SpaceX to launch 2 Starlink missions within days of each other
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Starlink 17 mission sits at Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A. In the background, a Falcon 9 carrying the Starlink 18 mission lifts off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021. {Courtesy:
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - SpaceX is gearing up to launch two Starlink satellite missions within days of each other.
The first Falcon 9 launch was supposed to happen Saturday night but that has since changed to Sunday night. Liftoff is now scheduled for 11:21 p.m. EST from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
The second launch is set to blast off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center early Tuesday morning at 1:17 a.m.
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Both missions are expected to be carrying around 60 satellites each into orbit.
Starlink satellites reportedly help provide global internet coverage from space.
"With performance that far surpasses that of traditional satellite Internet, and a global network unbounded by ground infrastructure limitations, Starlink will deliver high-speed broadband internet to locations where access has been unreliable, expensive, or completely unavailable," SpaceX says.
SpaceX says there are now hundreds of Starlink satellites in orbit, the largest constellation of artificial satellites. The plan is to eventually have thousands of the small satellites in orbit.
Watch FOX 35 News for the latest launch updates.