In an unprecedented series of launches, two prominent companies—SpaceX and United Launch Alliance (ULA)—are set to execute three orbital missions within a remarkable timeframe from Cape Canaveral. Scheduled between the night of December 14 and the morning of December 15, these missions include the deployment of both Starlink and Amazon Leo satellites, representing the 107th, 108th, and 109th orbital launches from Florida’s Space Coast this year alone. This feat indicates a significant increase in launch activity, surpassing the previous record of 93 launches.
The first mission is a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launching Starlink satellites, with lift-off planned between 9:43 p.m. Sunday and 1:43 a.m. Monday from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Following shortly after, the ULA will utilize an Atlas V rocket, equipped with five solid rocket boosters, to deploy Amazon Leo satellites into low-Earth orbit. This launch is scheduled between 3:49 a.m. and 4:18 a.m. Monday from Launch Complex 41. The final mission in this trilogy is another Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX, intended to place additional Starlink satellites into orbit, with a launch window from 8:11 a.m. to 12:11 p.m. Monday.
The time span across these three launches is quite brief; the minimum interval is just over six hours, indicating an intense period of activity at the launch sites. This surge in launches is largely driven by an increasing demand for satellite communications, which Kiko Dontchev, SpaceX’s Vice President of Launch, attributes to the growing number of commercial constellations in low-Earth orbit.
In addition to this week’s launches, SpaceX has scheduled another mission for December 19, where a Falcon 9 will send 29 more Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit, further underscoring the company’s commitment to expanding its satellite network and enhancing global internet coverage.
For those interested in following this ambitious launch schedule, live coverage will be available through local news sources, providing viewers with insights and updates from the launch sites. The dramatic pace at which these missions are occurring not only highlights the rapid advancements in space technology but also reveals the growing commercial opportunities that come with increased satellite deployment.