SpaceX Defies Odds With Falcon 9 Launch Amidst Tempestuous Night At Cape Canaveral

On a tempestuous night at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, SpaceX defied the odds, launching a Falcon 9 rocket on the Starlink 6-82 mission at 12:25 a. m. on December 15. The winds howled, a strong wind warning had predicted gusts of 25 knots, reaching up to 35 knots in the area. Undeterred, the rocket soared into the darkness.

Photographs capture the moment, a testament to the team’s precision and expertise. The launch site, usually a bastion of calm, was instead a scene of turbulent skies and determined endeavor. In the vicinity, United Launch Alliance prepared for its own launch, targeting 3:28 a. m. on Tuesday to send an Atlas V rocket carrying 27 Amazon Leo internet satellites into low-Earth orbit. A 29-minute window, stretching until 3:57 a. m., awaited the team.

Rick Neale, Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY, chronicled the event. His work can be found at Rneale@floridatoday. com, and on Twitter → X at @RickNeale1. This article was first published in “The Indianapolis Star”.