SpaceX is scheduled to launch its Starlink 10-48 mission Friday morning at 8:10 a.m. EDT (1210 UTC) from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Falcon 9 rocket will carry 29 broadband internet satellites to low Earth orbit, continuing the company's rapid cadence of constellation deployment missions.
The 29 satellites will join SpaceX's growing Starlink constellation, which provides global internet coverage from low Earth orbit at altitudes between 340-570 kilometers. Each satellite weighs approximately 260 kilograms and features advanced phased-array antennas and ion thrusters for orbital maneuvering. The mission designation "10-48" indicates this is the 48th launch for Starlink shell 10.
SpaceX has maintained an aggressive launch schedule for Starlink missions throughout 2026, with launches occurring roughly every few days. The company typically conducts first-stage booster recovery attempts on these missions, landing the Falcon 9 booster on autonomous drone ships positioned in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 8-9 minutes after liftoff.
The mission underscores SpaceX's dominance in the commercial satellite internet market, competing against Amazon's Project Kuiper and other emerging mega-constellations. With over 5,000 operational satellites already in orbit, Starlink serves millions of customers globally and generates significant revenue to fund SpaceX's other ventures including Starship development and Mars exploration goals.
Each Starlink launch represents approximately $67 million in deployment costs, though the company's reusable rocket technology has dramatically reduced per-kilogram launch expenses compared to traditional expendable vehicles.