Rocket Launch Today: SpaceX Celebrates 600th Falcon 9 Launch
SpaceX is continuing its ambitious launch schedule with the highly anticipated launch of its 600th Falcon 9 rocket. This milestone mission follows closely on the heels of the successful arrival of the Dragon spacecraft at the International Space Station (ISS) for its 20th human spaceflight mission, demonstrating SpaceX’s continued dominance in space exploration.
Starlink 17-13 Mission Details
The Starlink 17-13 mission is scheduled to launch Saturday evening from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The primary objective is to deploy 24 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit, further expanding the Starlink constellation and enhancing global internet connectivity.
Launch Schedule:
- Liftoff Time: 5:59:59 p.m. PST (8:59:59 p.m. EST / 0159:59 UTC)
- Launch Location: Space Launch Complex 4 East, Vandenberg Space Force Base
- Trajectory: Southerly
Spaceflight Now will provide live coverage beginning approximately 30 minutes before liftoff. You can follow the launch live here.
Falcon 9 Booster 1081: A Veteran Performer
This mission will utilize the Falcon 9 first stage booster, tail number 1081. This isn’t a rookie; it’s a seasoned veteran with 22 prior launches under its belt, including four missions for NASA (Crew-7, CRS-29, PACE, and TRACERS).
Reusable Rocket Technology in Action
Approximately eight minutes after liftoff, B1081 is targeted to land on the drone ship ‘Of Course I Still Love You,’ positioned in the Pacific Ocean. This will mark the 178th landing on this specific vessel and the 571st booster landing overall for SpaceX, showcasing the company’s commitment to reusable rocket technology and cost-effective space access. Learn more about Falcon 9.
Recent SpaceX Missions
Earlier today, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, Freedom, successfully docked with the ISS at 3:15 p.m. EST (2015 UTC), carrying three astronauts and one cosmonaut. This arrival came just 34 hours after launching from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Furthermore, NASA and SpaceX have rescheduled the launch of the Crew Dragon “Resilience” spacecraft from the Kennedy Space Center to 7:27 p.m. EST Sunday (0027 GMT Monday) to optimize for improved weather conditions both downrange and at the launch site.
SpaceX’s rapid launch cadence continued in August with its ninth and final Starlink launch of the month, lifting off from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 7:49 a.m. EDT (1149 UTC). The USSF-62 mission also marked a significant milestone, being the first National Security Space Launch to utilize flight-proven payload fairings.
Source: Spaceflight Now Inc
