SpaceX is now targeting Thursday, May 1, for a Falcon 9 launch of 28 Starlink smallsats to to low-Earth orbit for their smallsat constellation from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The four-hour launch window opens at 9:51 p.m. ET, with backup opportunities available until 1:51 a.m. ET on Friday, May 2. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Friday, May 2 starting at 9:25 p.m. ET.
According to weather officials, there’s a 99% chance of favorable weather conditions for Thursday’s launch. The forecast calls for a temperature of 73°F, overcast clouds, 98% cloud cover and a wind speed of 12mph.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about five minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app.
This is the 18th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Ax-2, Euclid, Ax-3, CRS-30, SES ASTRA 1P, NG-21, and 11 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.
