Update May 3, 9 p.m. EDT: SpaceX has officially placed this launch on hold, with no new launch date currently announced. This decision comes as the company prepares for its next steps in the ambitious Starlink program.
SpaceX is gearing up for its third Falcon 9 launch of the month, aimed at deploying 26 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit. Originally scheduled for Saturday, the launch was scrubbed without any explanation from SpaceX officials. The upcoming mission, known as Starlink 15-3, is now targeting a launch window on Sunday, May 4, at 10:59 a.m. PDT (1:59 p.m. EDT, 1759 UTC).
The Falcon 9 rocket will take off from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, following a south-easterly trajectory. For this mission, SpaceX will utilize the Falcon 9 first stage booster with the tail number 1081, marking its 14th flight. This booster has an impressive track record, having previously supported missions including Crew-7, CRS-29, two Transporter rideshare missions, and NASA’s PACE spacecraft.
Approximately eight minutes post-launch, the B1081 booster is set to land on the SpaceX droneship named ‘Of Course I Still Love You’. If successful, this mission will achieve the remarkable milestone of being the 128th booster landing on that vessel, contributing to a total of 441 booster landings to date in SpaceX's history.
Residents in the southwestern part of the United States can expect an increase in the frequency of Falcon 9 rocket launches this year compared to previous years. This uptick follows the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accepting the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) from the Department of the Air Force, which allows SpaceX to ramp up the number of launches from SLC-4E from 36 to 50.
As the space industry continues to evolve, SpaceX remains at the forefront, pushing boundaries in satellite deployment and rocket reusability. Keep an eye on further updates regarding the new launch schedule for the Starlink 15-3 mission.
