Rocket Launch Today: Falcon 9 to Attempt Second-Ever Booster Recovery Near The Bahamas
Rocket Launch Today centers on SpaceX’s planned Falcon 9 Starlink mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, a flight that will attempt a drone-ship landing off the coast of The Bahamas and will not be viewable from the visitor complex because the launch window falls outside operating hours.
Rocket Launch Today: Mission plan and countdown details
The mission will carry Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from pad 40. Liftoff for the Starlink 10-34 mission is scheduled for 8: 41: 40 p. m. ET. Less than 8. 5 minutes after liftoff, first stage booster B1077 will aim for a touchdown on the droneship Just Read the Instructions, positioned off Exuma island in The Bahamas.
Booster B1077 will be flying on its 26th sortie, having previously supported flights including Crew-5, CRS-28 and NG-20. If the recovery attempt succeeds, it would mark the 150th landing on that specific droneship and the 573rd booster landing overall for the company to date.
Launch conditions, viewing and diplomatic context
The 45th Weather Squadron has forecasted a greater than 95 percent chance of favorable conditions for the launch window, with meteorologists citing no notable weather constraints expected to impact liftoff or the offshore recovery. Because the launch window falls outside visitor complex operating hours, no public viewing will be available from that facility.
This recovery attempt represents just the second time a Falcon 9 booster will return to a drone ship stationed among the islands of The Bahamas. The first in-water recovery for the country occurred one year earlier during the Starlink 10-12 mission on Feb. 18, 2025. In the months since, an understanding was reached after environmental concerns were raised by the government of The Bahamas following in‑flight breakups of the company’s Starship during Flight 7 and Flight 8 in 2025, clearing the way for this second landing near the island nation.
Operationally, the mission continues the pattern of reusing proven hardware and recovering boosters at sea. The company has designated droneship recovery for this flight, with the offshore landing scheduled shortly after stage separation. The outcome will be closely watched as part of ongoing efforts to increase launcher reusability and sustain cadence for Starlink deployments.
Rocket Launch Today will focus on the launch window and recovery attempt, with teams monitoring weather, booster performance and the approach to the droneship. The combination of a late-evening liftoff from Cape Canaveral, a high-probability weather forecast and a milestone-eligible droneship landing makes this a notable flight in the current manifest.
