SpaceX will launch a SiriusXM satellite tomorrow, Sunday, June 6. The SXM-8 satellite will be part of SiriusXM’s network for its satellite radio operations, following the failure of its SXM-7 satellite earlier this year. That satellite was launched successfully but failed while in orbit.
For this latest launch, SpaceX will be livestreaming the event and we’ve got all the details on how you can watch from home.
What to expect from the launch
The satellite will be launched using a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
As is typical for SpaceX launches, parts of the Falcon 9 have been used on previous missions. The rocket’s first stage booster flew on both the Crew-1 and Crew-2 missions which carried astronauts from Earth to the International Space Station. SpaceX recently set a record by using a single boost for 10 missions, which marked a milestone the company has long aimed for as its goal for reusability.
The aim of this launch is to once again catch the booster so it can continue to be used in the future. The droneship “Just Read the Instructions” will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean to catch the booster once it separates from the rocket.
How to watch the launch
The launch will be livestreamed by SpaceX so you can follow along with all the action from home. To watch the livestream, you can either use the video player embedded at the top of this page or head over to SpaceX’s YouTube channel.
The launch is scheduled for 12:26 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 6 (9:26 p.m. PT on Saturday, June 5) . Coverage on the livestream will begin around 15 minutes prior to liftoff, so that’s around 12:10 a.m. ET on Sunday (9:10 p.m. PT on Saturday).
The coverage will include final preparations before the launch, the liftoff, the ascension of the rocket up into the atmosphere before the separation of the first and second stages, the catching of the first stage on a droneship as it comes back to Earth, and confirmation of the deployment of the satellite. Deployment should take place around 30 minutes after liftoff.
If the launch is unable to go ahead on Sunday due to poor weather, there is a backup launch window on Monday, June 7 at the same time.
