As part of its continuous constellation development, US tech billionaire Elon Musk‘s SpaceX is getting ready to launch 28 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Sunday.
Launched from Space Launch Complex 4 East, the Falcon 9 rocket will transport satellites for the company’s worldwide broadband internet service.
The current launch time is 6.28 p.m. local time (0128 GMT, Monday); however, technical and external factors may cause delays sometimes.
The mission marks the first-stage booster‘s 28th flight; it has previously supported 18 Starlink launches, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, and other missions.
The first stage will continue SpaceX’s rocket recovery efforts by attempting to land on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship floating in the Pacific Ocean after stage separation.
Residents in Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties could hear sonic booms during the launch, according to the corporation, however the experience will depend on the weather.
The launch is part of SpaceX’s ongoing fast deployment plan for Starlink. With more than 8,000 satellites in orbit and internet connectivity in around 130 countries and territories globally, the business has carried out ten comparable launches in September alone.