SpaceX is scheduled to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida tonight, carrying 29 Starlink broadband satellites to low-Earth orbit. The launch window opens at 7:07 p.m. ET and extends to 11:07 p.m. ET, with a targeted liftoff time of 9:56 p.m. ET, according to updated information from Florida Today.
The launch will originate from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral facility. This mission marks the 26th flight for the first stage booster, which has previously supported launches including Crew-6, SES O3b mPOWER-B, USSF-124, Bluebird 1-5, Nusantara Lima (PSN N5), and 20 prior Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the booster is planned to land on the “Just Read the Instructions” droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Starlink 10-41 mission is intended to further expand SpaceX’s Starlink constellation, providing broadband internet access globally. Recent developments demonstrate the growing integration of Starlink technology into commercial aviation. Japanese airline ZIPAIR recently completed the first nonstop commercial charter flight between Tokyo and Orlando International Airport, and subsequently operated Asia’s first commercial passenger flight equipped with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service on a route from Tokyo to Incheon, South Korea. The airline intends to install Starlink across its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet by spring, offering free high-speed internet access to all passengers.
The National Weather Service forecasts favorable launch conditions, with a low of 61 degrees Fahrenheit, partly cloudy skies, a 20% chance of showers after 1 a.m., and mild northeast winds of 5 to 10 mph. The rocket’s trajectory is expected to be northeastward, and no sonic booms are anticipated in Central Florida.
SpaceX is likewise targeting another Starlink launch for Wednesday, March 4, continuing the rapid expansion of the satellite network. Coverage of tonight’s launch can be found on Space Coast Daily TV and at floridatoday.com/space.
