Space Coast sees its 13th launch of the year

Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel on Feb 8, 2025

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ORLANDO, Fla. — SpaceX sent up the Space Coast’s 13th launch in 39 days so far this year, an average of one launch every three days.

A Falcon 9 rocket on the Starlink 12-9 mission carrying 21 of the company’s internet satellites lifted off at 2:18 p.m. ET from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40.

The first-stage booster flew for the 17th time and made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic.

SpaceX has been responsible for all but one of the missions flown from either Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral so far this year.

The Space Force said at the beginning of the year it was prepared to support up to 156 missions from the Space Coast, which averages to 13 a month.

SpaceX will once again fly the majority of those having flown 88 of the record 93 launches seen in 2024.

Blue Origin has already flown once this year with the debut of its New Glenn rocket, and plans on a second flight this spring while United Launch Alliance is awaiting certification of its Vulcan rocket by the Space Force so it can begin knocking out a logjam of national security missions this year.

Space Force officials said last month they expect to be complete with that certification by the end of February and ULA’s next launch could come as early as March.

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