For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL – SpaceX is retargeting the next Falcon 9 Starlink launch to Wednesday morning, March 18, 2020 following Sunday morning’s automatically aborted liftoff of the ‘flight-proven’ rocket moments after the first stage engines dramatically ignited for the planned blastoff of the next Starlink mission from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, FL under picture perfect skies at the Florida Space Coast.
Liftoff of the 6th Starlink mission is now targeted for 8:16 a.m. EDT, 1216 GMT, March 18 from seaside Launch Complex-39A (LC-39A) on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, FL.
The weather outlook Wednesday is good with a 90% chance of acceptable conditions at launch time.
Enjoy our Up Close eyewitness photos of the Falcon 9 Starlink mission rocket taken on site at the KSC Press Site as well as the earlier engine abort.
Read our earlier Starlink articles for further mission details
The SpaceX team is poised for the record setting liftoff of the 1st ever 5th launched Falcon 9 first stage on the sixth batch of 60 Starlink internet broadband satellites Wednesday morning March 18 from the Florida Space Coast – amidst the ever growing coronavirus pandemic crisis that has forced closures of public places, school and travel hubs all across the US and the world but not forced a rocket cancellation
The payload comprises the sixth batch of 60 SpaceX built and owned Starlink broadband satellites launching to LEO with an overall mass of about 7.7 tons.
You can watch the launch live via SpaceX webcast
Visit spacex.com/webcast
Watch SpaceX’s live launch webcast starting about 15 minutes before liftoff to learn more about the mission.
The launch window is ‘instantaneous’ meaning any delay for weather or technical reason forces a minimum 1 day scrub.
SpaceX will also attempt to recover the first stage and both payload fairings.
Watch my commentary about SpaceX Starlink launch and impact of Covid 19 pandemic on NASA and the Space Industry on WFTV ABC Ch 9 TV News Orlando
Watch Ken’s continuing reports about onsite for live reporting of upcoming and recent ULA and SpaceX launches including Starlink, Solar Orbiter, In-Flight Abort, Mars 2020 and more at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Stay tuned here for Ken’s continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer – email: ken at kenkremer.com
Dr. Kremer is a research scientist and journalist based in the KSC area, active in outreach and interviewed regularly on TV and radio about space topics.
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Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events
Ken has created hundreds of widely published Mars rover mosaics and lectures also about NASA’s Mars rovers
