SpaceX to Launch Starlink Satellites Following FAA Restrictions Lift

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — SpaceX is set to launch 29 Starlink satellites on Tuesday evening at 7:12 p.m. EST (0012 UTC), marking its first early-evening flight since the FAA lifted commercial launch restrictions due to the recent government shutdown. The Starlink 6-94 mission will take off from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Previously, this mission was expected to launch after 10 p.m. EST because of a daytime curfew imposed by the FAA to manage air traffic during the shutdown. On November 17, the FAA announced the lifting of these restrictions, allowing for more flexible launch windows.

Weather forecasts from the 45th Weather Squadron indicate a 95-percent chance of favorable conditions for the upcoming launch. After liftoff, the Falcon 9 rocket will head southeast, with booster B1085, making its 12th flight, destined to land on the drone ship ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ in the Atlantic.

Approximately 65 minutes after launch, the 29 satellites are expected to separate from the Falcon 9’s second stage. This mission is part of SpaceX’s ongoing efforts to expand its global Starlink internet service.

SpaceX has already completed over 100 Starlink missions this year alone. Following the restrictions, the company managed four nighttime launches, including the deployment of the ocean-monitoring satellite, Sentinel-6B, which occurred later in the week.

The lifting of launch restrictions is a significant development, allowing SpaceX and other commercial launch companies to resume normal operations. The FAA stated, ‘Today’s decision reflects the steady decline in staffing concerns across the NAS [National Airspace System],’ with Administrator Bryan Bedford emphasizing a return to standard flight operations.