SpaceX targets back-to-back Starlink launches from East and West coasts

SpaceX is targeting back-to-back Starlink launches from the east and west coasts this weekend as its launch cadence continues to ramp up. Starlink Group 6-28 is currently scheduled to liftoff from SLC-40 in Cape Canaveral, Florida later tonight. The 45th Weather Squadron predicts a 60% chance of acceptable weather for launch. The four hour launch window opens at 11 pm EST. This Starlink launch is slated to send 23 Starlink V2 mini satellites to orbit. Falcon 9 will be following a southern trajectory with a ~43-degree inclination along the east coast down to the Bahamas. The Falcon 9 first stage supporting this mission will attempt its 11th launch and landing on SpaceX’s droneship “Just Read The Instructions,” positioned in the Atlantic. 

Meanwhile, on the west coast, the teams in Vandenberg, California, are gearing up for a 10:55PM PST launch on Saturday of 22 Starlink V2 mini satellites, which will be deployed at a ~53 degree inclination. The booster supporting this mission will be flying for its 15th time and will attempt a landing on the droneship “Of Course I Still Love You,” positioned a few hundred miles downrange in the Pacific Ocean. 

What is Starlink?

 Starlink is SpaceX's broadband internet service, aiming to provide fast and reliable internet worldwide, especially in areas with limited or no coverage. SpaceX received approval for its Gen-1 network in early 2018 and currently operates nearly 4000 satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) today. The company continues to launch new batches of Starlink satellites regularly, which contributes to the expansion of its global internet coverage. To combat mobile phone dead zones, SpaceX is partnering with cell service providers like T-Mobile, utilizing the Starlink V2 satellite. Due to the increased weight of V2, the original plan to launch it on their Starship rocket faced delays. In response, SpaceX developed a smaller "mini" V2 satellite, to be compatible with the Falcon 9 rocket