SpaceX plans two communications satellite cluster launches in a day

Elon Musk's SpaceX plans to launch two Starlink communications satellite cluster missions from Florida in one day Thursday -- the first time in history for such a feat by a launch company.

The first launch is planned at 1:19 a.m. EST from Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, followed by another just over four hours later at 5:36 a.m. EST from Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center.

Two Falcon 9 rockets are prepared and topped with 60 of the company's own Starlink communications satellites for their trips to low-Earth orbit.

As usual, SpaceX plans to host a live broadcast for each mission, which normally begin 10 to 15 minutes before liftoff time.

Weather for the launch attempts will be nearly ideal, according to the U.S. Space Force forecasts from nearby Patrick Space Force Base. Conditions in the Atlantic Ocean, where SpaceX intends to recover the first-stage booster for each launch, also are mostly favorable.

The dual Starlink launches follow SpaceX's fiery test flight Tuesday in Texas of its deep-space Starship prototype rocket. That test saw the prototype fly to over 6 miles high, only to descend into a fireball as one of the three Raptor engines appeared not to ignite.

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