A set of 47 Starlink internet satellites might soon be making its way low Earth orbit: SpaceX is targeting a March 3rd launch for the upcoming additions to its Starlink constellation. It’s the third launch since the company lost 40 satellites in February to a geomagnetic storm, which caused atmospheric drag to increase and hinder the satellites’ movement. As a result, the satellites deorbited and re-entered the atmosphere, where they burned up completely and left no debris.
SpaceX launched 46 satellites on February 21st and another 50 on February 25th since that event, so it’s safe to say that it has already replaced the 40 it had lost. The company has launched over 2,000 Starlink satellites to date and currently has permission to send up to 10,000 more.
This particular set will blast off on top of a Falcon 9 rocket with a first stage booster that previously flew with GPS III-3, Turksat-5A, Transporter 2 and seven Starlink missions. The reusable booster, which has quite the flight history, will land on the Just Read the Instructions droneship in the Atlantic Ocean after separation — and will most likely fly on future missions if everything goes according to plan.
Today’s instantaneous launch window is at 9:35AM EST, and you can watch its live webcast starting at 9:15AM below. In case the conditions aren’t quite right for a liftoff or if technical issues arise, SpaceX will attempt another launch tomorrow, March 4th, at 9:10AM EST.
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