SpaceX is set to make a splash today, February 19, as it prepares to land a rocket in The Bahamas for the second time. A Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 29 Starlink satellites, is launching from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The launch window opens at 5 p.m. EST, and you can catch all the action live from SpaceX’s homepage or X account just before liftoff.
After about eight minutes in the sky, the rocket’s first stage aims to touch down on the SpaceX droneship named “Just Read the Instructions,” stationed in the scenic Exuma Sound. This marks another milestone for SpaceX, following its first landing in the Bahamas back in February 2025 during a previous Starlink launch.
Landing in the Bahamas is significant. It allows SpaceX to explore new orbital paths, increasing the flexibility of its launches. As SpaceX noted in a past message, this collaboration enhances their operational capabilities.
However, the partnership faced challenges. Just weeks after the first landing, a test flight of SpaceX’s Starship resulted in debris falling into the Caribbean, prompting Bahamian authorities to pause the rocket landings pending an environmental review. Luckily, the Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas has since wrapped up its assessment and cleared SpaceX to proceed once more.
Today’s landing will be the 26th for Falcon 9’s first stage, designated as 1077. The upper stage will deploy the Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit about 64 minutes after launch. With this launch, SpaceX will add these satellites to a massive network of nearly 9,700 Starlink satellites, the largest of its kind ever created.
In recent discussions about space technology, experts highlight the importance of responsible satellite deployment and how it affects our environment. According to a 2023 report from Space.com, the growth of satellite constellations like Starlink could potentially contribute to space congestion, posing challenges in the future.
With such rapid advancements in the space sector, it’s fascinating to see how the landscape of satellite communications is evolving. People around the world are eagerly watching to see how SpaceX continues to push boundaries in this field.
