Update June 2, 3:12 p.m. EDT: SpaceX is gearing up for another attempt to launch its latest batch of Starlink satellites after a scrub occurred during the pre-dawn hours of Monday. The liftoff for the Starlink 12-19 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is now targeted for 12:43 a.m. EDT (0443 UTC) on Tuesday, June 3. For those interested in following the event live, Spaceflight Now will provide comprehensive coverage starting about an hour before the scheduled launch.
On Monday, the 45th Weather Squadron released an updated weather forecast specifically for the upcoming launch. According to meteorologists, SpaceX faces a 65 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for the launch. “A frontal boundary will linger across Northeast Florida through the next several days, bringing deteriorating weather with a deepening mid-level moisture pattern,” the launch weather officers stated. They noted that while most daytime convection should dissipate before the launch window on Monday night, some showers and anvil clouds may still be present past midnight and beyond.
The primary concerns for the initial launch window include the presence of cumulus clouds, surface electric fields, and lingering anvil clouds. Additionally, there is a possibility of lingering effects from thunderstorms, compounded by impacts from a recent Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) that erupted from the Sun on Friday. This event continues to affect Earth’s magnetic field, leading to what is known as a geomagnetic storm. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) in Boulder, Colorado, is actively monitoring the situation.
As of their latest update shortly before 8 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC), the SWPC rated the geomagnetic storm as ‘G3 Strong’ on their scale, which reaches a maximum of G5. The agency has issued warnings regarding potential effects on electronics both on Earth and in orbit, noting a “possible, slight risk of various satellite operations’ effects.” However, it appears that the weather conditions, either on Earth or in space, were not the primary factors behind the scrubbed launch from Sunday night into Monday morning.
If SpaceX had successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket, it would have marked the second fastest turnaround time for SLC-40 to date. It seems that the launch teams may not have had all necessary preparations finalized in time for the scheduled slot. For this mission, SpaceX will utilize its Falcon 9 first stage booster 1071, which will be making its 21st flight. This booster has previously supported notable missions, including NASA’s Crew-5, GPS III Space Vehicle 06, and a Cygnus spacecraft on the NG-20 mission for Northrop Grumman.
Approximately eight minutes after liftoff, SpaceX plans to land the booster, B1071, on the droneship named ‘Just Read the Instructions’, which will be located in the Atlantic Ocean. If the landing is successful, it will represent the 123rd landing for this vessel and the 456th booster landing overall for SpaceX. Onboard the first Falcon 9 launch of June are 23 Starlink satellites, including 13 equipped with direct-to-cell capabilities. To date, SpaceX has successfully launched a total of 635 of these DTC-capable Starlink satellites.
