(<span class="screen-reader-text">Posted on</span><a href="https://teslamotorsclub.com/2020/02/17/spacex-sends-60-starlink-satellites-to-orbit-misses-rocket-landing/" rel="bookmark">Feb 17, 2020 at 1:40 PM</a>Contributor)

SpaceX Sends 60 Starlink Satellites to Orbit, Misses Rocket Landing

SpaceX added Monday another 60 satellites to its Starlink constellation, but failed to land its Falcon 9 rocket after a streak of successes.

After a successful launch, the rocket’s first stage attempted to land on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You” stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. Instead, Tesla said the rocket did “a soft landing on the water, right next to the drone ship, so it does look like it might be in one piece.”

If successful, the landing would have marked 50 booster recoveries. It was SpaceX’s 80th launch.

SpaceX’s Starlink satellite program aims to beam internet coverage to the world below. With Monday’s launch, SpaceX grew the constellation to nearly 300. SpaceX has said the network will need more than 1,500 to be operational.

Watch the livestream above.

View thread (54 replies)

Grendal

SpaceX Moderator

Feb 8, 2020

First post updated. The booster is likely B1056.4 according to inside reporters.

This booster was first launched with CRS-17, then CRS 18, and then the heavy duty JCSAT 18.

This will be the quickest turnaround of a previously flown booster.

Reactions: Solarguy and e-FTW

Pricee2

Member

Feb 12, 2020

Does anyone know if the F9 is fully fueled for the static fire?

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Grendal

SpaceX Moderator

Feb 12, 2020

Pricee2 said:
Does anyone know if the F9 is fully fueled for the static fire?

Yes. It is a full sequence static test. They just fire the engines for a few seconds while the rocket is held down.

Pricee2

Member

Feb 12, 2020

@ Grendal, thanks. I suspected so but was unable to verify it.

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Grendal

SpaceX Moderator

Feb 12, 2020

Weather is 60% go for Saturday and 90% go for Sunday.

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Grendal

SpaceX Moderator

Feb 14, 2020

Pushed out to the better weather on Sunday.

Static fire of Falcon 9 complete ahead of launching 60 Starlink satellites—due to poor weather in the recovery area tomorrow, now targeting launch on Sunday, February 16 at 10:25 a.m. EST, 15:25 UTC

SpaceX on Twitter

Reactions: e-FTW, dkemme and mongo

JohnnyEnglish

Member

Feb 14, 2020

Grendal said:
Pushed out to the better weather on Sunday.

SpaceX on Twitter

Just want to say how much I appreciate the work you do to keep the info on all of the SpaceX launches updated.

Reactions: arnolddeleon, SMAlset, e-FTW and 4 others

Grendal

SpaceX Moderator

Feb 14, 2020

JohnnyEnglish said:
Just want to say how much I appreciate the work you do to keep the info on all of the SpaceX launches updated.

My pleasure. Thank you. Going to be a busy year for SpaceX!

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Electroman

Supporting Member

Feb 15, 2020

JohnnyEnglish said:
Just want to say how much I appreciate the work you do to keep the info on all of the SpaceX launches updated.

+100

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Grendal

SpaceX Moderator

Feb 15, 2020

Second stage valve issue causing another delay. Hopefully one day but...

Standing down from tomorrow’s Starlink launch; team is taking a closer look at a second stage valve component. Now targeting Monday, February 17.

SpaceX on Twitter

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e-FTW

New electron smell

Feb 15, 2020

Electroman said:
+100

x100

ecarfan

Well-Known Member

Feb 16, 2020

The SpaceXNow app still shows this launch as occurring on Feb 16 at 7:28AM PST but apparently that is incorrect.

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Grendal

SpaceX Moderator

Feb 16, 2020

Webcast:

Electroman

Supporting Member

Feb 17, 2020

First stage did not land successfully..

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Nikxice

Active Member

Feb 17, 2020

Ouch. Getting to landing #50 a bit elusive. Looked like significant ocean spray was kicked up just to the right of the video feed. Apparently a soft landing occurred next to the drone ship, perhaps still in one piece. Let's hope they can capture one or both of the fairings. Around the T+7:00 min. mark there was a call out for fairing vessel aquisition of signal (AOS).

bmah

Moderator, Model S/X, California Forums

Feb 17, 2020

Electroman said:
First stage did not land successfully..

Space is hard.

They commented that the first stage soft-landed in the water next to the recovery vessel. The landing video feed from OCISLY seemed to show some mist or smoke from the right side of the frame, and then water droplets on the camera lens.

Also on the Webcast they talked a couple times about the different (elliptical) orbit and shorter time to satellite deployment. I didn't get the reasoning? (If they gave any.)

Bruce.

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SMAlset

Well-Known Member

Feb 17, 2020

That was a quick deployment and unfortunate near-landing of Stage 1 near the drone ship. Reminder to viewers how difficult achieving a perfect launch is. We’ve been so lucky to see so many perfect ones. I knew when we started to see the fumes to the right of the drone ship and the water droplets on the camera lens that was going to be it for today. Glad deployment went well.

close but no cigar this time around

ecarfan

Well-Known Member

Feb 17, 2020

Wait a minute...I watched the livestream and saw the booster land on target. What are you guys talking about? The webcast host stated the booster landing was successful.

Am I in the wrong thread? Can’t be based on the date/time of your posts.

After the booster anding the host said the sat deploy would be at about 45 minutes post launch. I stepped away for about 15 minutes to do other stuff, now watching the webcast showing the usual animation. It’s T+35 minutes. But the SpaceXNow app states the sats were deployed already.

Nikxice

Active Member

Feb 17, 2020

ecarfan said:
Wait a minute...I watched the livestream and saw the booster land on target. What are you guys talking about? The webcast host stated the booster landing was successful.

Am I in the wrong thread? Can’t be based on the date/time of your posts.

Despite good weather, it was a miss, maybe a GPS coordinate error? Heck, SpaceX's cup is still half-full. They've successfully landed their boosters 49 times more that anyone else launching orbital missions!