SpaceX is minutes away from launching its Falcon 9 rocket into low Earth orbit, to send 53 Starlink satellites into space.
The launch is taking place from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, set to lift off at 12:42 a.m. ET (4:42 UTC).
A backup launch window is set for Saturday, March 19 at 11:03 p.m. ET, or 3:03 UTC on March 20, if necessary. This morning’s launch was originally set to launch earlier today, but was delayed due to unfavorable weather.
This particular Falcon 9 booster is set for its record-breaking 12th flight and landing. It previously supported Dragon’s first crew demonstration mission, the RADARSAT Constellation Mission, SXM-7, and eight former Starlink missions. This booster B1051 is set to land its first stage on the drone ship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean.
This is the 11th launch from SpaceX in the first 11 weeks of the year. Check out the live video below:
Also–this is the heaviest payload yet for a Falcon 9 booster:
Also the heaviest Falcon 9 payload at 16.25 metric tons
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 19, 2022
