by Night owl alert: SpaceX is targeting an early morning Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Welcome to FLORIDA TODAY Space Team live coverage of today's SpaceX Starlink 10-18 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. SpaceX is now targeting 1:55 a.m. for liftoff .
Climbing to the northeast, the rocket will lift a payload of 28 Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit. Expect pristine launch weather. The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron forecast called for 95% odds of "go for launch" conditions, with cumulus clouds from isolated coastal showers posing the lone threat.
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No Brevard County sonic booms should occur from this Starlink 10-18 mission at Launch Complex 40. The Falcon 9 first-stage booster will target landing aboard a SpaceX drone ship out at sea just more than eight minutes after liftoff.
The SpaceX Starlink liftoff try comes on the heels of United Launch Alliance's Monday afternoon scrub of Amazon's second Project Kuiper satellite mission. Teams are evaluating a possible issue with a gaseous nitrogen purge line after an elevated temperature was detected within the Atlas V booster engine, ULA officials reported.
Liftoff!
Update 1:55 a.m.: Liftoff! SpaceX has just launched the Falcon 9 carrying 28 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
SpaceX rocket launch webcast begins
Update 1:50 a.m.: SpaceX's launch webcast is now posted above, right below our countdown clock.
Liftoff is scheduled in five minutes from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
SpaceX rocket launch coming up from Cape
Update 1:41 a.m.: Fourteen minutes before SpaceX's Falcon 9 lifts off, the countdown appears to be proceeding as planned. Rocket fueling remains well underway at Launch Complex 40.
Here's a list of key remaining countdown milestones. T-minus:
- 7 minutes: Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch.
- 1 minute: Command flight computer begins final prelaunch checks; propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins.
- 45 seconds: SpaceX launch director verifies “go for launch.”
- 3 seconds: Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start.
- 0 seconds: Falcon 9 liftoff.
SpaceX rocket booster to land on drone ship
Update 1:32 a.m.: This morning's mission marks the Falcon 9 first-stage booster’s fifth flight, SpaceX reported.
This relatively new booster previously launched SES O3b mPOWER-E, Crew-10, Bandwagon-3 and one Starlink mission
Following stage separation, crews expect the booster to land on the SpaceX drone ship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean 8 minutes, 13 seconds after liftoff.
SpaceX Falcon 9 fueling is now underway
Update 1:23 a.m.: Falcon 9 fueling procedures are now underway, billowing white water vapor at Launch Complex 40 indicates.
That means the Starlink mission countdown is locked in to lift off at 1:55 a.m. without any delays, or else today's launch must be postponed to a later date.
SpaceX Falcon 9 launch countdown
Update 1:10 a.m.: Here's a rundown of SpaceX’s upcoming behind-the-scenes Falcon 9 launch countdown timeline. T-minus:
- 38 minutes: SpaceX launch director verifies “go” for propellant load.
- 35 minutes: Rocket-grade kerosene and first-stage liquid oxygen loading begins.
- 16 minutes: Second-stage liquid oxygen loading begins.
- 7 minutes: Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch.
- 1 minute: Command flight computer begins final prelaunch checks; propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins.
- 45 seconds: SpaceX launch director verifies “go” for launch.
- 3 seconds: Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start.
- 0 seconds: Liftoff.
SpaceX launch prep underway in Brevard
Update 1 a.m.: Brevard County Emergency Management officials have activated the agency's launch operations support team ahead of SpaceX’s upcoming Falcon 9 launch.
Starlink launch to be 51st of year from Space Coast
Update 12:50 a.m.: SpaceX's upcoming Falcon 9 launch will clock in as the 51st orbital rocket launch thus far during 2025 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
"50 launches and counting. That's right — we've officially hit liftoff #50 for the year, and it's only June," a Space Launch Delta 45 tweet said.
Click here for the FLORIDA TODAY Space Team's updating tally listing all of this year’s missions , complete with photo galleries and story links.
Space Force launch weather details
Update 12:35 a.m.: A narrative from the 45th Weather Squadron's forecast, which was issued Tuesday:
"High pressure ridge axis is solidly in place over the central portions of the state. This will keep the Space Coast in very similar conditions to the past few days through the end of the week," the forecast said.
"Isolated showers and storms are expected inland during afternoon hours with the seabreeze focused from I-4 westward into the evening. Storms should dissipate late-evening with the only threat being isolated low-topped coastal showers during both primary and backup opportunities," the forecast said.
SpaceX announces new Ax-4 launch date
Update 12:21 a.m.: A few hours ago, SpaceX announced the Ax-4 crewed mission will lift off at 3:42 a.m. Sunday, June 22, from Cape Canaveral.
Axiom Space’s fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
For the latest news and launch schedule from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit Tech Bytes Lab/space . Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly Space newsletter .
Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@Tech Bytes Lab . Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX launch: Live updates from Starlink Falcon 9 launch at Cape Canaveral, Florida
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