SpaceX is set to launch a new group of Starlink satellites early Saturday morning. The mission, named Starlink 10-51, will take place at 6:23 a.m. EST from Launch Complex 39A, located at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Falcon 9 rocket will head northeast after takeoff.
The booster, known as B1069, will be making its 28th flight. This rocket has previously launched missions like CRS-24 and OneWeb Launch #15. After about 8.5 minutes in flight, the Falcon 9 will attempt to land on a drone ship named “A Shortfall of Gravitas.” If successful, this will mark the 131st time a booster lands on that ship.
Following the launch, the Falcon 9 will release 29 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites about an hour later.
However, this launch comes just as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposes new restrictions on commercial space launches. Starting November 10, launches and re-entries authorized by the FAA will be limited to between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. local time.
Due to the ongoing government shutdown, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has also announced a temporary 10% reduction in flights at 40 busy airports, including Orlando International and Los Angeles International, which are near SpaceX launch sites.
The new curfew will impact launch schedules, depending on how “commercial launch” is defined. SpaceX plans to proceed with five more Starlink missions between November 10 and November 19 and will also be launching the Transporter-15 mission on November 11. Any missions aiming for specific orbits may require special exemptions to comply with the new rules.
The FAA has not responded to media inquiries about these changes due to a funding lapse, but other companies like Rocket Lab feel less affected. They confirmed that their launches from New Zealand will not be impacted since they do not operate in U.S. airspace. “We expect minimal impact to launches from our Virginia site as well,” they added.
This launch exemplifies the growing trend of satellite deployment. According to the Satellite Industry Association, the number of satellites in orbit has skyrocketed in recent years, now exceeding 9,000 globally. Many satellites are deployed for communications and internet connectivity, which is the main goal of SpaceX’s Starlink program. With the increase of satellite launches, managing airspace is becoming more crucial than ever.
As the space industry expands, so does the conversation around regulatory measures and their impact on future missions. Each launch represents not just technological progress but also a step into a more connected world.
Read more about the FAA’s new guidelines in their official release here.
