SpaceX F9 - Starlink Group 4-9 - LC-39A

[Grendal]

Launch Date: March 3
Launch Window: 9:32am EST (6:32am PST, 14:32 UTC)
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Core Booster Recovery: ASDS - JRTI
Booster: B1060-11
Fairings: Reused - Yes
Mass: 47 satellites - 13.5 tonnes
Orbit: LEO

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 39th group of satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink 4-9.

This mission is flying southeast performing a dogleg maneuver around Bahamas which lowers the performance of the rocket. It will also insert the satellites into a higher orbit than previous missions so both effects combine together to have the rocket flying only 46 satellites.

This will be SpaceX 9th orbital launch this year.

 

[Cosmacelf]

This booster is one of four boosters that have flown 10 or more times. Amazing.

 

[adiggs]

Will this one be the first 12th?

 

[Grendal]

Will this one be the first 12th?

No. This will be the third one to 11. The life leaders are:
B1051 at 11 on 12/18/2021
B1058 at 11 on 2/21/2022
B1049 at 10 on 9/14/2021 - probably getting refurbished considering the time frame

I'll stick with B1051 as the first to 12. That booster was the first to carry astronauts. It's probably the most thoroughly checked out and tested booster of the fleet.

 

[Grendal]

 

[Cosmacelf]

View attachment 775619

cant read. Too smol.

 

[Grendal]

cant read. Too smol.

Sorry. It was a copy of someone else's picture.

 

[Grendal]

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

No. This will be the third one to 11. The life leaders are:
B1051 at 11 on 12/18/2021
B1058 at 11 on 2/21/2022
B1049 at 10 on 9/14/2021 - probably getting refurbished considering the time frame

I'll stick with B1051 as the first to 12. That booster was the first to carry astronauts. It's probably the most thoroughly checked out and tested booster of the fleet.

I think they'll add more. Musk just likes it to go up to 11.

 

[HVM]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1499392832137695237

 

[ecarfan]

These flights are becoming so routine that this time at stage sep I did not hear any applause in the background of the web hosts commentary from nearby SpaceX employees in Hawthorne. But unlike a recent launch, I did hear Gywnne give the final count.

During ascent a bit after the vehicle went transonic there was a cool shockwave effect around the rocket that was only visible for a fraction of a second. I tried to make a screen capture of it but couldn’t quite get it during the very brief closeup view.

 

[HVM]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1499404888433827848

https://twitter.com/x/status/1499410762086817794