SpaceX launches Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral, releases new Ax-4 crewed launch date
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SpaceX launches Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral, releases new Ax-4 crewed launch date
SpaceX launched 28 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This launch marks the 51st orbital launch from Florida’s Space Coast so far in 2025. The Falcon 9 first-stage booster used in this mission successfully landed on a drone ship, marking its fifth flight. The Starlink constellation now connects more than 6 million people with high-speed internet in 140 countries, territories and other markets. The Ax-4 crewed mission will target 3:42 a.m. Sunday, June 22, for launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. But their mission was delayed so small-leak repairs could be studied in the 43-foot-long, Russia-built Zvezda service module.
This launch marks the 51st orbital launch from Florida’s Space Coast so far in 2025.
The Falcon 9 first-stage booster used in this mission successfully landed on a drone ship, marking its fifth flight.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocketed from Cape Canaveral northeastward over the Atlantic Ocean in the early morning darkness Wednesday, June 18, propelling another payload of 28 Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit.
The Starlink 10-18 mission lifted off at 1:55 a.m. from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station while the bulk of East-Central Florida was devoid of significant cloud cover.
Designed, owned and operated by SpaceX, the Starlink constellation now connects more than 6 million people with high-speed internet in 140 countries, territories and other markets. Since June 6, Starlink officials announced this list now includes Dominica, the Marshall Islands and Guinea-Bissau.
Roughly three hours before the Starlink liftoff, NASA, Axiom Space and SpaceX made news by announcing the Ax-4 crewed mission will target 3:42 a.m. Sunday, June 22, for launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
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The four Ax-4 private astronauts will lift off inside a SpaceX Dragon atop a Falcon 9. But their mission was delayed so small-leak repairs could be studied in the 43-foot-long, Russia-built Zvezda service module of the International Space Station.
The Falcon 9 first-stage booster used during the June 18 Starlink mission logged its fifth flight, SpaceX reported. This relatively new booster previously launched SES O3b mPOWER-E, Crew-10, Bandwagon-3 and one Starlink mission
Following stage separation, the booster descended and landed on the SpaceX drone ship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Starlink mission clocked in as the 51st orbital rocket launch thus far during 2025 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and KSC.
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Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale atRneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
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