SpaceX plans to launch a Falcon 9 carrying the Starlink 6-59 mission to orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral on Friday night. The launch window is planned for 08:32 PM EDT and extends to 11:30 PM EDT. If the mission does not take place tomorrow, SpaceX says that the backup launch window is “Saturday, May 18 starting at 8:06 PM EDT.”
The first stage booster will land downrange around 8.5 minutes after liftoff, so there won’t be a sonic boom on the Space Coast.
Payload
23 Starlink satellites, to be used in SpaceX’s orbital-based Internet service. They are manufactured at SpaceX’s Starlink manufacturing facility in Redmond, Washington.
Each Starlink V2 Mini weighs an estimated 800 kilograms, and is estimated to be 4.1 meters (13 ft) by 2.7 meters (8 ft 10 in) in size with a total array of 120 m2 (1,300 sq ft). Those numbers are estimates only, and SpaceX has not released the exact dimensions of the Starlink family of satellites.
According to Dr. Jonathon McDowell of Harvard’s Center for Astrophysics, roughly 6,000 Starlink satellites are in orbit. Starlink serves about 2.7 million customers in 75 countries worldwide.
Weather
As summer begins on the Space Coast, the chance for weather complications to affect launches starts to rise and that is reflected in the 45th Weather Squadron’s forecast: “For Friday, models now suggest the boundary will return to the north with enough moisture for a few more showers and storms during the afternoon hours on the inland moving sea breeze. Though best chances will be inland of the Spaceport by the late afternoon, west-northwest steering flow will push some of this back towards the coast along with any associated anvil clouds.”
In other words, as Talk of Titusville publisher Michael Lynch says about launch forecasts, “It’s complicated.” That said, don’t be surprised if there are shifts in the L-0 time Friday evening, or in the event of a scrub, Saturday evening as well.
Sky Cover
The National Weather Center forecasts that roughly 45% of the sky will be covered by clouds at the beginning of tomorrow evening’s launch window. These estimates are often hit-or-miss and are highly local, but are interesting if you are planning to view the launch in person.
Trajectory
Falcon 9 will take a southeasterly direction tonight, as is customary for Group 6 Starlink missions.
Given that the flight is immediately offshore with no return to launch site, there will be no sonic boom from the launch on the Space Coast.
Booster: B1062
| Flight | Mission | Date |
| 1 | GPS III SV04 Sacagawea | November 05, 2020 |
| 2 | GPS III SV05 Neil Armstrong | June 17, 2021 |
| 3 | Inspiration 4 | September 16, 2021 |
| 4 | Starlink 4-5 | January 06, 2022 |
| 5 | Axiom-1 | April 08, 2022 |
| 6 | Starlink 4-16 | April 29, 2022 |
| 7 | Nilesat-301 | June 08, 2022 |
| 8 | Starlink 4-25 | July 24, 2022 |
| 9 | Starlink 4-27 | August 19, 2022 |
| 10 | Starlink 4-36 | October 20, 2022 |
| 11 | Starlink 5-1 | December 28, 2022 |
| 12 | Starlink 5-4 | February12, 2023 |
| 13 | OneWeb 17 | March 9, 2023 |
| 14 | ArabSat 7B | May 27, 2023 |
| 15 | Starlink 6-7 | July 28, 2023 |
| 16 | Starlink 6-23 | October 18. 2023 |
| 17 | Starlink 6-30 | November 28, 2023 |
| 18 | Starlink 6-38 | January 29, 2024 |
| 19 | Starlink 6-44 | March 15, 2024 |
| 20 | Starlink 6-49 | April 13, 2024 |
Countdown Timeline
There are key events in the countdown that you may hear called out.
SpaceX provides the following countdown milestones on their mission information page:
| Hours:Minutes:Seconds | Event |
| 00:38:00 | SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load |
| 00:35:00 | RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins |
| 00:35:00 | 1st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading begins |
| 00:16:00 | 2nd stage LOX loading begins |
| 00:07:00 | Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch |
| 00:01:00 | Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks |
| 00:01:00 | Propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins |
| 00:00:45 | SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch |
| 00:00:03 | Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start |
| 00:00:00 | Falcon 9 liftoff |
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
Timeline of Falcon 9 Flight
SpaceX has published a timeline of expected events during the mission:
| Hours:Minutes:Seconds | Event |
| 00:00:00 | Liftoff |
| 00:01:11 | Max-Q (Moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket) |
| 00:02:26 | 1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO) |
| 00:02:30 | 1st and 2nd stages separate |
| 00:02:36 | 2nd stage engine starts (SES-1) |
| 00:02:56 | Fairing deployment |
| 00:06:09 | 1st stage entry burn begins |
| 00:06:33 | 1st stage entry burn ends |
| 00:07:59 | 1st stage landing burn begins |
| 00:08:22 | 1st stage landing |
| 00:08:41 | 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1) |
| 00:54:08 | 2nd stage engine starts (SES-2) |
| 00:54:10 | 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2) |
| 01:05:17 | Starlink satellites deploy |
All events up to the end of the 1st stage entry burn should be visible for launch spectators watching the launch in person, so long as clouds are not blocking the viewer’s line of sight. Fairing separation is generally only visible during daytime launches and then only using advanced optics like high-powered binoculars or a super-telephoto lens (500mm+).
Launch Viewing: In Person
This evening’s planned launch is from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral, which means that the best direct views of liftoff are:
- Banana River Bridge on FL-528 W in Cape Canaveral
- Kennedy Point Park in Titusville
- Rotary Riverfront Park in Titusville
You can also view from these locations, as long as they are open. Call ahead to be sure:
- The Space Bar (6245 Riverfront Center Boulevard, Titusville, FL 32780)
- On top of the Courtyard by Marriott just off of Kennedy Parkway, the Space Bar has an elevated view of the launch pad as well as food and drinks available. TSB is run by the same company that operates the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center and is across the bridge from KSCVC.
- On top of the Courtyard by Marriott just off of Kennedy Parkway, the Space Bar has an elevated view of the launch pad as well as food and drinks available. TSB is run by the same company that operates the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center and is across the bridge from KSCVC.
- Shiloh’s Steak and Seafood (3665 S Washington Ave, Titusville, FL 32780)
- Casual fine dining, with an outdoor deck overlooking the Indian River and launch pads beyond that.
- Casual fine dining, with an outdoor deck overlooking the Indian River and launch pads beyond that.
- New York New York (5401 Riveredge Dr, Titusville, FL 32780)
- A local’s go-to for a casual tiki bar on the riverfront without a lot of fuss, but with a very friendly staff. Their kitchen closes at 6:30 PM EDT, so if you’d like to have dinner, get there before 6 PM or so.
Other Viewing Locations
Cocoa Beach, Cocoa Beach Pier, Jetty Park Pier will have indirect views, meaning that liftoff will not be visible, but after the rocket clears the pad and any ground obstructions, you will be able to see Falcon 9 ascending clearly assuming there are no clouds between you and the rocket.
Be prepared for potential changes or pushbacks in the launch schedule, and keep up by monitoring the live stream links mentioned above.
Author: Charles Boyer
NASA kid from Cocoa Beach, FL, born of Project Apollo parents and family. I’m a writer and photographer sharing the story of spaceflight from the Eastern Range here in Florida.
Leave a Reply