A high-profile space launch doubleheader could take place within 11 hours or fewer at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, as SpaceX targets a Monday morning mission. Although not officially announced by SpaceX, navigational warnings suggest a Starlink launch window will open from 11:34 a.m. to 4:05 p.m. EDT on Monday. This will be followed by the liftoff of the first crewed Boeing Starliner spacecraft at 10:34 p.m. for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Favorable weather conditions are expected for both launches.
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore will embark on a test-flight journey to the International Space Station aboard the Starliner atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. This marks only the sixth time NASA has flown a new crewed transportation spacecraft, making it a significant milestone in space exploration history.
Following liftoff, Williams and Wilmore are scheduled to dock with the ISS at 12:46 a.m. Wednesday. The astronauts will spend over a week aboard the ISS conducting various activities to test the spacecraft’s capabilities for future missions.
For the latest updates on these launches and other space-related news, visit floridatoday.com/space. This event signifies another important step in human space exploration, further advancing our understanding of the cosmos.
Vocabulary List:
- Doubleheader (noun): Two events or games occurring one after the other.
- Navigational (adjective): Related to navigation or the process of finding one way.
- Liftoff (noun): The action or moment of launching or taking off.
- Dock (verb): To come into or alongside a dockpieror wharf.
- Embark (verb): To board a vehicle or ship for a journey.
- Capabilities (noun): The power or ability to do something.
