SpaceX Targets Early Wednesday Afternoon for Starlink Satellite Launch

SpaceX is planning to launch a new batch of 21 Starlink satellites into orbit on Wednesday, as part of its efforts to expand wireless internet access around the globe. The mission, dubbed Starlink 8-11, marks the 7,000th Starlink satellite launched to date, and is expected to bring the total number of Direct-to-Cell (DTC) Starlink satellites in orbit up to 194. The launch is scheduled for 12:07 p.m. EDT, with a backup liftoff time of 12:59 p.m. and a secondary launch opportunity on Thursday morning. The satellites will be carried by a Falcon 9 rocket, which will deploy them into low-Earth orbit.

Key Takeaways:

• SpaceX is launching 21 new Starlink satellites on Wednesday, as part of its mission to expand wireless internet access globally.
• The mission, dubbed Starlink 8-11, marks the 7,000th Starlink satellite launched to date.
• 13 of the new satellites have Direct-to-Cell (DTC) capability, which allows them to directly connect to cell phones.
• The Falcon 9 rocket carrying the satellites has made 14 previous launch missions.
• The first stage of the rocket will land on the "Just Read The Instructions" droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.
• SpaceX aims to launch an average of 12 Falcon rockets per month this year, with 144 planned launches.
• The company has already launched Starlink satellites to several countries, including Madagascar, Botswana, Ghana, and the Solomon Islands.

Statistics:

• 21 new Starlink satellites will be launched on Wednesday.
• 13 of the new satellites have Direct-to-Cell (DTC) capability.
• The mission, dubbed Starlink 8-11, marks the 7,000th Starlink satellite launched to date.
• 194 DTC Starlink satellites will be in orbit after the launch.
• SpaceX has launched a total of 12 Falcon rockets per month on average this year.
• The company has planned 144 launches for this year.
• The launch window for Wednesday is 12:07 p.m. EDT, with a backup liftoff time of 12:59 p.m.

Sources:

• UPI, Sept. 4.