SpaceX Targets Monday Launch for Starlink Mission; Firefly's Blue Ghost Captures Stunning Lunar Imagery

SpaceX is now targeting Monday night for the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 21 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch is scheduled for 11:14 p.m. from Space Launch Complex 40, with an 80% chance of favorable weather conditions. This mission marks the debut flight of the rocket's first-stage booster, which will attempt a landing on the droneship 'Just Read the Instructions.' SpaceX aims to contribute to the Space Coast's projected 156 launches in 2025. Additionally, Intuitive Machines' Athena lunar lander is slated for launch later this month. Meanwhile, Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander, currently orbiting the moon, has transmitted striking images, including close-ups of the lunar far side and the south pole. The lander entered lunar orbit on February 13 and will attempt a lunar surface descent on March 2. Carrying 10 NASA science and technology instruments as part of the CLPS initiative, Blue Ghost will operate for approximately 14 Earth days, collecting data on the lunar subsurface. A key objective includes capturing a solar eclipse on March 14 and observing the lunar sunset on March 16 to study the dust levitation phenomenon.