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Update: SpaceX launched this mission at 5:48 p.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 16. The rocket successfully launched from Cape Canaveral and landed on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Read our full post-launch story here.
Follow along as SpaceX targets 5:48 p.m. Friday afternoon for the liftoff of a Falcon 9 from Florida.
Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station hosts the O3b mPower mission for SES, a Luxembourg-based satellite operator. Known as O3b mPower 1 and 2, the spacecraft are set to liftoff during today’s 87-minute launch window.
Weather forecasters with the Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron said in a report on Thursday that launch conditions are expected to be 90% “go.” Only a slight chance of clouds should linger for Friday’s launch attempt.
For the latest, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.
Updates from Friday’s event below:
5:48 p.m.: SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
5:38 p.m.: SpaceX continues counting down to liftoff at 5:48 p.m. and all appears to be well with the count. This evening’s launch will include an eastern trajectory and drone ship landing in the Atlantic Ocean, so there will be no local sonic booms this time.
5:15 p.m.: SpaceX has begun fueling the 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket at Launch Complex 40 ahead of liftoff at 5:48 p.m. ET.
5:08 p.m.: The SpaceX launch director is “go” to begin fueling the Falcon 9! Liftoff is slated for 5:48 p.m.
4:48 p.m.: Again within one hour to liftoff. We’re monitoring updates to see if the SpaceX launch director will be able to conduct a fueling poll in about 20 minutes to proceed with fueling the Falcon 9 or not ahead of today’s launch attempt. Today’s new liftoff time is 5:48 p.m. and the close of the available launch time today. If SpaceX cannot begin fueling on time, the mission will likely scrub. Stay tuned.
4:30 p.m.: The SpaceX launch director has updated the liftoff time to 5:48 p.m. for today’s Falcon 9 mission. No reason given by SpaceX.
4:21 p.m.: Now within one hour to liftoff. In about 20 minutes we expect the SpaceX launch director to conduct a poll to determine whether or not to proceed with fueling the Falcon 9 ahead of today’s launch attempt.
It’s slightly cloudy and cool today. Space Force forecasters expect conditions to be greater than 90% favorable for liftoff. Stay tuned.
2:55 p.m.: SpaceX is now targeting liftoff of the Falcon 9 at 5:21 p.m. ET from Launch Complex 40. Stay tuned.
2:45 p.m.: Good afternoon everyone. Thanks for joining us for today’s live coverage of SpaceX’s O3b mPower mission for SES. Today’s mission has an 87-minute launch window. So far, SpaceX teams at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station are counting down to a Falcon 9 liftoff from Launch Complex 40 at 4:21 p.m. ET. Stay tuned as we monitor the countdown.
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