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SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 Starlink internet satellites from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The liftoff occurred at 11:36 p.m. EDT, followed by the landing of the first-stage booster on the drone ship “Shortfall of Gravitas” in the Atlantic Ocean.

The weather conditions at the opening of the launch window were reported to be 20% favorable, but it improved to 65% by the end. The Falcon 9 rocket flew along a southeastern trajectory and successfully deployed the 22 Starlink satellites into orbit.

This launch marks the 13th mission for the Falcon 9 first stage booster. The rocket’s post-launch timeline included various stages, such as max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket), first stage main engine cutoff (MECO), fairing deployment, entry burn, landing burn, and satellite deployment.

SpaceX teams started fueling the Falcon 9 rocket with kerosene and liquid oxygen at 11:05 p.m. EDT, and the countdown progressed smoothly toward liftoff. The launch director verified the readiness for propellant load, and the fueling process commenced as planned.

The weather conditions around Cape Canaveral Space Force Station improved throughout the evening, and the liftoff remained on schedule for 11:36 p.m. EDT. SpaceX monitored the weather closely, and if necessary, had additional launch opportunities at 12:00 a.m. EDT.

This successful launch adds to the Space Coast’s record-breaking year, marking the 42nd launch of 2022. SpaceX continues to move forward in its ambitious Starlink project, aiming to provide global internet coverage through a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit. The mission’s success brings the company one step closer to achieving this goal.

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