Next Starlink launch set for Jan 29
January 27, 2022
By Chris Forrester
A Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX will launch another large batch of Starlink broadband by satellite craft on January 29th.
It will be the third SpaceX launch within six days. SpaceX is launching an Italian satellite (January 27th at 11:11 pm EST for launch of COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation FM2 to orbit from SLC-40 in Florida) and the (classified) NROL-87 (for the US National Reconnaissance Office) as early as the morning of February 2nd. If all three avoid delays, NROL-87 will be SpaceX’s sixth launch in 27 days, making it the second time SpaceX has launched three times in one week and six times in the past four weeks.
As to the Starlink mission on January 29th (subject to the usual weather considerations) it will lift off from Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center and is likely to carry 49 Starlink satellites at 20.00 hrs UTC (15.00 hrs EST/Florida time).
The launch will take the total number of Starlinks launched to more than 2000, and with 1874 already in their target orbits.