SpaceX Set for 100th Launch from Florida This Thursday Night

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Florida — SpaceX is scheduled to launch its Falcon 9 rocket on Thursday night, marking the 100th mission from Florida’s Space Coast this year. The Starlink 6-78 mission will send 29 satellites into orbit, with liftoff planned for 10:39 p.m. EST (0339 UTC) from launch complex 39A.

Weather conditions are expected to be nearly perfect, according to meteorologists from the Space Force, who predict a 95% chance of favorable launch conditions during the four-hour window.

This mission will surpass the previous record of 93 launches set in 2024. SpaceX has led the charge, completing 92 of the 99 flights so far this year. Other companies, including United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin, have contributed to this record, with five and two launches, respectively.

Col. Brian L. Chatman, Space Launch Delta 45 installation commander, highlighted the significance of this achievement. “One hundred launches is a complete game changer on the Space Coast… We have launched more off the Space Coast than the entire world combined,” he said.

This Falcon 9 mission will utilize booster B1080, which first launched in 2023 and is now on its 23rd flight. After its mission, the booster will land on the drone ship ‘Just Read the Instructions,’ positioned about 365 miles away in the Atlantic Ocean.

The deployment of the new Starlink satellites is set for approximately one hour and five minutes after liftoff. Once launched, this latest batch will join over 9,000 existing satellites in orbit, which are designed to provide internet service worldwide.

SpaceX’s continued successes have transformed Florida into a bustling hub for spaceflight, demonstrating advancements in launch cadence and mass delivery to orbit.