SpaceX called off its planned 11:38 a.m. launch Thursday for the Starlink 10-39 mission, aborting just 30 seconds before liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. The company cited technical issues during the final countdown, according to its live stream. The mission, carrying 29 satellites including the 2,000th of 2026, was rescheduled for a Friday window between 10:57 a.m. and 2:57 p.m.
This launch would mark the 75th Starlink mission of the year, with 29 satellites on board. The 2,000th satellite of 2026 is part of a growing constellation now nearing 12,800 total satellites since the first Starlink deployment in 2019. Astronomer Jonathan McDowell tracks the network, noting nearly 10,000 of those satellites remain operational.
The Falcon 9 rocket’s first-stage booster, which has flown 30 missions before, will attempt a landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. SpaceX said the booster would make its 30th flight and 53rd launch from the Space Coast in 2026 if the mission proceeds.
Weather forecasts from Space Launch Delta 45’s weather squadron show an 80% chance of favorable conditions at the start of Friday’s window, dropping to 40% by the end. The delay comes as SpaceX continues its annual goal of launching thousands of Starlink satellites to expand global broadband coverage. The company has conducted 68 launches this year, with seven other providers accounting for the remaining launches on the Space Coast.