SpaceX's Falcon 9 Rocket Set for 16th Mission Tonight

SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 rocket tonight from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, carrying 22 Starlink internet satellites. The launch is scheduled for 5:20 p.m. EDT, with backup opportunities available if needed. The rocket's first stage will attempt to land on the drone ship Just Read the Instructions, while the satellites are expected to deploy about 65 minutes after launch. This will be the 16th flight for this particular rocket's first stage, just one shy of the company's reuse record. SpaceX has been actively launching missions to expand its Starlink megaconstellation, which currently consists of nearly 4,900 operational satellites.