SpaceX sends up Starlink satellites Sunday night from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 rocket during Sunday night’s Oscars ceremony, sending up another payload of 21 Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The Starlink 12-20 mission lifted off at 9:24 p.m. EST from Launch Complex 40. The SpaceX mission marked the 20th orbital rocket launch of the year thus far from Florida’s Space Coast.

Sunday’s prime-time liftoff occurred during stellar meteorological conditions. The Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron had forecasted a 90% chance of “go for launch” weather, with liftoff winds and cumulus clouds representing slim threats.

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Ten minutes before liftoff, rocket fueling was well underway at the pad. SpaceX crews rattled off a list of key countdown milestones before liftoff. T-minus:

• 7 minutes: Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch.

• 1 minute: Command flight computer begins final prelaunch checks; propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins.

• 45 seconds: SpaceX launch director verifies “go for launch.”

• 3 seconds: Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start.

• 0 seconds: Falcon 9 liftoff.

Sunday’s launch marked the Falcon 9 first-stage booster’s fifth flight, SpaceX reported. This booster previously launched GOES-U, Maxar 3 and two Starlink missions.

Following stage separation, the booster returned to Earth for a landing atop the SpaceX drone ship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean.

Looking past Sunday’s liftoff, SpaceX is targeting early Wednesday morning for another Falcon 9 launch on a Starlink mission, a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory shows.

The 4½-hour launch window extends from 1 a.m. to 5:31 a.m. Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage kicks off 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.

Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1

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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX launches Starlink satellites Sunday aboard rocket from Florida