Enterprise

FAA Lifts Ban: SpaceX Resumes Evening Launches Tonight!

  • SpaceX is resuming early evening launches after the FAA lifted restrictions that pushed commercial flights late into the night.
  • The first mission under the new schedule is Starlink 6-94, launching 29 satellites from Cape Canaveral at 7:12 p.m. EST.
  • The previous restrictions were a result of staffing issues at the FAA caused by the recent government shutdown.
  • The Falcon 9 booster, B1085, will be making its 12th flight and is expected to land on a droneship in the Atlantic.

A Return to Prime-Time Spaceflight

SpaceX is set to reclaim its early-evening launch slot tonight with a Starlink mission from Florida, marking an end to the frustrating late-night launch windows imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The liftoff of the Starlink 6-94 mission is scheduled for 7:12 p.m. EST from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, a welcome change for spaceflight enthusiasts accustomed to more accessible viewing times.

The End of Launch Curfews

The return to a normal schedule comes after the FAA lifted a daytime curfew on commercial launches on Monday. These restrictions were put in place as the agency contended with air traffic control challenges during the recent government shutdown. While government missions were unaffected, commercial operators like SpaceX were forced to shift their launches to after 10 p.m. EST.

This restriction notably impacted two previous Starlink missions on November 14 and 15, which were pushed into the late-night hours to comply with the FAA's directive. The lifting of these rules signals a return to operational normalcy for the commercial space sector on the East Coast.

Tonight’s mission will see a Falcon 9 rocket deliver 29 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit, further expanding SpaceX’s global internet constellation. The rocket will launch from the historic Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) and embark on a south-easterly trajectory over the Atlantic.

Veteran Booster and Favorable Skies

The powerhouse behind this mission is the flight-proven Falcon 9 first stage, booster B1085, which is making its 12th trip to space. Following stage separation, the booster is slated to perform a precision landing on the droneship ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas,’ stationed in the Atlantic Ocean east of the Bahamas.

Conditions for the launch appear nearly perfect. Meteorologists with the 45th Weather Squadron are forecasting a 95-percent chance of favorable weather at liftoff. If all proceeds as planned, the 29 Starlink satellites will be deployed from the Falcon 9’s second stage approximately one hour and five minutes after leaving the launch pad.

Read more