On the heels of Wednesday’s Falcon 9 rocket launch doubleheader, SpaceX crews are now eyeing Sunday night for the next liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
SpaceX is targeting a 9:24 p.m. EST liftoff for the Starlink 12-20 mission. Backup opportunities will remain available at Launch Complex 40 until 12:21 a.m. Monday, if needed.
Expect the Falcon 9 to deploy a payload of Starlink internet-beaming satellites into low-Earth orbit after ascending in a southeasterly trajectory. No Central Florida sonic booms should occur — rather, the rocket’s first-stage booster will target landing aboard a SpaceX drone ship hundreds of miles away in the Atlantic Ocean.
Sunday’s nighttime launch will clock in as the 20th orbital rocket launch of the year from the Space Force installation and NASA’s neighboring Kennedy Space Center.
On Wednesday, SpaceX launched Intuitive Machines’ second lunar lander on a trek to the moon at 7:16 p.m. from KSC. Then, a second Falcon 9 lifted off on a Starlink mission at 10:34 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
“Less than 4 hours apart, #SpaceX launched #Starlink 12-13 & Intuitive Machines’ IM-2, showcasing joint collaboration & rapid launch capability,” Space Launch Delta 45 officials said in a Thursday tweet.
“The space domain never sleeps — and neither do we,” the tweet 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. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1