SpaceX is gearing up for 80th orbital mission of 2023
SpaceX is all set for its 80th orbital mission this year. A Falcon 9 rocket is slated to launch 23 Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, at 11:01pm EST (9:31am IST on November 8). Should the company miss this window, seven alternative opportunities are available between 11:23pm EST and 3:00am EST, SpaceX has confirmed. The launch can be viewed live on SpaceX's X account, with coverage commencing roughly five minutes prior to liftoff.
Falcon 9's first stage to attempt landing on drone ship
The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket will attempt to land on the drone ship Just Read the Instructions, positioned in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 8.5 minutes post-launch. As indicated in the mission summary, this will be the 11th launch and landing for this specific rocket's first stage. Successfully recovering the first stage is vital for SpaceX's reusable rocket technology, which aims to lower the cost of space travel and boost the frequency of launches.
Starlink mega constellation continues expansion with upcoming launch
The 23 Starlink satellites set to be deployed will be released from the Falcon 9's upper stage into low Earth orbit nearly 65 minutes after liftoff. This mission supports the ongoing growth of SpaceX's Starlink mega constellation, which delivers internet service to users across the globe. Astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell states that there are currently over 5,000 operational Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit, making it one of the largest satellite constellations in existence.
