(Update: Launched) SpaceX to launch first Starlink satellites with Direct to Cell capabilities | Watch live

SpaceX is gearing up for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink satellites, including the first six with Direct to Cell capabilities, to low-Earth orbit on Tuesday, January 2.

Starlink satellites with Direct to Cell capabilities enable mobile network operators around the world to provide seamless global access to texting, calling, and browsing wherever you may be on land, lakes, or coastal waters. It works with existing LTE phones, with no changes required to hardware, firmware, or special apps.

According to SpaceX's website, Starlink satellites with Direct to Cell capability feature an advanced eNodeB modem onboard that acts like a cellphone tower in space, allowing network integration similar to a standard roaming partner.

The mission will lift off from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, with a four-hour launch window opening at 6:13 p.m. PT. Additional launch opportunities are available on Wednesday, January 3, starting at 5:51 p.m. PT if needed.

This particular Starlink mission marks the inaugural flight for the first stage booster supporting the launch. Post-stage separation, the booster will execute a controlled descent and attempt a pinpoint landing on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, stationed in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean.

The live webcast of the mission will air on X @SpaceX about fifteen minutes prior to liftoff.

Update

Falcon 9 launched the new batch of Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit and its first stage landed on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship as planned.