASA's Crew-8 mission has been postponed to a new target liftoff at 11:16 p.m. Saturday.

The Crew-8 mission was initially scheduled for 12:04 a.m. Friday, but NASA delayed the mission overnight because of poor offshore Atlantic Ocean weather along the flight track of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.

Countdown Timer

SpaceX Falcon 9 booster lands

Update 10:38 a.m.: The Falcon 9 first-stage booster just landed aboard SpaceX's drone ship Just Read the Instructions out on the Atlantic Ocean, completing its 11th mission.

Liftoff!

Update 10:30 a.m.: SpaceX has just launched the Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

SpaceX launch webcast begins

Update 10:25 a.m.: SpaceX's launch webcast hosted on X (formerly Twitter) is now posted at the top of this page.

Liftoff is scheduled in five minutes from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

SpaceX launch scheduled in 15 minutes

Update 10:15 a.m.: The Falcon 9 launch countdown appears to be proceeding as planned for a 10:30 a.m. liftoff.

SpaceX launch countdown timeline

Update 10:08 a.m.: Following is a behind-the-scenes list of SpaceX’s remaining countdown timeline. T-minus:

• 16 minutes: Second-stage liquid oxygen loading begins.

• 7 minutes: Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch.

• 1 minute: Command flight computer begins final prelaunch checks; propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins.

• 45 seconds: SpaceX launch director verifies “go” for launch.

• 3 seconds: Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start.

• 0 seconds: Liftoff.

SpaceX Falcon 9 fueling now underway

Update 9:59 a.m.: SpaceX has announced Falcon 9 fueling procedures are now underway at Launch Complex 40.

That means the Starlink 6-40 mission is now committed to lift off at 10:30 a.m., or else the launch must be postponed.

SpaceX: 'All systems are looking good'

Update 9:39 a.m.: In a tweet, SpaceX officials just announced "all systems are looking good and weather is 95% favorable."

SpaceX booster to land on drone ship

Update 9:25 a.m.: This morning's mission marks the 11th flight for the Falcon 9 first-stage booster, which previously launched CRS-26, OneWeb Launch 16, Intelsat IS-40e, O3b mPOWER, Ovzon 3 and five Starlink missions, SpaceX reported.

After stage separation, the first stage will target landing atop SpaceX's drone ship Just Read the Instructions out on the Atlantic Ocean 8 minutes, 25 seconds after liftoff.

Space Force: 85% 'go for launch' weather

Update 9:04 a.m.: The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron pinned the odds of favorable launch weather at 85%.

" ... The main concerns for the primary attempt are the Cumulus Cloud Rule violation due to isolated showers and Liftoff Winds," the squadron's forecast said.

SpaceX's Crew-8 launch postponed

Update 8:41 a.m.: An early morning NASA blog post explained why officials delayed the Crew-8 launch attempt.

"Joint teams selected the updated launch opportunity due to unfavorable weather conditions forecast for Friday, March 1, in offshore areas along the flight track of the Dragon spacecraft. High wind and waves along the eastern seaboard have been observed and are forecast to continue through Saturday morning," the blog post said.

"In the unlikely case of an abort during launch or the flight of Dragon, the wind and wave conditions must be within acceptable conditions for the safe recovery of the crew and spacecraft," the post said.

For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space.

Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1

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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX launch recap: Starlink mission Thursday from Cape Canaveral