SpaceX is gearing up for a Falcon 9 launch on May 1, 2025, to deploy 28 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, with a four-hour launch window opening at 9:51 p.m. ET and backup opportunities extending to May 2.
This mission, the 18th for the reusable first-stage booster, will see the booster attempt a landing on the Just Read the Instructions droneship in the Atlantic Ocean after previously supporting missions like Ax-2, Ax-3, Euclid, CRS-30, SES ASTRA 1P, NG-21, and 11 Starlink launches.
A live webcast, starting five minutes before liftoff, will be available on SpaceX’s website, X (@SpaceX), and the X TV app, showcasing the addition to the Starlink constellation, which now exceeds 6,957 satellites.
As SpaceX drives toward 156 projected launches in 2025, concerns about space debris and environmental impacts persist, though the company’s reusable rocket technology mitigates some sustainability challenges.