Three launches this weekend? SpaceX to try back-to-back launches this Sunday – Florida Today

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Pending United Launch Alliance's Delta IV Heavy launch early Saturday morning and the Eastern Range approval, SpaceX mightjust pull off a one-of-a-kind performance this Sunday.

The aerospace company is currently scheduling back-to-back launches on Aug. 30.

If SpaceX is granted approval, it will attempt to launch its 12th batch of Starlink satellites at 10:12 a.m. Sunday from Kennedy Space Center pad 39A.

More: SpaceX secures even more contracts with SES for launches from Cape Canaveral

Upon success of the mission, SpaceX would have about 700 Starlink satellites in low-Earth orbit.

Weather is currently 50% "go" for the Sunday morning attempt with the primary concern being thick cloud coverage, according to the 45th Space Wing.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 58 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral on the 11th mission for the constellation on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. Florida Today

In the event of a delay, SpaceX will try again two days later on Tuesday.

But that's not all happening that day,

Later in the evening, the aerospace company will once again launch its Falcon 9 rocket, only this time, it will be from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 40 and it will send an Earth-observation satellite for the Argentinian space agency to low-Earth orbit.

Scheduled to launch at 7:18 p.m., the SAOCOM 1B mission will mark the first polar orbit launch from the Cape since the 1960s. That means all along the south coast of Florida, spectators will be able to see the launch.

More: NASA adds astronaut Jeanette Epps to Boeing's Starliner first operational crewed flight

And if that weren't cool enough, SpaceX is also planning on returning its booster to Landing Zone 1 at the Cape, marking the first booster landing on land since March.

Those along the Space Coast should expect to hear sonic booms approximately eight minutes after liftoff.

Weather for Sunday evening's launch is currently 40% "go" with the primary concern being thick cloud coverage and storm showers, according to the 45th Space Wing.

Contact Antonia Jaramillo at321-242-3668or antoniaj@floridatoday.com. Follow her onTwitterat@AntoniaJ_11.

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Three launches this weekend? SpaceX to try back-to-back launches this Sunday - Florida Today

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