Falcon 9 launches with GovSat 1 as seen from Kennedy Space Center (members only)

Demonstrating a quick turnaround launch capability, China launched a light-class, solid-fueled Kuaizhou 1A rocket Sunday, four days after the same type of satellite booster fired into orbit from the same launch pad.

The Starlink 10-53 mission was the 49th mission dedicated to flying SpaceX’s broadband internet satellites to low Earth orbit in 2026. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station 8:57 a.m. EDT (1257 UTC).

The Starlink 17-5 mission will add another 24 broadband satellites to the company’s constellation of more than 8,100 currently in orbit. SpaceX is targeting liftoff from pad 4E at 9:26 a.m. PDT (12:26 p.m. EDT / 1626 UTC).