SpaceX F9 : WorldView Legion Flight 3 : KSC LC-39A : 4 February 2025 (23:13 UTC)

[gongora]

Thread for WorldView Legion Flight 3

NSF Threads for WorldView Legion: Flight 1, Flight 2, Flight 3

Launch on Falcon 9 on 4 February 2025 at 23:13:00 UTC (6:13 pm EST), from KSC LC-39A.  Legion 5 deployed to 450km @ 45deg, Legion 6 deployed to 700km @ 45deg..  Falcon 9 first stage B1086-4 successfully landed at LZ-1.

Launch will occur on or after November 15, 2024, depending on launch availability.

Accordingly, for the instant STA, Maxar will be able to provide more precise estimates for the WorldView Legion 5 and 6 beaconing transmissions occurring outside earth station coverage when Maxar obtains more information about its specific launch window, which will occur closer to the yet-to-be finalized launch date.

[zubenelgenubi]

Launch is not in early November.

Cross-posts:

My bold:

Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated October 31:

The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on November 3 at 4:57-8:57 p.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the CRS-31 Cargo Dragon resupply mission to the ISS from pad 39A on November 4 at 9:29 p.m. EST. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch the Koreasat 6A communication satellite from pad 40 on early November. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch from pad 40. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches. A Falcon 9 will launch the GSAT-20 communication satellite for India on mid-November. A Falcon 9 will launch the SiriusXM-9 communication satellite on November 23 earliest.

Also, Koreasat 6A:

NextSpaceflight; updated October 31:
Launch NET 11 November, from CCSFS SLC-40, RTLS landing (LZ-1 or 2)

<snip>
What is the single launch, if not Starlink?
WorldView Legion 5/6?
Blue Ghost?
Something National Security?

Answer?
Optus-X:

NextSpaceflight; updated October 31:
Launch NET 17 November, SLC-40, no mention of landing location.

Edited

My bold:

Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, 2nd update October 31:

The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on November 3 at 4:57-8:57 p.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the CRS-31 Cargo Dragon resupply mission to the ISS from pad 39A on November 4 at 9:29 p.m. EST. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch the Koreasat 6A communication satellite from pad 40 on mid-November. A Falcon 9 will launch from pad 40. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches. A Falcon 9 will launch the GSAT-20 communication satellite for India on late November. A Falcon 9 will launch the SiriusXM-9 communication satellite on late November.

GSAT-N2 / GSAT-20:

NextSpaceflight; updated October 31:
Launch NET 23 November

SXM-9:

NextSpaceflight; updated October 31:
Launch NET 28 November

Launch is NET November.  Remember, after SpX-31, both LC-39A and SLC-40 are available through November and much of December.

[zubenelgenubi]

No sign of a November launch.  NET December?

Edit/add upon further reflection:
We have no news that the satellites have been delivered from Maxar to the Cape.  There was such notice for Flight 2 because Antonov delivered those satellites from Moffett in California.

Launch NET December, with the possibility of slipping into 2025?

[Galactic Penguin SST]

From MAXAR's press release of first photos from satellites #3 and 4: [Nov 21]

What’s next for the WorldView Legion program?

* We continue to progress through the commissioning and calibration process for our third and fourth WorldView Legion satellites, which were launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, in August 2024.
* We expect both satellites to be supporting customer missions soon.
We are on track to launch fifth and sixth WorldView Legion satellites in the coming months.

I take that as "NET early 2025".

[GewoonLukas_]

Maxar prepares for final WorldView Legion launch to complete advanced imaging constellation
November 21, 2024

Maxar Intelligence is targeting early 2025 for the launch of its final pair of WorldView Legion imaging satellites, marking the completion of an ambitious six-spacecraft Earth observation constellation.

“We’re ready to go,” CEO Dan Smoot said in an interview.  He said Maxar is in discussions with SpaceX to schedule the launch as soon as possible,  though the timing remains fluid given SpaceX’s packed manifest of customers.

[...]

[AndrewM]

Seems like this might be in February now or at the very end of January.

The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 39A on December 31 at 12:39-1:28 a.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the Thuraya 4-NGS communication satellite for the UAE from pad 40 on January 2 at 12:00-1:53 a.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on January 5 at 12:10-4:10 p.m. EST. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches. A Falcon 9 will launch the first Firefly Blue Ghost & second Japanese iSpace HAKUTO-R lunar landers to the moon on mid-January TBA, in the middle of the night EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the Spainsat NG-1 communication satellite on January 27 around 11 p.m. EST.

[Dec 29]

https://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Guide.html

[GewoonLukas_]

Satellites have been delivered to Cape Canaveral. Launch is scheduled for next month:

Third Set of WorldView Legion Satellites Arrive at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
01.09.2025

Maxar Intelligence is preparing the fifth and sixth WorldView Legion™ satellites for launch after the two satellites, manufactured by Maxar Space Systems, recently arrived in Florida after a cross-country road trip. They will be launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket into mid-inclination orbit (MIO) as early as next month.

[...]

These satellites will enter MIO at the opposing 45-degree angle from the WorldView Legion satellites in Launch 2. With four satellites in MIO and six satellites in sun-synchronous orbit, Maxar will be able to revisit some locations on Earth up to 15 times per day and triple our 30 cm-class collection capacity.

[...]

[AndrewM]

Targeting early February now.

A Falcon 9 will launch the Worldview Legion 5 & 6 satellites for Maxar on early February. A Falcon 9 will launch the IM-2 lunder lander for NASA & Intuitive Machines from pad 39A on February 26.

[Jan 9]

https://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Guide.html

[zubenelgenubi]

My bold; LZ-1 landing:

Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated January 16:

The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 39A on January 21 at 12:13-4:13 a.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on January 24 at 5:45-9:45 p.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the Spainsat NG-1 communication satellite on January 28 around 11 p.m. EST. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches. A Falcon 9 will launch the Worldview Legion 5 & 6 satellites for Maxar on early February. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch the IM-2 lunar lander for NASA & Intuitive Machines from pad 39A on February 26. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch.

[GewoonLukas_]

First NOTAM is out. Comparing to the NOTAM for 3 & 4, launch should be around 23:41 UTC on February 3rd:

F0342/25 NOTAMN
Q) YMMM/QWMLW/IV/BO/W/000/999/4238S09259E450
A) YMMM
B) 2502040159 C) 2502100059
D) 2502040159 TO 2502040330
   2502050134 TO 2502050305
   2502060109 TO 2502060240
   2502070043 TO 2502070214
   2502080018 TO 2502080149
   2502082353 TO 2502090124
   2502092328 TO 2502100059
E) ROCKET LAUNCH WILL TAKE PLACE
FLW RECEIVED FROM GOVERNMENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
HAZARDOUS OPS WILL BE CONDUCTED FOR ATMOSPHERIC RE-ENTRY AND
SPLASHDOWN OF SPACEX DIGITAL GLOBE 3 STAGE 2 WI THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
4514S 10151E
4327S 10242E
3916S 08439E
4103S 08351E TO BEGINNING
F) SFC G) UNL

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Ben Cooper has the launch time down as 23:32 UTC.

A Falcon 9 will launch the Worldview Legion 5 & 6 satellites for Maxar on February 3 at 6:32 p.m. EST. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch.

[zubenelgenubi]

Which first stage will be used for this launch? (semi-rhetorical question)

Falcon 9 first stages are now cleared for use up to forty times for non-crewed launches, although that number is apparently more restricted for Cargo Dragon or Cygnus than these other payloads.

Available first stages, with UTC date of most recent recovery:
1072.2    Jun 25
1069.21  Nov 21  Starlink 12-3
1076.20  Dec 5     Starlink 12-7
1090.2    Dec 17
1078.17  Dec 31
1073.21  Jan 4    Spainsat-NG I expended?
1077.18  Jan 6
1086.4    Jan 8
1067.26  Jan 10  (Spainsat-NG I expended?)
1080.16  Jan 13
1085.6    Jan 15
1083.9    Jan 21  (maybe)

Edit February 1 UTC: It's B1086.4, skipping B1072.2, B1090.2, B1078.17, and B1077.18.

[randomname]

NGA rocket launching notice for this launch.

291034Z JAN 25
NAVAREA IV 125/25(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   032332Z TO 040103Z FEB, ALTERNATE
   042307Z TO 050038Z, 052242Z TO 060013Z,
   062216Z TO 062347Z, 072151Z TO 072322Z,
   082126Z TO 082257Z AND 092101Z TO 092232Z FEB
   IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-38.71N 080-37.48W, 28-45.00N 080-25.00W,
      28-45.00N 080-12.00W, 28-42.00N 080-07.00W,
      28-38.00N 080-07.00W, 28-29.00N 080-21.00W,
      28-27.04N 080-31.54W.
   B. 30-24.00N 078-03.00W, 31-29.00N 076-33.00W,
      31-34.00N 076-08.00W, 31-19.00N 075-53.00W,
      31-04.00N 075-58.00W, 30-09.00N 077-53.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 092332Z FEB 25.//

[zubenelgenubi]

Starlink 12-3:

CADENA OIS shows this launch as slipping to NET February 3 for some reason:

Primary REENTRY day: 03 Feb 25 / 0854Z - 03 Feb 25 / 1325Z <snip>

Assuming Starlink 12-3 remains at SLC-40, WorldView Legion Flight 3, launching the same day, must launch from LC-39A.

[zubenelgenubi]

Assuming Starlink 12-3 remains at SLC-40, WorldView Legion Flight 3, launching the same day, must launch from LC-39A.

My bold:

Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated January 30, after Spainsat-NG I launch:

The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on February 3 at 3:54-7:54 a.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the Worldview Legion 5 & 6 satellites for Maxar from pad 39A on February 3 at 6:32-7:33 p.m. EST. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches. A Falcon 9 will launch the IM-2 lunar lander for NASA & Intuitive Machines from pad 39A on February 26. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch.

= 3 Feb 23:32 to 4 Feb 00:33 UTC

[Martin_G]

https://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_spt.jsp:

SPACEX DIGITAL GLOBE, KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL
PRIMARY:   02/03/25   2332Z-0103Z
BACKUP:      02/04/25   2307Z-0038Z

[StraumliBlight]

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=maxar3

SpaceX is targeting Monday, February 3 for launch of the Maxar 3 mission to orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 60-minute window opens at 6:32 p.m. ET. If needed, a backup launch opportunity is available on Tuesday, February 4 with a 60-minute window opening at 6:07 p.m. ET.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about 15 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app.

This will be the fourth flight for the Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched GOES-U and two Starlink missions. After stage separation, the first stage will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

B1086.4

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1885496650480968171

[Steven Pietrobon]

PDF of online press kit and link to X livestream.

https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1MYGNMlzVVXKw

[catdlr]

Here is a consolidated post of available video links for this launch:

SpaceX direct live broadcast on Twitter:  https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1MYGNMlzVVXKw

SpaceX Re-broadcast alternatives on YouTube: 
Space Affairs: https://youtube.com/watch?v=V99upBr1Z6Y

Replay supplied by The Space Devs (15 min after the broadcast end):  https://youtube.com/@thespacedevs/videos

Summary Video provided by SciNews (15 min after the broadcast ends):  https://youtube.com/@SciNewsRo/videos

NSF Live Coverage: This will be provided later and updated here.

[realnouns]

Bob departed PC on Jan 27 @ 9:47am ET

Bob returned to PC on Feb 1 @ 10:59am ET

Bob departed PC on Feb 2 @ 9:43am ET