SpaceX Successfully Launches Starlink 6-53 Mission from Cape Canaveral
SpaceX achieved a milestone with the successful launch of the Starlink 6-53 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 40 at 6:17 p.m. EDT, carrying 23 Starlink internet satellites. This launch marked the 300th Falcon booster landing for SpaceX.
Despite initial delays due to weather concerns, SpaceX managed to launch the mission as scheduled. The rocket’s first-stage booster is expected to land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean shortly after liftoff, without causing any sonic booms in Central Florida.
SpaceX reported that this mission is the ninth flight for the Falcon 9 first-stage booster. In the past, the booster has been used for Crew-6, SES O3b mPOWER, USSF-124, and five Starlink missions.
The Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron gave the launch a high probability of success, with weather conditions favorable for liftoff. For more updates on upcoming launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space.
Vocabulary List:
- Launch (noun): The act of sending something into the air or space.
- Milestone (noun): A significant achievement or event in progress.
- Booster (noun): A rocket engine or other device that provides thrust for a spacecraft.
- Drone (noun): An unmanned aircraft that can fly autonomously or be remotely controlled.
- Liftoff (noun): The action of a spacecraft or rocket leaving the ground.
- Probability (noun): The likelihood of something happening or being the case.
