Aug. 7 (UPI) — SpaceX is scheduled to lift off on Thursday with more Project Kuiper satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for its 100th mission of the year.
This mission will be the fourth launch for Project Kuiper. The rocket will be carrying 24 satellites, bringing the total number of satellites in the constellation to 102. Once finished, it is planned to consist of more than 3,200 spacecraft.
The launch window begins at 10:01 a.m. EDT with a 27-minute window with an 80% chance of favorable weather for lift off. Although there is a concern with cumulus clouds, which are prevalent in the late morning hours.
“The combination of onshore flow, higher low-level moisture, and warm temperatures will support earlier formation of cumulus clouds. Isolated to scattered showers are expected to develop by late morning and persist into the early afternoon hours,” a launch weather officer said.
The rocket will be equipped with a new first stage booster, B1091.
This will be the second out of the three Amazon-purchased Falcon 9 rockets to fly into orbit; the company hasn’t announced when its third will launch.
The rockets will all be deployed about 56 minutes after liftoff over a span of 7.5 minutes.