WATCH: SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites from Florida as Northern Lights continue
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — SpaceX successfully completed a Falcon 9 launch of 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Florida Sunday night as the Northern Lights are expected to continue beautifying the night sky.
The rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 8:53 p.m.
Northern lights expected to be visible from Florida tonight
The private space flight company said the first-stage booster supporting this mission previously launched SES-22, ispace’s HAKUTO-R MISSION 1, Amazonas-6, CRS-27, Bandwagon-1, and nine Starlink missions. It will be the stage booster’s 15th flight.
After stage separation, the first stage landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Map: Will you see the northern lights again on Sunday?
With the Northern Lights dazzling the sky in uncommon areas, such as Florida, it’s possible the launch could see the auroras from space. According to the NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, we could see storms of G4 or greater strength on Sunday.
Here is the SWPC’s aurora forecast for Sunday, with the areas in red indicating the greatest chance of seeing the Northern Lights.
WFLA will livestream the launch in this story, on our website and our Facebook page.
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