March 29 (UPI) — The SpaceX delay in launching 22 Starlink satellites has pushed the launch back to no sooner than 10:30 p.m. Friday from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The Falcon 9 rocket carrying those satellites in Starlink’s 7-18 mission had been scheduled to lift off Thursday but was canceled before trying to fuel the rocket.
No reason was publicly given for the scrubbed launch.
If it goes off as planned Friday night it will this Falcon 9 booster’s 15th launch, according to SpaceX. It would be the 30th Falcon 9 launch so far in 2024.
Friday’s launch plan calls for the rocket booster to land on SpaceX droneship “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Pacific Ocean a little over eight minutes from launch.
There are 5,680 Starlink satellites in orbit, according to astronomer Jonathan McDowell.
A live webcast of the launch starts about five minutes prior to liftoff.
