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SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket from Florida coast after several delays

Starlink mission lifted off at 8:21 p.m.

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a batch of Starlink satellites Friday night. (Copyright 2023 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – After several delays, SpaceX finally launched its Falcon 9 rocket from Florida’s Space Coast on Friday evening.

SpaceX put the launch on hold Wednesday night — and again on Thursday — but it’s not known why.

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The launch sent another batch of 23 Starlink satellites into orbit from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The launch ultimately went up on Friday at 8:21 p.m.

SpaceX was counting down to launch at 9:39 p.m. on Wednesday when it suddenly went into a countdown hold. Then the live feed went to a SpaceX screen. No word on why the countdown hold happened.

Shortly before Thursday’s backup launch time, the company placed the launch on another hold. No information has yet been provided about why that is, either.

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The weather was actually better for a launch on Thursday, according to the forecast for the 45th Space Wing. The forecast was 95% go for launch.

This is the 19th flight for the first-stage booster used in this mission. It has previously been used to launch GPS III Space Vehicle 04, GPS III Space Vehicle 05, Inspiration4, Ax-1, Nilesat 301, OneWeb Launch 17, ARABSAT BADR-8, and 11 other Starlink missions.

After the rocket launches, the first stage is expected to separate and return to Earth, landing on a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.

It’s not the only launch attempt the happened for SpaceX on Thursday. The company will also test the launch of its Starship super-heavy rocket in Texas.

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