SpaceX F9 - Starlink Group 4-2+Bluewalker 3 - LC-39A

[Grendal]

Launch Date: September 10
Launch Window: 9:10pm EDT (6:10pm PDT, 01:10 UTC on the 11th)
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Core Booster Recovery: ASDS - ASOG
Booster: B1058.14
Fairings: Reused
Mass: 34 Starlink satellites + Bluewalker 3 (12 tonnes)
Orbit: LEO
Yearly Launch Number: 41st

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 60th group of satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink 4-2. This batch of satellites is headed to the 4th shell of the first generation constellation of Starlink which is comprised of about 72 orbital planes located at 540km in altitude and 53.2º of orbital inclination.

Along for the ride there will be AST Space Mobile's BlueWalker 3 satellite which will be a pathfinder satellite for their future direct-to-mobile broadband satellite constellation.

The first 14th launch of an orbital class booster! B1058 is the current life leader.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Launch Date: July 24
Launch Window: 9:38am EDT (06:38am PDT, 13:38 UTC)
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Core Booster Recovery: ASDS - ASOG
Booster: B1062.8
Fairings: Reused
Mass: 53 satellites - 15.6 tonnes
Orbit: LEO
Yearly Launch Number: 41st

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 53rd group of satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink 4-2. This batch of satellites is headed to the 4th shell of the first generation constellation of Starlink which is comprised of about 72 orbital planes located at 540km in altitude and 53.2º of orbital inclination.

Something happened to your date. It should be September 10th.

 

[Grendal]

Something happened to your date. It should be September 10th.

Oops. I did that very late at night. I typically cut and paste... Thanks.

Elon is making a time machine according to a random internet source though...

 

[Cosmacelf]

Elon called this one of their most complicated launches. Which I guess makes sense that it is called 4-2, it got delayed a while. Anyone know anything about the rideshare?

 

[808?]

 

[bxr140]

Anyone know anything about the rideshare?

Bluewalker 3 Article

AST is in the direct to mobile space. They want to put up like 200-or-something sats with 600m2 arrays.

Shred of reality, heavy dose of hope. Physics, as it turns out, is.

 

[Grendal]

 

[Grendal]

Pushed out 15 minutes.

 

[Grendal]

Success again.

 

[ecarfan]

14th landing for B.1058.

Wow. Is there no end to the number of F9 booster re-uses?

 

[HVM]

Some dude's answer for that:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1568788727014752257

No obvious limit to rocket reflight so far

 

[HVM]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1568863453376299010

First Falcon 9 to complete 14 flights to orbit, and SpaceX’s first 5 burn mission

Images: SpaceX

 

[Electroman]

First 5 burn mission? What is that?

 

[bxr140]

Upper state relight 5 times.

 

[ecarfan]

First 5 burn mission? What is that?

That is in reference to the number of times the 2nd stage Raptor vac engine was started. First start after stage sep to reach orbit. Four more starts to put different sats in different orbits (I think, is that right?) before the stage is de-orbited.

 

[ecarfan]

First time I’ve seen photos showing an F9 on the pad (SLC-40) ready to launch with another F9 launching from another pad (LC-39A)!

View attachment 851317View attachment 851318
Images: SpaceX

 

[Electroman]

First time I’ve seen photos showing an F9 on the pad (SLC-40) ready to launch with another F9 launching from another pad (LC-39A)!

Neat. There will be a day not far away, when two will launch on the same day...

 

[ecarfan]

Neat. There will be a day not far away, when two will launch on the same day...

Two Starships, yes. Two F9’s, I don’t think so; there is not that much demand and Elon is determined to phase out that vehicle as soon as possible.

 

[Cosmacelf]

That is in reference to the number of times the 2nd stage Raptor vac engine was started. First start after stage sep to reach orbit. Four more starts to put different sats in different orbits (I think, is that right?) before the stage is de-orbited.

From what I heard, we had one burn of course after stage separation. Second burn later to raise orbit past the space station, drop off blue walker satellite, third burn to bring orbit back down to Starlink orbit, and a fourth burn to circularity orbit. Final burn to de orbit second stage to burn up in atmosphere. Something like that.

 

[Grendal]

The Starlinks were dropped off after the fourth burn. The second stage is then spun to release the Starlink satellites and help separate them. That is done with the cold gas thrusters, not the second stage engine.