Tomorrow morning, SpaceX plans to launch Starlink 12-8 to low-Earth orbit. The flight has one remarkable aspect: the flight will be the 26th for the company’s Booster B1067. Liftoff is planned for no earlier than 01:14:10 AM EST from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral. Around eight minutes after liftoff, B1067 is planned to land on ASDS ‘A Shortfall Of Gravitas’, which is stationed offshore close to The Bahamas.

The All-Time Champion Of Booster Reusability

B1067 has played a significant role in advancing reusable rocket technology since its inaugural flight in June 2021. Like other boosters in the Falcon 9 Block 5 series, B1067 was engineered for rapid turnaround and multiple reuses, aligning with SpaceX’s goal of reducing the costs associated with space exploration.

B1067’s maiden voyage occurred on June 3, 2021, during the CRS-22 mission, which delivered supplies to the International Space Station (ISS). Following this successful debut, the booster supported several key missions, including:

• Crew-3 (November 11, 2021): Transported astronauts to the ISS.
• Türksat 5B (December 19, 2021): Deployed a Turkish communications satellite into geostationary transfer orbit.
• Crew-4 (April 27, 2022): Facilitated another crewed mission to the ISS.
• CRS-25 (July 15, 2022): Conducted a resupply mission to the ISS.
• Galileo FM26 / FM32: launched two navigation satellites for the European Space Agency

In addition to these missions, B1067 has flown numerous batches of Starlink satellites, contributing to SpaceX’s expanding satellite internet constellation, which now boosts about five million subscribers in over 200 countries worldwide.

In January 10, 2025, B1067 completed its 25th flight during the Starlink 12-12 mission, setting a new benchmark for booster reusability. Tonight, 37 days after that flight, B1067 is slated to break its own record.

Payload

21 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities. SpaceX has around 7,000 Starlink satellites in orbit already, with plans to have up to 42,000 at some point in the future.

Starlink satellites are space debris neutral, meaning after their operational life is concluded, the company de-orbits a given satellite, with almost no portions reaching the ground.

Weather

The 45th Weather Squadron of Space Launch Delta 45 of the US Space Force has issued a Launch Mission Execution forecast: 80% GO through the launch window. Their only concerns are clouds and winds.

Trajectory

As it has been with previous Group 12 Starlink launches, Falcon 9 will fly southeast from Cape Canaveral.

Online Viewing

SpaceX’s live webcast of this mission will begin about five minutes prior to liftoff. You can view that on the X platform (@SpaceX).

Spaceflight Now will begin their webcast about an hour prior to liftoff. They are an invaluable resource for anyone planning to watch the launch in person, as they will offer the latest information on the countdown as it proceeds.