(Update: Launched) SpaceX to launch 56 Starlink satellites into orbit on Thursday: Watch live

SpaceX is gearing up for the Falcon 9 launch of a new batch of Starlink internet satellites on Thursday, May 4 at 3:34 a.m. ET (07:34 UTC). The mission will carry 56 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

If necessary, there will be additional launch opportunities on the same day. Backup opportunities are also available on Friday, May 5, the company said.

The first stage booster supporting Thursday's mission has already been used in several other missions, including the launch of CRS-24, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13F, OneWeb 1, SES-18 and SES-19, and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

Targeting Thursday, May 4 at 3:34 a.m. ET for Falcon 9’s launch of 56 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from SLC-40 in Florida → https://t.co/SpsRVRsvz1

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 2, 2023

A live webcast of the mission will begin about five minutes prior to liftoff, allowing viewers around the world to watch the launch in real-time.

SpaceX's Starlink satellite constellation is designed to provide high-speed internet access to underserved areas around the globe, where traditional broadband connectivity is not currently available or is too expensive