SpaceX plans to launch a new batch of Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral into low Earth orbit on Saturday afternoon, after a launch scheduled for Friday was canceled.
The private space company did not specify the reasons for the delay, but said a new launch window would open at 1:23 p.m. ET, with a second launch window at 5:08 p.m. In addition, a backup launch time has been set for 2:55 p.m. Sunday.
The Falcon 9 rocket will launch 21 Starlink satellites into space, 13 of which will be equipped with the Direct to Cell feature.
This launch will be the 17th for the first stage booster, which has already flown on 12 other Starlink missions. After each mission, it has successfully returned to the unmanned ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean.
SpaceX, founded and owned by Elon Musk, also plans to launch its Crew-10 spacecraft at the same time as a private astronaut mission from Axiom Space to the International Space Station.
The company also supported the training of a crew of commercial astronauts who will use SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft to fly over the poles on a three-day mission.
Sourse: www.upi.com
