SpaceX is delaying the launch of Starlink again due to weather conditions at sea

SpaceX again delayed the next launch of the Starlink internet satellites scheduled for Monday and instead decided to push for 24 hours due to conditions affecting the Atlantic Ocean booster recovery zone.

“Now, Tuesday, November 24th at 9:13 p.m. EST, Falcon 9 Starlink will launch if weather conditions in the resort area improve.” SpaceX said the mission, which takes off from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

The Of course I still love you The drone ship, designed for missile landings and stationed about 250 miles northeast of Florida, was exposed to harsh conditions for most of the day on Monday. If the recovery zones are too unstable, the Falcon 9’s first stage can tip over and cause damage or even fall into the ocean. It could also explode and damage the drone ship.

In the meantime, around the pad said the Space Force When trying on Tuesday, 80% of the starting conditions should be reached. The “Go” percentage does not include booster recovery weather or higher level winds that are constantly monitored as the teams approach the start window.

An earlier attempt was scrubbed late Sunday when refueling of the 230-foot missile was due to begin. An exact reason was not disclosed, but SpaceX said the rocket and payload of 60 Starlink satellites were “healthy” and the teams needed more time to review the data.

This booster is special for SpaceX – Tuesday’s flight is the seventh to date, making it the fleet leader and the most flown Falcon 9 of all time.

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If successful, this 16th Starlink mission will mean SpaceX has launched approximately 960 of the internet-radiating satellites to date, although fewer than 850 are currently in service due to planned orbits or malfunctions. The flat satellites orbit the earth at an altitude of about 350 miles.

The launch on Tuesday also strengthens SpaceX’s position in the space of satellite Internet, which is only just beginning to take shape for the company that eventually aims to offer global coverage. Some customers in the US and Canada – mostly in northern states like Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Maine – have already received Invitations to join the constellation.

The constellation is not yet as fast as the ground-based Internet, but it offers significantly higher speeds than conventional satellite networks at lower costs – a welcome change for customers who work in remote areas or live in cabins, for example.

Upon invitation, customers in these northern latitudes pay a one-time fee of 499 US dollars for the 19-inch satellite dish and wireless router. The cost of the service itself is $ 99 per month.