SpaceX is targeting Sunday, March 1, for its next Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Falcon 9 rocket will launch from Launch Complex 40 between 7:07 p.m. and 11:07 p.m. The flight will head northeast, and no sonic booms are expected over Central Florida. Weather forecasts from the National Weather Service show partly cloudy skies with a 20% chance of showers before 1 a.m. Sunday night, and temperatures will stay above 61 degrees with mild winds.
The mission, called Starlink 10-41, is part of SpaceX’s effort to expand its broadband satellite constellation. The company plans to launch another Starlink mission on Wednesday, March 4, in the early morning. FLORIDA TODAY’s live blog coverage will begin about 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Meanwhile, Japanese airline ZIPAIR recently completed Asia’s first commercial flight using SpaceX’s Starlink internet service. On Feb. 23, ZIPAIR operated a nonstop flight from Tokyo to Orlando International Airport. Three days later, the airline flew Asia’s first commercial passenger flight with Starlink installed on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner from Tokyo to Incheon, South Korea. ZIPAIR plans to equip its entire fleet with Starlink by spring.
ZIPAIR said the service will provide free, high-speed internet to all passengers. 'Passengers in every seat can connect using their personal devices, with performance comparable to on-the-ground broadband,' the airline said. SpaceX has not commented on the partnership, but the move highlights growing use of Starlink for commercial applications beyond satellite internet.