SpaceX delayed the Falcon Heavy Echostar XXIV/Jupiter 3 mission by 24 hours and can move forward with a Falcon 9 Starlink launch from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
For a bit of while, there was hope SpaceX would break the Eastern Range record of back-to-back launches by hosting a Falcon 9 launch at 10:20 p.m. ET (02:20 UTC) and a Falcon Heavy launch at 11:04 p.m. ET, nevertheless, SpaceX stood down from the Falcon Heavy launch to permit more time for vehicle checkouts following the last minute abort on the primary attempt.
To finish vehicle checkouts, now targeting Friday, July 28 for Falcon Heavy’s launch of the @HughesConnects JUPITER 3 mission. Weather improves to 65% favorable for liftoff tomorrow night → https://t.co/bJFjLCiTbK
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 27, 2023
As an alternative, SpaceX is pushing to launch 22 V2 mini Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. The satellites might be launched right into a 43-degree orbital inclination.
Once in orbit, these 22 Starlinks will bring the overall amount of Starlink satellites launched to 4,881, 167 of that are the brand new V2 mini Starlinks.
The Falcon 9 launching this mission is Booster 1062 and might be making its fifteenth flight, previously having supported 2 Crewed missions, 7 Starlink missions, three industrial payloads, and a couple of GPS satellites.
SpaceX gears up for Falcon Heavy launch
Following the primary stage portion of the flight, B1062 will attempt a landing on the droneship ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’.
The present weather outlook isn’t exactly favorable, with tropical moisture moving across the state. The forty fifth Weather Squadron is showing a 40% likelihood of acceptable weather at lift-off. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, SpaceX has two more possibilities at 11:10 p.m. ET (03:10 UTC) and 12:01 a.m. ET (04:01 UTC). SpaceX also has 4 more opportunities on Friday, July twenty eighth, between 10:04 p.m. ET (02:04 UTC) and 12:26 a.m. ET (04:26 UTC).
Follow the launch live to tell the tale the SpaceX youtube channel below!