SpaceX launch recap: Starlink mission Friday at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida

Rick Neale, Florida Today
Updated ·5 min read
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Launch recap: Scroll down to review live coverage of the Friday, April 5, liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral.

Another SpaceX launch is on tap this morning — with the Falcon 9 rocket lifting off two hours before sunrise!

Welcome to FLORIDA TODAY's Space Team live coverage of this early-bird SpaceX Starlink 6-47 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

SpaceX is targeting 5:12 a.m. EDT to send another payload of 23 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit from Launch Complex 40.

No Central Florida sonic booms are expected. After soaring skyward along a southeasterly trajectory, the rocket's first-stage booster will target landing aboard a drone ship out at sea 8½ minutes after liftoff.

The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron forecasts 90% "go for launch" weather conditions during the late-night window, with a slight risk of a scrub triggered by strong liftoff winds or thick cloud layers.

Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming rocket launch schedule for SpaceX, ULA, NASA in Florida

Countdown Timer

SpaceX Falcon 9 booster lands

Update 5:20 a.m.: The Falcon 9 first-stage booster just landed aboard SpaceX's drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas out on the Atlantic Ocean, wrapping up its 14th mission.

This marks the 275th landing of a Falcon 9 booster, SpaceX reported.

Liftoff!

Update 5:12 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 5:08 a.m.: SpaceX's launch webcast hosted on X (formerly Twitter) is now posted above, right below the countdown clock.

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

SpaceX booster to land on drone ship

Update 5:02 a.m.: Tonight's mission marks the 14th flight for this Falcon 9 first-stage booster, SpaceX reported.

Following stage separation, crews expect the booster to land on SpaceX's drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas out on the Atlantic Ocean 8 minutes, 29 seconds after liftoff.

Elon Musk: Watch for SpaceX Starship #4

Update 4:58 a.m.: Less than two hours ago, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk retweeted a highlight video of the March 14 Starship test flight from Boca Chica, Texas, with a message: "Flight 4 next month."

Air Force officials are preparing an environmental impact statement examining SpaceX's proposal to convert Launch Complex 37 into a Starship-Super Heavy launch facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base. Public open houses were conducted last month in Cocoa, Titusville and Cape Canaveral to collect public comments.

SpaceX: Systems and weather 'go for launch'

Update 4:49 a.m.: "All systems and weather are currently go for launch," SpaceX officials announced in a tweet.

SpaceX has a second launch scheduled tonight in California. A Falcon 9 is scheduled to send up 21 Starlink satellites — including six with direct-to-cell capabilities — at 10:31 p.m. EDT from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

SpaceX Falcon 9 fueling now underway

Update 4:39 a.m.: SpaceX just announced that Falcon 9 fueling procedures are underway at Launch Complex 40.

That means tonight’s Starlink countdown is now locked in to lift off at 5:12 a.m. without any delays, or else the launch must be postponed.

SpaceX Starlink now available in 72 nations

Update 4:27 a.m.: In a tweet last week, SpaceX officials announced Argentina is now the 72nd country worldwide — and seventh in South America — that can access Starlink high-speed internet service.

SpaceX launch prep underway in Brevard

Update 4:15 a.m.: Brevard County Emergency Management officials have activated the agency's launch operations support team ahead of SpaceX’s upcoming Falcon 9 launch.

Launch will be Space Coast's 23rd of 2024

Update 4:02 a.m.: Today's upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 launch is slated as the Space Coast's 23rd orbital launch thus far this year, maintaining a pace that would break the annual record of 72 launches set during 2023.

Click here to see a list and details of the January launches.

Click here to see a list and details of the February launches.

Space Force weather forecast details

Update 3:46 a.m.: The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron forecast noted that a low-to-moderate risk of upper-level wind shear could threaten today's mission, but the odds were still pegged at 90% "go for launch."

"By launch time Friday morning, winds and remnant high clouds will taper off though the window, leaving only a slight risk of a liftoff wind or Thick Cloud Layers Rule violation," the forecast said.

For the latest news and launch schedule 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 Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1

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