“Skyward Bound: SpaceX Sets Sail with 21 Starlink Satellites Aboard Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral”

SpaceX is gearing up to commence a hectic launch week, which will involve flights from all four of its launch sites across California, Florida, and Texas. If there are no delays, the plan includes launching three Falcon 9 rockets alongside the seventh mission of its Starship-Super Heavy rocket.

First on the agenda is the Starlink 12-4 mission, anticipated to lift off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The target liftoff time is 10:08 a.m. EST (1508 UTC).

Spaceflight Now will provide live coverage starting approximately one hour before liftoff.



As the launch opportunity approaches, the 45th Weather Squadron predicts a 75 percent chance of favorable conditions for both the primary launch window on Monday and the 24-hour backup option. Both days have concerns related to dense clouds; however, Monday contends with cumulus clouds as well, while Tuesday will face challenges from liftoff winds.

The Falcon 9 first stage booster designated for this mission, tail number B1080 from the SpaceX fleet, is set for its 15th launch. It has previously facilitated the launches of the European Space Agency’s Euclid spacecraft, four missions to the International Space Station, and eight Starlink flights.

Approximately eight minutes after liftoff, B1080 will attempt to touch down on the droneship, ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas.’ If successful, this will indicate the 94th booster landing and the 396th overall to date.

The day following the launch of the Starlink 12-4 mission, SpaceX is set to initiate the Transporter-12 rideshare mission, carrying numerous satellites onboard. This mission will take place from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Following that, back in Florida, a dual-lunar landing mission is scheduled to occur no earlier than 1:11 a.m. EST (0611 UTC) on Wednesday, Jan. 15, from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Later that day, SpaceX plans to initiate the Starship Flight 7 mission, during which it will attempt to once again capture the Super Heavy booster at the launch tower.