After 2 scrubs, SpaceX will try again Thursday for Cape Canaveral launch

Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel on Nov 7, 2024

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ORLANDO, Fla. — SpaceX will try again Thursday to get off a Starlink launch from Cape Canaveral after scrubbing the launch on Monday and Wednesday.

A Falcon 9 carrying 23 of the internet satellites is aiming for liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 during a four-hour window Thursday that opens at 3:13 p.m. with backup options Friday beginning at 2:46 p.m.

Wednesday’s scrub came amid bad weather conditions, with Space Launch Delta 45’s weather squadron having forecast only a 30% chance for good conditions at the launch site with weather downrange for booster recovery also a concern. The forecast for Thursday is much improved with a 90% chance for good conditions.

The Monday attempt was scrubbed after ground systems providing helium to the first stage were insufficient at the pad.

The first-stage booster is making its third flight and will aim for a recovery landing in the Atlantic on the droneship Just Read the Instructions.

This would be the 76th launch of the year from the Space Coast from all launch providers, with SpaceX responsible for all but five sent up by United Launch Alliance.

The 75th took off from neighboring Kennedy Space Center on Monday night with the SpaceX CRS-31 resupply mission to the International Space Station.

It would also be the 201st Starlink mission for Elon Musk’s company, which has launched more than 7,200 of the satellites for its growing constellation.

And it’s the 401st launch for SpaceX among Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets since the first in 2010.

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