SpaceX prepares for a busy September with five major Falcon 9 launches

September is shaping up to be an action-packed month for SpaceX, with a flurry of launches scheduled from both the East and West Coasts. The company's reusable Falcon 9 rockets will be busy deploying batches of its Starlink satellites to expand the global internet constellation, as well as conducting a critical resupply mission to the International Space Station, according to SpaceX. Here is a breakdown of the missions scheduled for this month.

September 2 

SpaceX’s September schedule kicks off with a Falcon 9 launch from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base, with a target liftoff at 11:13 p.m. ET, per Spaceflightnow. The rocket will deploy 24 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, per SpaceX. This mission is the inaugural flight for this particular Falcon 9 first-stage booster. Following stage separation, the booster will land on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You stationed in the Pacific Ocean. Residents in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may hear sonic booms during the event.

September 3

The next day, a Falcon 9 will lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch window opens at 7:06 a.m. ET. Its payload comprises 28 Starlink satellites, per SpaceX. This mission is a milestone for its booster, marking its 14th flight. Previous missions for this rocket include crewed and cargo flights, as well as several Starlink deployments. The booster will land on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean.

September 4 

SpaceX continues its rapid launch cadence from Florida, this time from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, with a window opening at 7:18 a.m. ET. A Falcon 9 will carry 28 Starlink satellites. The first-stage booster supporting this mission is one of the fleet's most experienced, having flown 26 times before. After separating from the second stage, it will land on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean, as mentioned by SpaceX. 

September 6-7

Another Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base, deploying 24 more Starlink satellites. The launch window opens at 11:42 a.m. ET. This booster is on its 20th flight, having previously supported several Starlink missions, among others. Following liftoff, the booster will land on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You. As with the September 2 launch, residents in nearby counties may experience a sonic boom, SpaceX announced. 

September 15

Lastly, shifting its focus, SpaceX will support a resupply mission to the International Space Station. A Falcon 9 rocket will launch Northrop Grumman’s 23rd Cygnus spacecraft from Cape Canaveral. Liftoff is targeted for 5:49 p.m. EDT, per SpaceX. The booster for this flight is a veteran of three previous missions. Uniquely, this rocket will not land on a droneship, but instead will return to a land-based landing zone at Cape Canaveral. A backup launch opportunity is available on September 16 at 5:23 p.m. ET, as mentioned on SpaceX. 

These missions are vital to human progress because they serve two key purposes. The Starlink launches are aimed at expanding global internet access, bridging the digital divide, and providing high-speed connectivity to underserved and remote areas. The resupply mission to the International Space Station, on the other hand, is crucial for supporting ongoing scientific research in microgravity, which leads to breakthroughs in medicine, materials science, and our understanding of long-duration spaceflight.

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