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

Launch recap: Scroll down for live coverage of the Sunday, March 10, liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral.

Welcome to FLORIDA TODAY's Space Team live coverage of tonight’s SpaceX Starlink 6-43 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

SpaceX is targeting 7:05 p.m. EDT to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The Falcon 9 will deploy a new batch of 23 Starlink internet satellites, which are packed inside the fairing atop the 230-foot rocket. The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron predicts 95% odds of "go for launch" weather conditions.

No local 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.

Countdown Timer

SpaceX Falcon 9 booster lands

Update 7:17 p.m.: The Falcon 9 first-stage booster landed aboard SpaceX's drone ship Just Read the Instructions out on the Atlantic Ocean, completing its 11th mission.

SpaceX posts fairing video

Update 7:13 p.m. SpaceX officials just tweeted a video showing separation of the fairing halves that comprise the Falcon 9's nose cone.

"These fairings recently supported USSF-124 only 25 days ago, marking the fastest turn-around time for fairing reusability to date," SpaceX announced.

Liftoff!

Update 7:05 p.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 7 p.m.: SpaceX's launch webcast hosted on X (formerly Twitter) is now posted right below the countdown clock.

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

SpaceX Falcon 9 launch coming up

Update 6:55 p.m.: Ten minutes before SpaceX's scheduled Falcon 9 launch, the countdown appears to be proceeding as planned. Rocket fueling remains well underway at Launch Complex 40.

Following is a list of key upcoming countdown milestones. T-minus:

• 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: Falcon 9 liftoff.

SpaceX targeting second Starlink launch tonight

Update 6:49 p.m.: SpaceX officials are also targeting a second Starlink Falcon 9 launch from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

That West Coast liftoff is targeted for 10:13 p.m. EDT, or three hours and eight minutes after the Cape Canaveral launch.

SpaceX Falcon 9 fueling now underway

Update 6:39 p.m.: Visual cues indicate Falcon 9 fueling procedures are now underway at Launch Complex 40, though SpaceX has yet to make an official announcement.

That means tonight’s Starlink 6-43 mission is now committed to lift off at 7:05 p.m., or else the launch must be postponed.

SpaceX: 'All systems are looking good'

Update 6:21 p.m.: In a tweet 11 minutes ago, SpaceX officials announced, "all systems are looking good and weather is 95% favorable for today’s first Falcon 9 launch of @Starlink satellites from Florida."

SpaceX launch prep underway in Brevard

Update 6:10 p.m.: Brevard County Emergency Management officials have activated the agency's launch operations support team ahead of SpaceX's upcoming Falcon 9 launch.

SpaceX booster to land on drone ship

Update 5:55 p.m.: Tonight's mission marks the 11th flight for this Falcon 9 first-stage booster, SpaceX reported.

The booster previously launched Crew-5, GPS III Space Vehicle 06, Inmarsat I6-F2, CRS-28, Intelsat G-37, NG-20 and four Starlink missions, SpaceX reported.

Following stage separation, crews expect the booster to land on the drone ship Just Read the Instructions out on the Atlantic Ocean 8 minutes, 25 seconds after liftoff.

Space Force weather details

Update 5:36 p.m.: Meteorological highlights from the Space Force 45th Weather Squadron, which pegged odds of "go for launch" conditions at 95% in its two-day-out forecast released Friday:

"By Sunday evening and the opening of the primary launch window, conditions look very favorable with a small chance for a cumulus cloud violation," the forecast said.

"Winds will be veering more northerly throughout the evening as high pressure settles in the area," the forecast 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 Sunday from Cape Canaveral