SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink launch: how to watch rocket send satellites into orbit - how much did mission cost?

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is set to complete another launch event today following the test launch of its Starship craft on 17 April. That mission was hailed a success, despite a two-day delay and a rapid unplanned disassembly (read ‘explosion’) minutes after takeoff.

Musk praised the Starship for successfully passing the launch tower and plans for future tests of the craft that could one day take civilians into orbit. In the meantime, a more rudimentary launch is set for today (Wednesday 26 April) which will send a payload hundreds of miles above the Earth.

The Falcon 9 is a 230 ft tall, 600 ton partially reusable rocket designed to transport goods and potentially humans, into orbit and beyond. SpaceX has a view to one day send the rockets to the moon and Mars.

217 Falcon launches have taken place so far, with 152 of them being flights on a reused rocket - a 218th flight is scheduled to take place today as it sends a valuable cargo into orbit.

What is the SpaceX Falcon 9 mission?

The upcoming SpaceX launch at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California is set to send 46 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit with one of the company’s Falcon 9 rockets. The satellites will orbit 342 miles above Earth’s surface - around 90 miles higher than the International Space Station.

SpaceX aims to add thousands more satellites in the coming years - with plans to have a total of 42,000 in orbit. Currently there are around 3,500 Starlink satellites in orbit.

The Starlink satellites currently provide internet access to 53 countries, and SpaceX plans to offer worldwide mobile phone service later this decade. The satellites have also been used to maintain internet access in Ukraine during the Russian invasion which began in February 2022.

The Falcon 9 rocket is expected to return to Earth eight and a half minutes after the launch, and should land on the deck of a SpaceX ship off the coast of California in the Pacific Ocean.

When is the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch?

The launch is expected to commence on Wednesday 26 April at 6.40am local time (2.40pm BST), although often these launches can be delayed due to safety checks and weather concerns.

SpaceX’s previous launch of Starship was delayed by two days last week over a fuelling issue involving a frozen valve. A second launch window has been earmarked for Thursday 27 April at the same time in the event that the initial launch window is missed.

How much did the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch cost?

Development costs for the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 are estimated at $390 million. The typical cost to launch a Falcon 9 has been estimated at $67 million, whilst the cost to SpaceX per satellite is believed to be between $250,000-$500,000. 

This means that the cost for today’s launch is estimated to cost between $78.5 million and $90 million. However, as the Falcon 9 is partially reusable, the true price could be considerably less.

How can you watch the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch?

You will be able to watch the SpaceX launch live in the UK on the official SpaceX YouTube channel. The livestream will begin on YouTube at 2.30pm today, 10 minutes before the launch is scheduled to begin.