PHOENIX — Monday is finally the day for the latest rocket launch from SpaceX.
The company recently announced a new launch date for the Falcon 9 rocket, which will carry 22 Starlink satellites to space, according to a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Liftoff is now scheduled for April 1 from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. According to the SpaceX website, the launch window will open at 7:30 p.m. PDT. If the launch is delayed again on Monday, additional time will be available for the launch until 11:30 p.m.
And if the launch is completely scrubbed on Monday, officials will try again on Tuesday starting at 7:30 p.m.
The launch was originally set for March 28 but has been delayed several times. SpaceX tried to launch the rocket on Saturday and even moved it to the launch pad, but after delaying the launch five times, they ultimately decided to scrub it.
Once the rocket takes off on Monday, the launch could be visible in the western Arizona sky. That is if the cloud cover cooperates.
The planned Falcon 9 launch mission will send satellites for the Starlink internet service to low-Earth orbit. This launch will mark the 15th flight of the initial stage booster backing this mission.
After separating stages, the initial stage is set to land on the 'Of Course I Still Love You' droneship, stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
A live webcast of this mission will be shown on X @SpaceX about five minutes before liftoff. Watch live.
What is Starlink?
Starlink is "the world's first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit to deliver broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, video calls and more," according to the service's website.
The "constellation" of satellites consists of thousands of satellites that orbit Earth at an altitude of about 550 km, or 341 3/4 miles.
The satellites connect to antennas that users set up at their homes to provide internet access.
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