PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. (WESH) —Monday night, you can catch the first rocket launch of 2020 from the Space Coast. The launch by SpaceX is scheduled to go at 9:19 p.m. at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
This is the first launch for the United States Space Force, as the 45th Space Wing will be a part of it. Representatives from the new military branch will be on hand when SpaceX puts more satellites in the sky.
“This is the first launch of 2020. We’re going to have a really busy season. We’re going to have three or four launches this month. This is SpaceX Starlink. This is their broad internet satellite. It’s going to be the third batch of 60 satellites that they launch, so when this is up, hopefully successfully, this’ll be 180 satellites,” Dr. Ken Kremer founder and director of Space UpClose said.
Kremer says this is a step toward SpaceX’s goal of bringing internet connectivity to everyone. “You’ll be using these satellites, ‘Starlink’ for broadband internet, just like you use your cable system now. It’s actually going. (SpaceX owner Elon) Musk hopes to replace your internet with his service,” Kremer said.
However, Kremer adds, the satellites are not without controversy.
“We have these telescopes on the earth that look out at the sky, but if you have something coming in the way, it can interfere with your observations. If we only have a few satellites up there, what we have now, it’s not really much of a problem, but they’re going to have a swarm,” Kremer said.
Kremer adds the satellites are a little smaller than a car.
At any rate, he says for the most part, the launch looks good to go.
“There’s a slight concern for upper level winds in the atmosphere, but that seems to be pretty moderate too, so there’s a really good chance if you come out and you come here to the Space Coast tonight, you’re going to see something really spectacular,” Kremer said.
Kremer says shortly after liftoff, part of the rocket will land on a drone ship off the North and South Carolina coast.
The launch will be streamed on WFLA’s website.