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SpaceX targets Tuesday, April 23, for a Falcon 9 launch of 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 6:17 p.m. EDT, 22:17 UTC (00:17 CEST, April 24), with backup opportunities available until 9:25 p.m. ET. Additional opportunities are also available on Wednesday, April 24, starting at 5:50 p.m. ET. This is the ninth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-6, SES O3b mPOWER, USSF-124, and five Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. For our astronomer friends who asked us about the inclination (and people in the areas who want to see the launch in person): The Satellites will be delivered to a 530 km circular low-Earth orbit (LEO) at 43°; their initial orbit is 285 x 293 km at º.
