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SpaceX Starlink Satellite Launch Tonight
SpaceX is gearing up to launch another set of Starlink internet satellites into orbit on the evening of March 28. A Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to carry 22 Starlink spacecraft from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The launch window opens at 10:30 p.m. EDT (7:30 p.m. local California time; 0230 GMT on March 29).
Watch Live Coverage: The launch can be viewed live on SpaceX’s X account, with coverage starting approximately five minutes before the launch window opens.
Flight Details
- The Falcon 9’s first stage is expected to return to Earth for a vertical landing about 8.5 minutes after liftoff. The landing will take place on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Pacific Ocean.
- This launch marks the 15th launch and landing for this specific booster, as detailed in a SpaceX mission description.
- Following liftoff, the Falcon 9’s upper stage will continue to propel the 22 Starlink satellites towards low Earth orbit (LEO), where they will be deployed approximately 62 minutes after launch.
Launch Statistics
Tonight’s mission will be the 30th Falcon 9 flight of the year 2024 and the 20th dedicated to expanding the Starlink constellation. SpaceX has already launched 6,077 Starlink satellites, with 5,610 currently in operation, according to astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell.
These impressive figures are set to increase significantly in the future. SpaceX has approval to deploy 12,000 Starlink satellites in LEO and has requested permission for an additional 30,000 satellites on top of that initial number.
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