The Supermoon and SpaceX Launch Amid ULA Scrub
On Wednesday night, SpaceX successfully launched, while United Launch Alliance (ULA) postponed its attempt as the full supermoon rose over the Space Coast. Although SpaceX has dominated launches this year, ULA aimed to perform two launches Wednesday that could have matched the annual record for orbital missions from the Space Coast.
The lifts were set against the backdrop of November’s largest supermoon, also called the Beaver Moon by the Farmer’s Almanac. The moon rose at 5:41 p.m., marking the second of three supermoons this year and the closest, approaching Earth at less than 222,000 miles.
"The moon’s proximity is what makes it a supermoon, appearing up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than the smallest full moon of the year," according to NASA.
Earlier that day, a SpaceX Falcon 9 and a ULA Atlas V stood less than two miles apart on their respective launch pads at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Following moonrise, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launched the Starlink 6-81 mission at 8:30 p.m., deploying 29 satellites from Space Launch Complex 40.
ULA had to scrub its launch and has rescheduled for Thursday at 10:16 p.m.
Key Details
- SpaceX’s Starlink 6-81 mission launched 29 satellites into orbit.
- ULA’s launch was scrubbed on Wednesday and postponed to Thursday night.
- The supermoon, also known as the Beaver Moon, is the closest and second of three supermoons in 2025.
- The supermoon appeared bigger and brighter due to its proximity to Earth.
Summary
The supermoon illuminated the Space Coast as SpaceX successfully launched satellites, while ULA postponed its launch to the following night.
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