SpaceX F9 - Starlink Group 3-2 - SLC-4E

[Grendal]

Launch Date: July 21
Launch Window: 10:13am PDT (1:13pm EDT, 17:13 UTC)
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA
Core Booster Recovery: ASDS - OCISLY
Booster: B1071.4
Fairings: Reused - 3rd and 5th time
Mass: 46 satellites - 12.9 tonnes
Orbit: SSO
Yearly Launch Number: 32nd

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 50th group of satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink 3-2.

This batch is headed for the 3rd shell of Starlink's first generation constellation. This will be the second time SpaceX launches to this shell which is planned to be comprised of 6 orbital planes with 58 satellites in each plane for a total of 348 satellites. The satellites in this shell will be located at a roughly 560km circular orbit and at a 97.6º orbital inclination.

 

[808?]

 

[MyJoule]

Hold at T-46sec- 24 hour Recycle for tomorrow same bat time same bat channel

A rarity for SpaceX these days....

 

[Grendal]

 

[Grendal]

Hold at T-46sec- 24 hour Recycle for tomorrow same bat time same bat channel

A rarity for SpaceX these days....

The Launch Director called a "Go For Launch" at the same moment the count came to a halt. So that means the Rocket itself spotted something off which triggered the halt. It's likely something extremely minor but enough to cause a scrub.

 

[Electroman]

The Launch Director called a "Go For Launch" at the same moment the count came to a halt. So that means the Rocket itself spotted something off which triggered the halt. It's likely something extremely minor but enough to cause a scrub.

I would have pressed the 'override' button and launched it anyway.

 

[808?]

Try again same time tomorrow:

 

[ecarfan]

The Launch Director called a "Go For Launch" at the same moment the count came to a halt. So that means the Rocket itself spotted something off which triggered the halt. It's likely something extremely minor but enough to cause a scrub.

When was the last time an F9 launch was scrubbed, not due to weather, but by the onboard computer when in terminal count? I can’t recall it’s been so long.

 

[Electroman]

I remember one time the computer aborted at T-0. The engines fired for a microsecond and stopped. Very impressive. But that was in the early days of F9.

 

[Grendal]

When was the last time an F9 launch was scrubbed, not due to weather, but by the onboard computer when in terminal count? I can’t recall it’s been so long.

April 30, 2017 over a sensor issue.

SpaceX launch scrubbed in final minute of countdown – Spaceflight Now

I remember one time the computer aborted at T-0. The engines fired for a microsecond and stopped. Very impressive. But that was in the early days of F9.

That would be SES-9.

 

[Grendal]

Beautiful launch and landing in the fog. Landing was dead center for the 125th successful landing.

 

[HVM]

Echo? Or Déjà-vu, I'm pretty sure I have done this post before...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1550538499350298624

 

[Electroman]

Echo? Or Déjà-vu, I'm pretty sure I have done this post before...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1550538499350298624

If they get could this level of bulls-eye with Starship, the newer landing method of catching by the steel arms will be a piece of cake.

 

[ecarfan]

That landing did indeed look perfect.

What the heck was the slowly moving white line visible in the distant camera view? A barely moving wind turbine blade, viewed edge on?

 

[Electroman]

Yes.. that was the blade of a very slow moving windmill.

As soon as I clicked on that video, I saw the straight white line streaking across and towards the rocket and I thought, Oh My.. that is a missile or a plane, the Russians have landed.

 

[ecarfan]

Yes.. that was the blade of a very slow moving windmill.

As soon as I clicked on that video, I saw the straight white line streaking across and towards the rocket and I thought, Oh My.. that is a missile or a plane, the Russians have landed.

Yes, might be the Strauss Wind Project. See Strauss Wind Project l First Wind Project on California’s Coast

 

[ecarfan]

This is cool.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1550607472934563840

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Yes, might be the Strauss Wind Project. See Strauss Wind Project l First Wind Project on California’s Coast

Strauss Wind Project l First Wind Project on California’s Coast

Truly r.e.thinking energy, we are building the first wind project on the California coast project generating enough renewable energy to power nearly 30,000 California homes. Find out more.

us.baywa-re.com

Q. How big are the blades? How many feet?
A. The blades are 220 ft long.

Q. How big are the nacelles and tower parts?
A. Nacelle: 32’ x 13‘ x 12’ Tower sections: Top: 102’ x 11’, Mid: 84’ x 14’, Bottom: 73’ x 15’.

Q. Are they as big and oversized/complicated as the wind turbine blades?
A. The nacelle and tower sections are smaller, but much heavier.

Q. How big are the actual turbines?
A. We are using both GE 3.8 and GE 1.79 models in the Strauss Project. When fully constructed the GE 3.8 models will be 492 ft tall (150m) and the GE 1.79 models will be 427 ft tall (130m) from foundation to blade tip.

The 492ft is probably to remain under 500ft.

 

[ICUDoc]

This is cool.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1550607472934563840

Man, waaaaaaaay past lunar orbit! And only using the first stage!!!

 

[HVM]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1551605227479977984