SpaceX completes Falcon 9 double launch day with Starlink mission from Vandenberg Space Force Station – Spaceflight Now

A Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Vandenberg Area Power Base on the Starlink 9-2 mission on June 23, 2024. Picture: SpaceX

SpaceX accomplished one other double launch day with a West Coast launch of 20 Starlink V2 Mini satellites, together with 13 that includes Direct to Cell capabilities.

Liftoff of the Starlink 9-2 mission occurred at 8:47 p.m. PDT (11:47 p.m. EDT, 0347 UTC). It got here following the launch of twenty-two Starlink satellites from Florida at 1:15 p.m. EDT (1715 UTC) on Sunday.

The primary stage booster supporting this mission, tail quantity B1075 within the SpaceX fleet, launched for an eleventh time. It beforehand supported the launches of the Area Growth Company’s (SDA) Tranche 0 demonstration satellite tv for pc mission, German navy reconnaissance satellites SARah 2 & 3 and eight Starlink flights.

The final time this booster was flown was practically 100 days in the past on the Starlink 7-16 mission on March 19.

A little bit greater than eight minutes after liftoff, B1075 landed on the SpaceX droneship, ‘Of Course I Nonetheless Love You.’ This would be the 94th touchdown on OCISLY and the 322nd booster touchdown thus far.

The mission comes as SpaceX and NASA are making ready to launch a Falcon Heavy rocket on the GOES-U mission, the ultimate satellite tv for pc within the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites-R (GOES-R) sequence. Rollout of the rocket to the launchpad at Launch Advanced 39A was delayed from Sunday morning.

Groups are conserving a detailed eye on climate situations for each rollout and launch operations. The mission is presently focusing on liftoff on Tuesday, June 25, at 5:16 p.m. EDT (2116 UTC).

As of the most recent climate forecast issued on Sunday, June 23, there may be solely a 30 % likelihood of favorable climate at liftoff on each the first launch day and the 24-hour backup, on June 26.

Watch Falcon Heavy pad views right here:

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