Live coverage: SpaceX to send 23 Starlink satellites to orbit on 90th Falcon launch of 2023

File photo a a Falcon 9 prior to a Starlink satellite delivery mission. Image: SpaceX.

SpaceX is preparing to hit another milestone with its late Wednesday night Starlink mission launch. The flight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station will mark the company’s 90th orbital launch in 2023 and its 280th Falcon 9 launch to date.

Liftoff of the Starlink 6-33 mission is set for 11:01 p.m. EST (0401 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 40.

Spaceflight Now will have live coverage of the mission starting an hour before liftoff on YouTube.

Weather for the mission is ideal at liftoff, but meteorologists have their eye on the picture downrange as well. Liftoff winds are the only watch item in a forecast that predicts 95 percent favorable weather.

“A secondary push of cold air will filter into the area [on Wednesday], bringing clear skies and a stronger pressure gradient over the Space Coast,” the launch forecast stated. “This will result in gusty surface winds through tomorrow evening which will slowly diminish through the launch window, so liftoff winds remain the only concern.”

The forecast also noted that upper-level wind shear is considered “low to moderate” and was highlighted under the Additional Risk Criteria section.

If the Starlink 6-33 mission is able to launch on time, it will mark the third fastest turnaround for SpaceX’s workhorse launchpad, SLC-40. This mission will be the 159th SpaceX orbital launch from this pad.

The first stage booster being used for the launch is tail number 1077, which is launching on its ninth flight with this mission. Notable previous launches include Crew-5 and GPS 3 Space Vehicle 06.

It will land on the drone ship, Just Read the Instructions, about eight-and-a-half minutes after liftoff. The 23 satellites on board will bring the total launched in 2023 up to 1,871.

An infographic from analytics firm BryceTech, which illustrates the amount of spacecraft upmass sent to orbit during Q3 in 2023. Graphic: BryceTech

Reposting an infographic from analytics firm BryceTech, SpaceX founder Elon Musk stated that the company is “tracking to launch over 80 percent of all Earth payload to orbit this year.” It’s Q3 report states that out of the 63 orbital launches around the world, SpaceX accounted for 26 of them.

Broken down further, SpaceX launched significantly more to space than the rest of the world combined. It launched 519 spacecraft during Q3 compared to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the next closest, which launched 24 spacecraft.

The stat that Musk quoted from BryceTech was one that he often likes to hold up, which is spacecraft upmass to orbit. That chart shows in Q3, SpaceX launched 381,278 kg to orbit, followed by CASC at 24,560 kg and Roscosmos with 17,475 kg.

Meanwhile, over at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, teams continue to work towards what likely will end up being the final launch from that pad in 2023. The Falcon Heavy supporting the USSF-52 mission rolled back into the adjacent hanger Tuesday evening in anticipation of integrating the X-37B spaceplane onto the rocket.

Launch of the ninth Falcon Heavy to date continues to target Dec. 10.

The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket supporting the USSF-52 mission rolled back to the hangar at Launch Complex 39A for payload integration. The mission launching the X-37B is targeting liftoff on Dec. 10. Image: Spaceflight Now