SpaceX logs the Space Coast's 50th launch of 2024 with Türksat 6A satellite mission Monday
Rick NealeStormy weather delayed liftoff five times Monday, keeping spectators waiting as rainfall drenched neighborhoods south and west of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. But after skies cleared, Monday night's SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch vaulted into the record books as the 50th orbital launch from Florida's Space Coast thus far this year.
That unprecedented cadence projects to blow past last year's tally of 72 launches from the Space Force installation and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, which established a new annual record.
Monday's 50th mission lifted the Türksat 6A communications satellite off the pad at 7:30 p.m. EDT at Launch Complex 40. The SpaceX rocket sent the satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit.
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In a Türksat press release issued in September, Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said the satellite — which has an expected 15-year lifespan — features domestically produced critical components such as the flight computer, power distribution unit, electric propulsion engine, fuel tank, power processing and control unit.
"New satellites are necessary for developing technology, higher quality communication and new coverage areas. Currently, with our satellites, we cover Europe, the Middle East, the Turkish Republics and a part of the Far East," Uraloğlu said in a May Türksat press release.
He said Türksat 6A will serve India, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, increasing geographic reach from about 3.5 billion people to 5 billion.
"We will provide safer communication with this satellite. We are already selling this service to the geographies I mentioned. There will be additional income by selling this communication service and exporting services to the new 4 countries," Uraloğlu said in the May press release.
SpaceX accounted for 47 of the Space Coast's first 50 launches this year. United Launch Alliance sent up the other three: the first Vulcan on its Jan. 8 certification mission, the final Delta IV Heavy on April 9 on the NROL-70 mission, and the maiden mission of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on June 5.
Monday's original Türksat 6A liftoff target time was 5:21 p.m. — but SpaceX officials pushed it back five times as approaching storms menaced the Cape and dumped heavy rain on Viera, Rockledge and Cocoa Beach.
A National Weather Service heat advisory was declared for the bulk of the day for Brevard County and East-Central Florida. At 3:55 p.m., the heat index stood at a scorching 108 degrees at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the NWS reported.
For the latest news and launch schedule from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space.
Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale atRneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1