During New Year’s Eve 2024, SpaceX will launch its last Falcon 9 rocket

A Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 21 Starlink broadband satellites—including 13 equipped with cutting-edge direct-to-cell capabilities—is ready for launch from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The liftoff is scheduled for Tuesday, December 31, with a one-hour launch window opening at 12:34 a.m. EST (0534 GMT). This mission is another significant step in SpaceX’s efforts to expand its Starlink internet constellation.

Space enthusiasts can tune in to a live webcast of the event, which will begin approximately five minutes before launch. The broadcast will be available on SpaceX’s official website and their account on the social media platform X, providing real-time updates on the mission.

This launch marks SpaceX’s 134th Falcon 9 flight of 2024, setting a new company record by surpassing last year’s total by an impressive 38 missions. Among these, 89 launches have been dedicated to expanding the Starlink global satellite network, underscoring SpaceX’s commitment to enhancing global internet connectivity. This mission will also be SpaceX’s third Falcon 9 launch within just three days, following a Starlink launch from California and another mission involving four Astranis satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

If all goes according to plan, the Falcon 9’s reusable first-stage booster will return to Earth roughly eight minutes after liftoff. The booster is set to make a precise landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. Meanwhile, the rocket’s upper stage will continue its journey, delivering the 21 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit.

This particular booster will achieve its remarkable 16th flight with this mission, an impressive milestone for SpaceX’s reusable rocket program. The booster has previously been involved in launching notable missions, including Crew-6, BlueBird-1, USSF-124, mPOWER-B, and 11 other Starlink deployments, showcasing its reliability and efficiency in the company’s extensive operations.