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SpaceX ‘two-fer-two’ with second Florida launch in two days as Starlink soars on Sunday

Photo captured by Satnews from SpaceX video stream.

On Sunday, April 28 at 6:08 p.m. ET, Falcon 9 launched 23 Starlink small satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

As planned the Falcon 9’s first stage came back to Earth for a vertical landing about 8.5 minutes after launch. It touched down on the droneship Just Read the Instructions, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

Photo captured by Satnews from SpaceX video stream.

This was the 13th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched CRS-26, OneWeb Launch 16, Intelsat IS-40e, O3b mPOWER, Ovzon 3, EUTELSAT 36D, and now seven Starlink missions.

SpaceX ready for the second Florida launch this weekend first Galileo and then Starlink smallsats

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral that marked the 300th Falcon booster landing on April 23. Photo by Satnews captured from SpaceX video stream.

SpaceX is targeting Sunday, April 28 for a Falcon 9 launch of 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 5:50 p.m. ET, with backup opportunities available until 9:50 p.m. ET. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Monday, April 29 starting at 5:25 p.m. ET.

The forecast calls for a temperature of 74°F, broken clouds, 81% cloud cover and a wind speed of 15mph.

A live webcast of this mission will begin on X @SpaceX about five minutes prior to liftoff. Watch live.

This is the 13th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched CRS-26, OneWeb Launch 16, Intelsat IS-40e, O3b mPOWER, Ovzon 3, EUTELSAT 36D, and six Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

In 2024 this is SpaceX’s 81st orbital launch attempt, the 343rd mission, the 43rd of this year and Falcon 9’s 329th mission and the 43rd in 2024.

SpaceX Sunday Starlink smallsat Group 6-54 launch to be the second launch in the weekend

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Photo of previous launch by Satnews captured from SpaceX video stream.

SpaceX has not publicly announced that a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a batch of Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Launch Complex 40, however a National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency navigational warning shows this launch window will open Sunday, April 28, 2024.

The launch window is 5:50 p.m. to 10:21 p.m. EDT Sunday, April 28, 2024 with no local sonic boom.

The cost of the launch is $52 million.

Space Launch Complex 40 has witnessed the launch of 237 rockets, including 237 orbital launch attempts, while Cape Canaveral, FL, USA, has been the site for 948 rocket launches.