SpaceX F9 - Starlink 0.9 - SLC-40

[ecarfan]

Didn’t see a thread about this so thought I would start one. SpaceXNow says this launch is NET May 2019, just two months away!

Launch Date: May 23
Launch Window: 0230-0400 GMT on 17th (10:30 p.m.-12:00 a.m. on 23rd/24th EST)
Launch site: SLC-40
Core Booster Recovery: ASDS - Recovered
Booster: B1049.3
Fairings: New - Likely will be recovered and reused - Recovered
Mass: 60 satellites at 227 kg each - 13,800 kg (30,400 lbs)
Orbit: LEO

SpaceX returned to leaving the payload on the rocket during static fire.

 

[e-FTW]

- This launch may re-use the Falcon Heavy Arabsat 6A fairing that were plucked out of the ocean: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says Starlink launch will reuse Falcon Heavy's fairing
Seems unlikely to happen this fast. A future Starlink launch is likelier. But we have seen crazier things...

- This launch is NET May 2019: SpaceX's first dedicated Starlink launch announced as mass production begins

 

[adiggs]

Just rinse 'em off - good as new.

 

[Grendal]

Launch date adjusted from information from Gwynne Shotwell. She also noted that there may (based on success of satellites from this launch) be 6 to 8 more Starlink launches this year.
Jeff Foust on Twitter
Article on the conference and what she said:
SpaceX to launch “dozens” of Starlink satellites May 15, more Starlink launches to follow - SpaceNews.com

 

[Grendal]

More updates on this launch on the first post. Static fire should happen on May 13th.

 

[mongo]

60 sats on this launch!
Twitter

 

[ecarfan]

60 sats on this launch!
Twitter

That is an amazing photo. I would really like to understand how those sats are connected. Apparently the separating mechanisms are built into the sats?

EDIT: I see this is being discussed, very intelligently, at SpaceX Internet Satellite Network: Starlink

 

[N5329K]

Not a Chicken Little concern, I think.
SpaceX's Starlink Could Cause Cascades of Space Junk
Robin

 

[Electroman]

Not a Chicken Little concern, I think.
SpaceX's Starlink Could Cause Cascades of Space Junk
Robin

Yes, that is a real concern..

 

[bxr140]

Not a Chicken Little concern, I think.
SpaceX's Starlink Could Cause Cascades of Space Junk
Robin

I agree, but only ish. Progress is constant. Its kinda like worrying about Porsche or Jaguar or whoever beating the 0-60 times of a P100D.

It will be in SpaceX's best interest to get their own satellites out of the way; my strong suspicion is that they will have an 'undertaker' tug to remove satellites that pose an actual hazard (not all dead satellites are a problem). Given that I was just reminded by @mongo that spaceX isn't going to attempt second stage recovery anymore, I'll bet an Old Fashioned (a proper one, thanks) that SpaceX will start putting rudimentary grappling devices on their second stages.

 

[mongo]

I agree, but only ish. Progress is constant. Its kinda like worrying about Porsche or Jaguar or whoever beating the 0-60 times of a P100D.

It will be in SpaceX's best interest to get their own satellites out of the way; my strong suspicion is that they will have an 'undertaker' tug to remove satellites that pose an actual hazard (not all dead satellites are a problem). Given that I was just reminded by @mongo that spaceX isn't going to attempt second stage recovery anymore, I'll bet an Old Fashioned (a proper one, thanks) that SpaceX will start putting rudimentary grappling devices on their second stages.

The Starship garbage scow (Pacman) will eat those up no problem.

Grappling seem like it would be a challenge in terms of CG and entanglement. Need to grab a few sats, then retro brake to deorbit. That flips which end (orbital direction wise) the sats are on.

 

[Grendal]

Weather is a 70% go for primary launch date and 80% go for the backup date a day later.

 

[bxr140]

Grappling seem like it would be a challenge in terms of CG and entanglement. Need to grab a few sats, then retro brake to deorbit. That flips which end (orbital direction wise) the sats are on.

Grappling is actually a pretty easy deal. On-orbit rendezvous is pretty old hat these days, and you can do it with either a specific grappling feature or one of the more robust existing features of the satellite. Swallowing up a dead sat is fun to imagine, but the relative size and fragility of a satellite will require a bit more delicate touch.

Noodling on it more, the big flaw in my brilliant idea is the limited RCS capability of the second stage. The Merlin's massive thrust is incompatible with the delicate maneuvers and relatively low delta v required to drop a dead sat into a re-entry orbit, and the current maneuvering system wouldn't have enough total delta-V to make such a clean-up vehicle feasible.

 

[Grendal]

Static Fire complete.
SpaceX on Twitter

 

[mongo]

Grappling is actually a pretty easy deal. On-orbit rendezvous is pretty old hat these days, and you can do it with either a specific grappling feature or one of the more robust existing features of the satellite. Swallowing up a dead sat is fun to imagine, but the relative size and fragility of a satellite will require a bit more delicate touch.

Noodling on it more, the big flaw in my brilliant idea is the limited RCS capability of the second stage. The Merlin's massive thrust is incompatible with the delicate maneuvers and relatively low delta v required to drop a dead sat into a re-entry orbit, and the current maneuvering system wouldn't have enough total delta-V to make such a clean-up vehicle feasible.

Ah, you're talking hard grapple like Dragon berthing. I was thinking more like grappling hook/ net for capacity and dealing with uncontrolled dead sats/ collection accuracy.

 

[Grendal]

 

[Grendal]

 

[oneday]

So let’s see if I have this right.

#1 heaviest payload to LEO (SpaceX)
#1 fastest turnaround of SLC 40
#2 second most satellites on a single mission (SpaceX)
#3 third time a booster is flown 3 times

Anything else?

Is this the first time they’ve used this new payload adapter?

 

[Grendal]

So let’s see if I have this right.

#1 heaviest payload to LEO (SpaceX)
#1 fastest turnaround of SLC 40
#2 second most satellites on a single mission (SpaceX)
#3 third time a booster is flown 3 times

Anything else?

Is this the first time they’ve used this new payload adapter?

First time a set of fairings have been reused.
First time a carrier is launching their own payload that is not paid for by someone else.

 

[oneday]

First time a set of fairings have been reused.
First time a carrier is launching their own payload that is not paid for by someone else.

Thanks!
Do we have confirmation they are indeed reused fairings?