UPDATE: SpaceX is standing down from today’s mission due to weather and will announce a new target launch date soon.
SpaceX will today make a second attempt at launching into orbit another batch of its own satellites to bolster its fast-growing Starlink mega-constellation.
Delayed since mid-June, SpaceX’s Starlink rocket launch on Wednesday, July 8, 2020 is at an easy time to watch online from both North America and Europe.
A total of 57 Starlink satellites will be launched as well as a secondary payload of two satellites for BlackSky.
This launch could have notable scientific impact because all Starlink satellites on this flight are “VisorSats” fitted with visors to block sunlight from hitting the brightest spots of the spacecraft. In comes it response to dismay from astronomers about the unpredicted reflectivity and visibility of Starlink satellites, which threaten important observations.
Here’s everything you need to know to watch the latest SpaceX Starlink launch.
When is the SpaceX Starlink launch?
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled for launch from Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, July 8 at 11:59 a.m. EDT, 15:59 UTC.
That’s 4:59 p.m. BST in the U.K. and 5:59 p.m. CEST in Europe.
What will happen during the launch?
The first action after liftoff will be “stage separation,” after which the Falcon 9’s first stage will land on a droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Remarkably, this will be the fifth outing for the reusable first stage.
Exactly 1 hour and 1 minute after the Falcon 9 liftoff the BlackSky Global satellites will deploy, and 1 hour and 32 minutes later, the 57 Starlink satellites will be deployed.
How to stream the SpaceX Starlink launch online
SpaceX usually begins broadcasting live 15 minutes before launch, so visit the SpaceX website or SpaceX’s YouTube channel at 11:44 a.m. EDT/4:44 p.m. BST/5:44 p.m. CEST.
When was the last SpaceX launch?
On June 30, 2020, SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket to deploy a GPS III SV03 satellite into orbit for the US Space Force, and also landed its first stage successfully.
What is BlackSky?
A secondary payload on this launch, Seattle-based BlackSky is launching two satellites that will form part of an intended Earth observation constellation of 60 in total. They will join four satellites already in orbit from launches in 2018 and 2019, with four more planned to launch from India in 2020.
What is SpaceX Starlink?
If today’s Starlink 9 mission is successful then there will be over 500 Starlink satellites in orbit. However, SpaceX plans to deploy 12,000 satellites by the mid-2020s—8,000 satellites 500km up and 4,000 satellites in a 1,200km high orbit.
Starlink is a super-fast internet service that will be delivered via satellite. Satellite broadband internet hasn’t been possible thus far because the satellites have been too far away to create anything other than a slow connection. However, with satellites in a low Earth orbit it’s possible that SpaceX Starlink’s service could bring a fast enough speed—perhaps a gigabit per second—to appeal to those in rural areas and other locations where fast internet has so far been expensive or unavailable.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
