Editor’s note: SpaceX called an abort on its first launch attempt on Sunday (October 29), after discovering a problem with the Falcon 9 rocket’s phase separation system. The company plans to try again on Monday (October 30).
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch 23 Starlink internet satellites on Monday (October 30), in its second attempt after an abort.
A Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Monday (October 30) at 7:20 PM EDT (2320 GMT). If the Falcon 9 cannot lift off on time, there are seven backup opportunities available, from 7:52 PM EDT to 10:22 PM EDT (2352 to 0222 GMT on October 30), according to SpaceX mission description.
You can watch the event live via SpaceX’s Twitter account. Coverage will begin approximately five minutes before takeoff.
Related: Starlink Space Train: How to See and Track It in the Night Sky
If all goes according to plan, the Falcon 9 first stage will return to Earth for a vertical landing about 8.5 minutes after launch aboard the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
This will be the eighth launch and landing of the first stage of this rocket, according to the mission description.
The 23 Starlink satellites from the Falcon 9 upper stage will be deployed into low Earth orbit about 65.5 minutes after liftoff, if all goes according to plan.
Starlink is SpaceX’s massive broadband constellation, which delivers Internet service to customers around the world. SpaceX has launched more than 5,000 Starlink satellites to LEO so far, and there are many more launches coming: the company has received permission to deploy 12,000 of the spacecraft, and has applied for approval for another 30,000 on top of that.
“Infuriatingly humble alcohol fanatic. Unapologetic beer practitioner. Analyst.”