SpaceX Starlink launch July 7. Watch here.

Starlink launch on July 7, 2022

Heads up! SpaceX is commencing its Starlink launches for the month with its first batch today, at 9:11 a.m. EDT (13:11 UTC) on July 7, 2022. The Starlink Group 4-21 mission will launch 53 Starlink satellites atop a Falcon 9 rocket. Presently, the time and date are still subject to change, but so far, weather conditions are 80% favorable in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Later, after liftoff, viewers can anticipate watching the Falcon 9 first stage return to Earth on the droneship Just Read the Instructions.

This July 7 launch will mark the 100th Falcon 9 flight with a flight-proven booster. Wow!

Want to watch the action? See the official livestream on July 7 on SpaceX’s YouTube at the top of this post. Or you can link here. The stream will begin about five minutes before liftoff.

If the 9:11 a.m. EDT (13:11 UTC) on July 7 is delayed, the alternative launch time is 8:49 a.m. ET (12:49 UTC) on Friday, July 8.

Targeting Thursday, July 7 for a Falcon 9 launch of 53 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from SLC-40 in Florida ? https://t.co/fQ3R4IVxZ8

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 6, 2022

Starlink launch on July 10, 2022, plus 3

The second Starlink launch in July 2022 is not far off, currently slated to depart from California on Sunday, July 10. Altogether, SpaceX has three more planned after that, bringing the total on its July agenda up to five launches. Please see the information below for a summary.

Starlink Group 4-21: Thu • Jul 7th, 2022 13:11 UTC
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral, FL, USA | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE

Starlink Group 3-1: Sun • Jul 10th, 2022 13 UTC
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE

Starlink Group 4-25: Wed • Jul 14th, 2022 00 UTC
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral, FL, USA | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE

Starlink Group 4-22: Sat • Jul 31st, 2022 00 UTC
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral, FL, USA | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE

Starlink Group 3-2: Sat • Jul 31st, 2022 00 UTC
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE

Starlink launch via Darrell Etherington/ TechCrunch.

Growing numbers amidst controversy

Love ’em or hate ’em, Starlink satellites are SpaceX’s internet communication satellite constellation. They deliver high-speed internet service worldwide, mainly to locations where ground-based internet is unreliable, unavailable, or expensive. The private company is well-known for launching batches back to back, several times a month, regularly lofting 60 satellites at a time (Groups 4-22 and 3-2 are scheduled for the same day this month). As of this writing, 2,453 are currently in orbit and will build up to perhaps as many as 30,000 eventually.

In the beginning, most thought it exciting to see the first few Starlink satellites traveling together in the night sky. But then more were launched, and then more. And as a result, astronomers began to worry.

Starlinks are bright. And, consequently, astronomers say they’re photobombing astronomical images. In fact, they have the potential to interfere with the professional astronomical observations that have brought us our modern-day view of the cosmos. And, although SpaceX has tried to address the issue, they remain far from what astronomers say is acceptable.

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | In this photo’s battle of satellites versus stars, the satellites appear to be winning. The more vertical lines are star trails. The parallel straight lines in the upper right are Starlink satellites. Additionally, there are also 2 meteors in this photo. Charlie Favret in Round Rock, Texas captured this photo on December 13, 2019. He wrote: “I was curious to know if one could see the Starlink satellites on a bright night a couple of days after a full moon and inside the city limits. The answer is most definitely yes … While it was a stunning sight, is it also a sign of the night sky horror to come?” Thank you, Charlie.

In the meantime …

Meanwhile, space weather forecasters are working on ways for satellite companies to prepare for bad weather. Indeed, the project has been challenging without specific measurements to develop the technology. According to Space.com, however, SpaceX is stepping in to help, after bad solar weather sent 40 brand-new Starlink satellites hurtling back to Earth earlier this year.

In addition, the sun is only growing more powerful as its current cycle progresses. Consequently, its intensity triggers geomagnetic storms on Earth that make satellite operations, like Starlink, even more challenging. Stay current with our sun page – here – to learn more about that, including how your area might be affected.

Bottom line: SpaceX has five Starlink launches scheduled for the month of July 2022. Watch the first one taking place July 7 at 13:11 UTC.

Via Space Launch Schedule

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