SpaceX launch tonight could set record from Cape Canaveral
SpaceX is lining up a rocket launch tonight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station that would be its quickest turnaround ever from a single launch pad.
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 of its Starlink satellites is aiming for liftoff from Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 40 now shooting for the third of five opportunities tonight at 10:41 p.m. with the remaining backups at 11:31 p.m. and 12:22 a.m. Monday. Five more backup launch options fall between 8:35-11:57 p.m. Monday.
Space Launch Delta 45’s weather squadron gives only a 30% chance for good conditions at the opening of the first window at 9 p.m., which SpaceX passed over along with the first backup at 9:50 p.m. Conditions were predicted to improve to 80% by the end of the window. Similar conditions are predicted in the event of a 24-hour delay.
The first-stage booster is making its fourth flight aiming for a recovery on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic.
The pad last hosted a launch on Thursday when a Falcon 9 lifted off on the Intelsat G-37 mission at 1 a.m.
If it were to fly tonight, it would be only a three-day, 20-hour turnaround, besting the current company record from Feb. 7-12, 2023 that saw a turnaround of five days, three hours and 38 minutes.
In fact any of the launch opportunities tonight or Monday would best that record.
This marks the 40th orbital launch from the Space Coast for 2023 with all but two coming from SpaceX.
Including launches from California, it would be SpaceX’ 53rd orbital launch, well on its way to breaking its 2022 record of 61 launches.