“Falcon 9 Ignites: SpaceX Set to Deploy 21 Starlink Satellites from Kennedy Space Center!”

SpaceX is getting ready to send a group of 21 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit, with 13 designed to deliver text and data mobile services.

The launch of the Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is set for 10:27 a.m. EST (1527 UTC). Should it be necessary, the launch window will remain open until 2:17 p.m. EST (1917 UTC) on Wednesday afternoon.

Spaceflight Now will provide live coverage approximately one hour before the lift-off.



On the preceding Monday, the 45th Weather Squadron indicated a 95 percent chance of suitable launch conditions for Wednesday, with winds at liftoff being the main concern. They also noted upper-level wind shear as a ‘moderate’ risk and recovery conditions for the booster as a ‘low’ to ‘moderate’ risk.

For this mission, SpaceX will reuse the Falcon 9 first stage booster with tail number B1086. It had previously operated as one of two Falcon Heavy side boosters during the GOES-U mission in June 2024, and subsequently on Starlink 12-5 in December.

Approximately eight minutes after liftoff, B1086 is expected to land on the droneship, ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas.’ If the landing succeeds, it will mark the 93rd booster recovery on ASOG and the 393rd booster recovery overall.

Year 2 for Direct to Cell

The initial Falcon 9 Starlink launch of 2024 featured the first six satellites that had Direct to Cell capabilities. Since that time, SpaceX has conducted 31 Starlink missions including DTC satellites on board.

As of January 7, 2025, SpaceX had deployed a cumulative total of 401 DTC Starlink satellites, although 13 were unable to reach their designated operational orbit because of the upper stage anomaly that occurred during the Starlink 9-3 mission on July 11, 2024.

According to its Progress 2024 report published in December, SpaceX’s DTC network comprises “nearly 350 satellites,” which indicates that some launched in 2024 may have already deorbited or have not been included in the count of satellites that SpaceX considers part of its operational system. The company did not provide further details in its report.

SpaceX did mention it intends to “double the number of Direct to Cell Starlink satellites by mid-2025.”

SpaceX indicated that its DTC Starlink satellites “utilize innovative, custom silicon phased array antennas in conjunction with advanced software algorithms to tackle the challenges of communications between phones and space.”