SpaceX postponed a planned launch of its Starlink satellites over the weekend after encountering an issue with one of its Falcon 9 rockets. The launch, which was set to deploy 23 Starlink satellites, was scheduled for Sunday, November 3, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. However, with just two minutes and 36 seconds remaining in the countdown, the team called a hold due to what appeared to be a helium leak.
Credit: SpaceX
"Hold, hold, hold. Standing down for helium, stage one," a SpaceX team member announced during the live broadcast of the event on X (formerly Twitter). As of now, a new launch date for this mission, designated Starlink 6-77, has yet to be determined. The delay comes just ahead of another SpaceX launch scheduled for today, November 4: the CRS-31 mission, a robotic resupply flight to the International Space Station (ISS). That mission is planned for 9:29 p.m. EST (0129 GMT on Tuesday, Nov. 5).
Once cleared for liftoff, the Starlink 6-77 mission will see the Falcon 9's first stage return to Earth and land on the droneship Just Read the Instructions, stationed offshore in the Atlantic Ocean. This particular Falcon 9 booster has already been flown twice, including in the Crew-9 astronaut mission for NASA. During that flight, the Crew Dragon spacecraft transported only two astronauts to the ISS—rather than the usual four—to accommodate two NASA astronauts who were still aboard the ISS after the uncrewed return of Boeing's Starliner capsule in September 2024, following safety concerns.
The Starlink 6-77 launch is part of SpaceX’s ongoing effort to expand its Starlink satellite megaconstellation, which aims to deliver broadband internet services globally. This year alone, SpaceX has successfully launched 100 Falcon 9 missions, with a large portion dedicated to adding Starlink satellites to its orbital network. SpaceX currently operates approximately 6,500 Starlink satellites in orbit and plans to launch thousands more.
The Starlink network has proven invaluable in providing communications to areas impacted by natural disasters, such as Hurricane Helene, and to regions affected by geopolitical events, including Ukraine. Despite these benefits, astronomers have expressed concerns over the environmental impact of the expanding Starlink network. They cite the potential interference the satellites cause with astronomical observations and the visual impact on the night sky.
For now, SpaceX’s Starlink 6-77 mission awaits a new launch date, with the company continuing its work to build and maintain the world’s largest satellite internet constellation.
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