SpaceX F9 - Starlink Group 4-22 - SLC-40

[Grendal]

Launch Date: July 17
Launch Window: 10:50am EDT (07:50am PDT, 14:50 UTC)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS), Florida
Core Booster Recovery: ASDS - JRTI
Booster: B1051.13
Fairings: Reused - 3rd time each - 50 attempt at recovery overall
Mass: 53 satellites - 15.6 tonnes
Orbit: LEO
Yearly Launch Number: 31st

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 51th group of satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink 4-22. B1051 will be the third booster to reach 13 launches. It was the first to reach 10, 11, and 12.

 

[808?]

 

[Grendal]

Weather isn't good. 50% chance of favorable weather. The next day is much better. Probably going to have a 24 hour delay...maybe.

 

[HVM]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1548674180492787712

https://twitter.com/x/status/1548676422784487424

 

[Grendal]

Yet another successful launch, MECO, landing, and SECO. Deployment will be confirmed via social media and very likely successful.

127th landing of an orbital class booster. B1051 is now up for a possible 14th launch.

Supersonic visuals were extra cool for this one.

 

[HVM]

Again webcast was ended before deploy...

 

[ecarfan]

Supersonic visuals were extra cool for this one.

Absolutely! I don’t recall seeing such a sharp close up image of the vehicle at that point in the mission.

Again webcast was ended before deploy...

Yes, and I find that odd. There was just a few minutes to go before deployment when the webcast ended. Why not show the deployment?

Here’s some screen captures just as the vehicle went supersonic. Awesome.

 

[HVM]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1548677876731375616

Deployment of 53 Starlink satellites confirmed

 

[Electroman]

Again webcast was ended before deploy...

I am guessing this is a routine deployment, so why bother? They are getting the video feed from the 2nd stage anyway, so not sure SpaceX is saving any money by having the webcast running for a few more minutes.

 

[Cosmacelf]

At T+5:32 there's a hardware piece that's fallen off and is floating away from the booster. It then suddenly yeets to the left just when the video has a momentary glitch. Very odd...

Maybe a cold gas thruster jet hit it.

 

[ecarfan]

At T+5:32 there's a hardware piece that's fallen off and is floating away from the booster. It then suddenly yeets to the left just when the video has a momentary glitch. Very odd...

Maybe a cold gas thruster jet hit it.

That appears to be a piece of ice that was then accelerated by an N2 thruster blast. Those thrusters have some kick to them.