Weather OK for this week's SpaceX launch from Cape Canaveral

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Update: SpaceX has delayed this mission to TBD to give teams more time for launch preparations. For the latest, visit our launch schedule here.

Weather conditions around Cape Canaveral Space Force Station should lean toward favorable for a fiery – and "boomy" – upcoming weekend kickoff hosted by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Space Force forecasters are expecting 60% "go" odds for Friday's 2:56 p.m. liftoff from Launch Complex 40, citing the potential for summertime storms and thick clouds as the main concerns. The mission known as Transporter-2 will boost to orbit several smaller payloads owned by different companies.

"A boundary in the Southeast U.S. will gradually erode as the remnants of Tropical Storm Claudette pull northward," Space Launch Delta 45 forecasters said Tuesday. "This should mean much less storm coverage as the east coast sea breeze will rapidly move inland and push storms westward."

After liftoff and a rarely seen southbound trajectory that will hug Florida's coast, Falcon 9's first stage will separate and flip around for a return to the Cape's Landing Zone 1. The 162-foot booster will generate its signature triple sonic booms as it slows down and crosses the sound barrier, so spectators should be prepared for the powerful (but harmless) reverberations.

Friday's flight is the second dedicated mission for SpaceX's rideshare program, which allows a full-blown Falcon 9 flight to be split among dozens of customers. Those wanting to fly smaller payloads, such as scientific or experimental spacecraft, to similar points along a flightpath can opt for SpaceX's rideshare program and then wait until a mission profile meets their specifications.

The first Transporter mission took flight from Cape Canaveral in January and delivered a record-breaking 143 payloads to orbit, including 10 of SpaceX's own internet-beaming Starlink satellites.

For the latest, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.

Contact Emre Kelly at aekelly@floridatoday.com or 321-242-3715. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @EmreKelly. Support space journalism by subscribing at floridatoday.com/specialoffer/.

Launch Friday, June 25

• Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9
• Mission: Transporter-2 rideshare
• Launch Time: 2:56 p.m.
• Launch Complex: 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
• Trajectory: Southeast
• Landing: Landing Zone 1
• Weather: 60% "go"

Visit floridatoday.com/space at 1:30 p.m. Friday, June 25, for live coverage.