SpaceX to Launch Starlink Mission from Cape Canaveral on Jan. 10

SpaceX is set to launch its next Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. The launch window for the Starlink 12-12 mission is scheduled between 10:27 a.m. and 2:58 p.m. EST, with SpaceX targeting liftoff at 11:21 a.m. from Space Launch Complex 40.

The mission aims to deploy another batch of satellites into low Earth orbit as part of SpaceX’s ongoing effort to expand its Starlink constellation. The network, designed to provide global internet coverage, particularly in underserved areas, currently consists of thousands of satellites. This launch will follow a southeast trajectory, with the Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage expected to land on a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.

Weather conditions at the launch site and the booster landing zone will play a critical role in determining the exact timing of the launch. SpaceX has not yet confirmed if the launch will occur at the beginning of the window, but the company typically aims for earlier liftoffs to maximize mission success.

The Starlink 12-12 mission comes after a delay in Blue Origin‘s New Glenn rocket launch, which was postponed to no earlier than 1 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 12, due to unfavorable offshore conditions. This shift has moved SpaceX’s launch to the forefront of the Space Coast’s busy schedule.

Brooke Edwards, a Space Reporter for Florida Today, noted that the Starlink mission is part of SpaceX’s broader strategy to provide reliable and affordable internet access globally. ‘SpaceX’s Starlink constellation is a game-changer for connectivity, especially in remote and rural areas,’ Edwards said.

Viewing opportunities for the launch are available at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, where visitors can witness the event as part of their admission. The complex, operated for NASA by Delaware North, offers prime viewing locations near the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit.

SpaceX has not yet released additional details about the payload or the number of satellites to be deployed in this mission. However, the company continues to prioritize expanding its Starlink network, which has already begun providing internet services in select regions worldwide.