Launch of SpaceX Falcon 9 with Turkish satellite from Cape Canaveral

CAP CANAVERAL, Fla. – After a very busy year, SpaceX plans to start 2021 with the first launch as early as Thursday from Cape Canaveral, sending a Turkish communications satellite.

Space Coast hosted more than 30 rocket launches last year and in 2021 promises that while SpaceX continues to build its constellation of Starlink satellites to provide global internet, launching a new batch of spacecraft with increasing frequency.

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First, a Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch a satellite called Turksat-5A on Thursday evening from Cape Canaveral Space Force Space Station 40 launch pad between 8:28 p.m. and 12 p.m .: 28 of Friday.

Turksat is a satellite operations company located in Turkey. According to Turkish news site AA.com, the broadband satellite will provide television services and expand broadband data in Turkey, the Middle East, southern Europe and parts of Africa.

After launch, the satellite will remain in geostationary orbit for up to 30 years.

The main weather concern for the launch window on a Thursday evening will be medium-level thick clusters and clouds, according to the 45th Meteorological Squadron. If the delay is delayed 24 hours, conditions improve by up to 80% favorable, but again cloud cover is the main concern.

SpaceX plans to retrieve the Falcon 9 booster in a drone in the Atlantic Ocean after takeoff. According to the current forecast, the weather risks for the recovery of the reinforcement are low.

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