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SpaceX launches 20 Starlink satellites with Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB – Spaceflight Now

SpaceX launches 20 Starlink satellites with Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB – Spaceflight Now

A stack of SpaceX Starlink satellites, including the first six with direct-to-cell capabilities. The batch was launched as part of the Starlink 7-9 mission, which launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base on January 2, 2024. Image: SpaceX

SpaceX aims to complete a double launch day with a Starlink mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Tuesday. The Starlink 9-7 mission is scheduled just hours after the Starlink 10-10 mission was scheduled to complete after launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Launch from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) is scheduled for 1:07 a.m. PDT (4:07 a.m. EDT, 0807 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Spaceflight Now’s live broadcast begins approximately 30 minutes before launch.

The Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission, tail number B1071 in the SpaceX fleet, will launch for the 19th time. It previously supported three missions for the National Reconnaissance Office (NROL-87, -85 and -146), two rideshare missions (Transporter-8 and -9) and 11 previous Starlink missions.

Just over eight minutes after launch, B1071 will target a landing on SpaceX’s Of Course I Still Love You drone ship. If successful, it would be the 104th booster landing on OCISLY and the 354th booster landing to date.

There are 20 Starlink V2 mini satellites on board the mission, 13 of which have direct-to-cell capabilities. As SpaceX looks to expand this part of its constellation, this mission will bring a total of up to 246 DTC Starlink satellites into orbit.

The Starlink 9-7 mission is the first launch of DTC Starlink satellites since the United States was hit by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. After the latter landed, SpaceX announced that it had been granted access to activate the DTC satellites “to provide emergency alerts to all phones and mobile operators in the affected areas.”

“The [Federal Communications Commission] “also quickly approved a special temporary emergency authority for coverage in Florida in advance of Hurricane Milton,” SpaceX said in a social media post. “We have now enabled basic text messaging (SMS) for those using T-Mobile phones in hurricane-affected areas. Text messages have already been sent and received.”

SpaceX also released a coverage map of areas affected by the hurricanes and stated that in these regions, “Starlink service is now free through the end of the year to assist with response and recovery efforts.”