Name: Superbird-9 — Starship
Start: 2027-06-30T00:00:00Z
End: 2027-06-30T00:00:00Z
Location: Launch Complex 39A Starship Pad

Question 1

What rocket is launching Superbird-9?

Accepted Answer

Superbird-9 is launching on the Starship.

Question 2

Who is launching Superbird-9?

Accepted Answer

Superbird-9 is being launched by SpaceX, a commercial launch provider founded in 2002.

Question 3

Where is Superbird-9 launching from?

Accepted Answer

Superbird-9 is launching from Launch Complex 39A Starship Pad at Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.

Question 4

What orbit is Superbird-9 heading to?

Accepted Answer

Superbird-9 is heading to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GSTO).

Question 5

Is the Starship reusable?

Accepted Answer

No — the Starship is an expendable launch vehicle.

Question 6

What is the Superbird-9 mission?

Accepted Answer

Superbird-9 is a high throughput communication satellite. It is designed to deliver broadcast and broadband missions in Ku band primarily over Japan and Eastern Asia, in response to mobility and broadband demands.

Question 7

Where is the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center is on Merritt Island, Florida, immediately north of Cape Canaveral. Named for President Kennedy in 1963, it has been the United States' primary human-spaceflight launch site since the 1960s.

Question 8

Which rockets launch from the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

SpaceX leases Launch Complex 39A for Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and crewed Dragon missions, while NASA launches the Space Launch System for the Artemis Moon programme from Launch Complex 39B.

Question 9

Did Apollo and the Space Shuttle launch from Kennedy?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the Launch Complex 39 pads sent every Apollo Moon mission and every Space Shuttle crew on their way, including Apollo 11 in 1969 and the first shuttle flight, STS-1, in 1981.

Question 10

What's the difference between the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

They are separate, neighbouring sites. Kennedy is NASA's centre on Merritt Island; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, just to the south, is run by the U.S. Space Force. Together they make up Florida's Space Coast.

Question 11

Can you watch a launch from the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

The closest public viewing is from the ticketed Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, which runs launch-day bus packages. Free off-site views are best from Playalinda Beach and the Titusville riverfront.

Superbird-9

Overview

Mission details

Launch Window

Launch Complex 39A Starship Pad

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Frequently asked questions