(Update: Launched) SpaceX preps for Friday launch of 56 Starlink satellites

SpaceX is targeting Friday, June 23 for the launch of 56 Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit. The Falcon 9 rocket carrying these satellites is scheduled to lift off at 9:56 a.m. ET (13:56 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The Falcon 9 booster supporting Friday's Starlink mission has an impressive flight record, having previously supported several successful launches. It carried payloads for missions such as CRS-24, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13F, OneWeb 1, SES-18 and SES-19, as well as three previous Starlink missions.

After the separation of the first and second stages, the rocket's first stage will execute a precise landing on the autonomous droneship named "A Shortfall of Gravitas," positioned in the Atlantic Ocean. 

For space enthusiasts eager to witness the event, SpaceX will provide a live webcast of the mission, which is expected to begin approximately five minutes before liftoff.

Targeting Friday, June 23 at 9:56 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) June 22, 2023

The Starlink satellite constellation aims to revolutionize global internet connectivity by providing high-speed, low-latency internet access to underserved areas. With the deployment of these 56 satellites, the Starlink network will expand further, bringing the world closer to a fully interconnected and digitally inclusive future.

Update

SpaceX's Falcon 9 successfully launched the new batch of Starlink satellites to orbit, following which the rocket's first stage landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship.

Falcon 9 launches 56 @Starlink satellites to orbit from Florida pic.twitter.com/gt8f2GrUKC

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 23, 2023