SpaceX F9 - Starlink Group 3-5 - SLC-4E

Launch Date: April 26
Launch Window: 6:40:50am PDT (9:40:50am EDT, 13:40:50 UTC)
Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
Core Booster Recovery: ASDS - OCISLY
Booster: B1061.13
Fairings: Reused - 6th and 7th reuse
Mass: 46 Starlink satellites
Orbit: SSO
Yearly Launch Number: 27

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 72nd group of satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink 3-5. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean. This mission is headed to the 97.6º inclination shell of Starlink's first generation constellation. Satellites in this shell will be orbiting Earth in a 560km circular orbit at 97.6º inclination.

 

[Dave EV]

Hmm, this one might be early and dark enough to get some good views of the first and second stage? Sunrise is 6:20 am at Vandenberg.

 

[808?]

 

[Cosmacelf]

”SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, April 26 at 6:40 a.m. PT (13:40 UTC) for a Falcon 9 launch of 46 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. “

 

[Grendal]

Newest webcast:

 

[MyJoule]

Scrubbed to to Probability of landing failure Wonder what that means? Ship out of place? Seas too high? Recycling for an attempt again tomorrow

 

[Cosmacelf]

Scrubbed to to Probability of landing failure Wonder what that means? Ship out of place? Seas too high? Recycling for an attempt again tomorrow

Yeah I would expect that means seas too high, too much wind etc.

 

[ecarfan]

Can’t get a screen capture yet, but what was the burst of flame on the booster just after touchdown?

 

[Cosmacelf]

Can’t get a screen capture yet, but what was the burst of flame on the booster just after touchdown?

Don’t know but it was indeed unusual. Looks like a burped bit of fuel or oxidizer. Doesn’t look like it caused any real damage.

13th flight so maybe something got too old.

 

[Grendal]

Can’t get a screen capture yet, but what was the burst of flame on the booster just after touchdown?

That looked like a purge of some sort that managed to ignite from the remaining exhaust. It just flashed for a moment and I didn't see any damage as a result.

 

[ecarfan]

There is a thread about it on reddit. Consensus seems to be a LOX purge that just happened to hit some hot exhaust, as you noted.

https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/130mxmi

 

[Electroman]

Can’t get a screen capture yet, but what was the burst of flame on the booster just after touchdown?

Here is the moment where a small amount of LOX leaked out and when it hit the hot engine, it burst into flame