SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 12-2 : KSC LC-39A : 23 December 2024 (05:35 UTC)

[zubenelgenubi]

Thread for the Starlink Group 12-2 launch.

Launch 23 December 2024, at 05:35:30 UTC (12:35 am EST), from KSC LC-39A, on booster 1080-14.  The first stage successfully landed aboard Just Read the Instructions.

Payload 21 Starlink V2 Mini satellites, including 13 with Direct-to-Cell capabilities, to a 43 degree inclination orbit on a southeastern trajectory.  Initial orbit 284 x 293 km.

Please use the Starlink Discussion Thread for all general discussion on Starlink.

Check the Starlink Index Thread for links to more Starlink information.

[zubenelgenubi]

My bolds:

Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated November 23:

The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on November 25 at 4:32-8:32 a.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 39A on November 25 at 10:31 p.m. - 2:31 a.m. EST. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches. A Falcon 9 will launch the SiriusXM-9 communication satellite on early December around 11 a.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the next pair of O3b mPOWER satellites for SES on mid-December. A Falcon 9 will launch the next GPS satellite for the U.S. Space Force on December. A Falcon 9 will launch the Astranis MicroGEO mission on December [NET Dec 16]. A Falcon 9 will launch the Thuraya 4-NGS communication satellite for the UAE on December [NET Dec 19]. A Falcon 9 will launch Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander to the moon on mid-January.

Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated November 28:

The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on November 30 at 12:00-4:00 a.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on December 4 at 3:29-7:29 a.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the SiriusXM-9 communication satellite from pad 39A on December 5 at 11:10 a.m. - 1:10 p.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the next pair of O3b mPOWER satellites for SES from pad 39A on mid-December. A Falcon 9 will launch the next GPS satellite for the U.S. Space Force from pad 40 on December. A Falcon 9 will launch the Astranis MicroGEO mission on December. A Falcon 9 will launch the Thuraya 4-NGS communication satellite for the UAE on December. A Falcon 9 will launch Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander to the moon on mid-January.

SLC-40 is scheduled to launch Starlink 6-70 on December 4 UTC, followed by Starlink 12-5 on December 8 UTC.

There is time for a launch campaign at SLC-40, circa the same NET December 12 date of the O3b mPower 7/8 launch from LC-39A.

Currently, there is no mention of Florida Starlink launches later in December, but there is time for such launch campaigns between the SpaceX commercial customers.

The GPS III-10 launch could also happen in mid or late December.  As above, that launch will proceed from SLC-40.

[zubenelgenubi]

As of December 6 afternoon EST, near future Florida Falcon 9 launches (launch time UTC):

Dec 8 NET 05:10  Starlink 12-5         SLC-40  ASOG

Dec 12 20:55       O3b mPower 7/8  LC-39A  JRTI?

Dec 17 03:37       Astranis Block 2   SLC-40  LZ-1?

Dec 18 01:26      Thuraya 4-NGS      LC-39A  ASDS

There may still be time circa December 12 for a Starlink launch from SLC-40.  But, that gap may be deliberate; we don't know when in December that the next GPS launch is.

We shall see.

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post:

Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated December 6:

The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on December 8 at 12:10-4:10 a.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the next pair of O3b mPOWER satellites for SES from pad 39A on December 12 at 3:55-5:55 p.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the next GPS satellite for the U.S. Space Force from pad 40 on December. A Falcon 9 will launch the Astranis MicroGEO mission on December. A Falcon 9 will launch the Thuraya 4-NGS communication satellite for the UAE on December. A Falcon 9 will launch Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander to the moon on mid-January.

Noting that the GPS launch, in listings that are generally in chronological order, remains at SLC-40 before the Astranis launch.  Circa December 12?

Also noting that discussion in the launch thread is that the GPS SV may not be SV10; perhaps SV07 or 08?

The next Starlink launch is probably NET late December.

[catdlr]

Cross-post:

Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated December 6:

The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on December 8 at 12:10-4:10 a.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the next pair of O3b mPOWER satellites for SES from pad 39A on December 12 at 3:55-5:55 p.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the next GPS satellite for the U.S. Space Force from pad 40 on December. A Falcon 9 will launch the Astranis MicroGEO mission on December. A Falcon 9 will launch the Thuraya 4-NGS communication satellite for the UAE on December. A Falcon 9 will launch Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander to the moon on mid-January.

Noting that the GPS launch, in listings that are generally in chronological order, remains at SLC-40 before the Astranis launch.  Circa December 12?

Also noting that discussion in the launch thread is that the GPS SV may not be SV10; perhaps SV07 or 08?

The next Starlink launch is probably NET late December.

The backlog of commercial launches is resulting in a delay for the next Starlink launch. This situation poses challenges for the integration of payloads, which is likely to experience a significant workload due to these circumstances. Good luck. I hope the weather doesn't interfere.

[zubenelgenubi]

My bold:

Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated December 11:

The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the next GPS satellite for the U.S. Space Force from pad 40 on December 13 at 8:04 p.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the next pair of O3b mPOWER satellites for SES from pad 39A on December 15 at 3:58-5:58 p.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the Astranis MicroGEO mission from pad 40 on December 17 in the evening EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the Thuraya 4-NGS communication satellite for the UAE on December. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches. A Falcon 9 will launch Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander to the moon on mid-January.

More Starlink batches after the Florida December commercial and government clients are served!  (Launch NET late December, working around FAA holiday season commercial aviation demands.  Also, hopefully allow SpaceX'ers and others working the Eastern Range a very merry Christmas.)

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Starlink Group 12-2 has now appeared at https://www.cadenaois.org/vpublic_anspdetail.jsp?view=15#.

Primary Launch Day 21 Dec 0428Z-0859Z Backup Launch Day (1) 22 Dec 0500Z-0859Z Backup Launch Day (2) 23 Dec 0500Z-0931Z Backup Launch Day (3) 24 Dec 0428Z-0859Z Backup Launch Day (4) 25 Dec 0500Z-0859Z Backup Launch Day (5) 26 Dec 0500Z-0859Z Backup Launch Day (6) 27 Dec 0500Z-0931Z

[zubenelgenubi]

NextSpaceflight; updated December 13:
21 December 2024 04:28 UTC = 20 Dec 11:28 pm EST, LC-39A

[zubenelgenubi]

ASDS turnaround appears problematic.  I suspect that a launch will be delayed, even without any other issues.

The GPS launch/ASOG recovery is Dec 14 UTC.
The mPower launch/JRTI recovery is now Dec 16.
The Astranis launch/ASOG recovery is Dec 18 UTC.
The Thuraya launch/ASDS recovery is also Dec 21 UTC.

Starlink Group 12-2 has now appeared at https://www.cadenaois.org/vpublic_anspdetail.jsp?view=15#.

Primary Launch Day 21 Dec 0428Z-0859Z Backup Launch Day (1) 22 Dec 0500Z-0859Z Backup Launch Day (2) 23 Dec 0500Z-0931Z Backup Launch Day (3) 24 Dec 0428Z-0859Z Backup Launch Day (4) 25 Dec 0500Z-0859Z Backup Launch Day (5) 26 Dec 0500Z-0859Z Backup Launch Day (6) 27 Dec 0500Z-0931Z

[FutureSpaceTourist]

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Looks like it has been pushed back to December 23:

F4917/24 NOTAMN
Q) YMMM/QWMLW/IV/BO/W/000/999/1613S08234E750
A) YMMM
B) 2412230657 C) 2412291132
D) 2412230657 TO 2412231204
   2412240625 TO 2412241132
   2412250657 TO 2412251132
   2412260657 TO 2412261132
   2412270657 TO 2412271204
   2412280625 TO 2412281132
   2412290657 TO 2412291132
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 STARLINK 12-2 ROCKET WI THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
2033S 07500E
0746S 08927E
0853S 09228E
2422S 07500E TO BEGINNING
F) SFC G) UNL

[Ken the Bin]

Here's an NGA Rocket Launching notice that really is for this launch.

Note that the current multi-launch NGA Space Debris notices (the same notice for two different Navigational Areas) will expire on December 22, so new notices will be needed, whether single launch or multi-launch.

181011Z DEC 24
NAVAREA IV 1592/24(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING 
   230500Z TO 230931Z DEC, ALTERNATE
   240428Z TO 240859Z, 250500Z TO 250859Z, 
   260500Z TO 260859Z AND 
   270500Z TO 270931Z DEC IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-39.00N 080-37.69W, 28-39.00N 080-28.00W,
      28-30.00N 080-10.00W, 28-24.00N 080-09.00W,
      28-21.00N 080-11.00W, 28-23.00N 080-19.00W,
      28-29.35N 080-32.49W.
   B. 26-24.00N 076-29.00W, 26-29.00N 076-25.00W,
      26-29.00N 075-54.00W, 26-12.00N 075-07.00W,
      25-44.00N 074-19.00W, 25-24.00N 074-09.00W,
      25-10.00N 074-29.00W, 25-17.00N 074-58.00W,
      25-43.00N 075-40.00W, 26-01.00N 076-09.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 271031Z DEC 24.//

[Ken the Bin]

Preliminary information from CelesTrak.

Usually when there are Backup Launch Opportunities, the primary launch opportunity and Backup Launch Opportunities are sub-windows of the overall launch window on the Primary Day.

But this time, the primary launch opportunity is the overall four-hour launch window for December 23 and Backup Launch Opportunity #1 is the overall four-hour launch window for December 24.

https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/

Starlink G12-2 Pre-Launch
Derived from a pre-launch Starlink-G12-2 state vector, provided by SpaceX. SupGP data is provided for the entire stack, as well as one for a single satellite.
Launch: 2024-12-23 05:00:00 UTC.
Deploy: 2024-12-23 06:05:15.260 UTC.
Launch window: 2024-12-23 05:00:00 UTC to 2024-12-23 09:00:00 UTC.
Backup Launch Opportunity #1
Launch: 2024-12-24 04:28:00 UTC.
Deploy: 2024-12-24 05:33:15.260 UTC.
Launch window: 2024-12-24 04:28:00 UTC to 2024-12-24 08:28:00 UTC.

Stack = 284 x 293 km 43.00°.
Single = 284 x 294 km 43.00°.

[Ken the Bin]

<snip>

Note that the current multi-launch NGA Space Debris notices (the same notice for two different Navigational Areas) will expire on December 22, so new notices will be needed, whether single launch or multi-launch.

<snip>

NGA Space Debris notices (the same notice for two different Navigational Areas).

Note that these are multi-launch Space Debris notices, running from December 23 to January 31.

182225Z DEC 24
HYDROPAC 3844/24(57,61,71).
EASTERN SOUTH ATLANTIC.
INDIAN OCEAN.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   23 DEC THRU 31 JAN 25 IN AREA BOUND BY
   08-53.00S 092-28.00E, 07-46.00S 089-27.00E,
   30-12.00S 061-09.00E, 40-45.00S 002-21.00W,
   42-56.00S 002-24.00W, 32-16.00S 063-10.00E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 010001Z FEB 25.

182225Z DEC 24
HYDROLANT 2559/24(57,61,71).
EASTERN SOUTH ATLANTIC.
INDIAN OCEAN.
DNC 01, DNC 02, DNC 03.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   23 DEC THRU 31 JAN 25 IN AREA BOUND BY
   08-53.00S 092-28.00E, 07-46.00S 089-27.00E,
   30-12.00S 061-09.00E, 40-45.00S 002-21.00W,
   42-56.00S 002-24.00W, 32-16.00S 063-10.00E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 010001Z FEB 25.

[Ken the Bin]

Cancel-and-replace NGA Rocket Launching notice.

The length of the Backup Day #1 hazard period is reduced, two additional Backup Days are added, and the expiration date is adjusted accordingly.

192053Z DEC 24
NAVAREA IV 1600/24(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING 
   230500Z TO 230931Z DEC, ALTERNATE
   240428Z TO 240731Z, 250500Z TO 250859Z, 
   260500Z TO 260859Z, 270500Z TO 270931Z,
   280428Z TO 280859Z AND 290500Z
   TO 290859Z DEC IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-39.00N 080-37.69W, 28-39.00N 080-28.00W,
      28-30.00N 080-10.00W, 28-24.00N 080-09.00W,
      28-21.00N 080-11.00W, 28-23.00N 080-19.00W,
      28-29.35N 080-32.49W.
   B. 26-24.00N 076-29.00W, 26-29.00N 076-25.00W,
      26-29.00N 075-54.00W, 26-12.00N 075-07.00W,
      25-44.00N 074-19.00W, 25-24.00N 074-09.00W,
      25-10.00N 074-29.00W, 25-17.00N 074-58.00W,
      25-43.00N 075-40.00W, 26-01.00N 076-09.00W.
2. CANCEL NAVAREA IV 1592/24.
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 290959Z DEC 24.

[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
1073.20  Nov 18
1069.21  Nov 21
1080.14  Nov 25
1078.16  Nov 27
1083.7    Nov 30
1067.25  Dec 4
1076.20  Dec 5
1086.3    Dec 8

Edit December 22 UTC: It's B1080.14, skipping over B1072.2, B1073.20, and B1069.21.

[Ken the Bin]

SpaceX is targeting 2024-12-23 05:35:30 UTC per the updated information from CelesTrak.

https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/

Starlink G12-2 Pre-Launch
Derived from a pre-launch Starlink-G12-2 state vector, provided by SpaceX. SupGP data is provided for the entire stack, as well as one for a single satellite.
Launch: 2024-12-23 05:35:30 UTC.
Deploy: 2024-12-23 06:40:44.620 UTC.
Launch window: 2024-12-23 05:35:30 UTC to 2024-12-23 05:37:30 UTC.
Backup Launch Opportunity #1
Launch: 2024-12-23 05:44:50 UTC.
Deploy: 2024-12-23 06:50:04.620 UTC.
Launch window: 2024-12-23 05:44:50 UTC to 2024-12-23 05:46:40 UTC.
Backup Launch Opportunity #2
Launch: 2024-12-23 06:40:20 UTC.
Deploy: 2024-12-23 07:45:34.620 UTC.
Launch window: 2024-12-23 06:40:20 UTC to 2024-12-23 06:41:00 UTC.
Backup Launch Opportunity #3
Launch: 2024-12-23 07:20:20 UTC.
Deploy: 2024-12-23 08:25:34.620 UTC.
Launch window: 2024-12-23 07:20:20 UTC to 2024-12-23 07:22:30 UTC.
Backup Launch Opportunity #4
Launch: 2024-12-23 08:20:10 UTC.
Deploy: 2024-12-23 09:25:24.620 UTC.
Launch window: 2024-12-23 08:20:10 UTC to 2024-12-23 08:20:50 UTC.
Backup Launch Opportunity #5
Launch: 2024-12-23 08:20:50 UTC.
Deploy: 2024-12-23 09:26:04.620 UTC.
Launch window: 2024-12-23 08:20:50 UTC to 2024-12-23 08:21:20 UTC.

284 x 293 km 43.00°.

[realnouns]

SWH3 + JRTI departed PC on Dec 15 @ 848am ET

Signet Warhorse III + JRTI + B1090 returned to PC on Dec 19 @ 5:48pm ET

Signet Warhorse III + JRTI departed PC on Dec 20 @ 7:53pm ET

[realnouns]

Doug had entered Port of Morehead City sometime before Dec 15 @ 12:35am ET

Doug departed PMC on Dec 16 @ 5:53am ET

Doug returned to PC on Dec 19 @ 3:01pm ET

Doug departed PC on Dec 21 @ 8:23am ET

[Ken the Bin]

No post from SpaceX about it on X, but the mission webpage is up.

Targeting December 23 at 05:35 UTC, matching the CelesTrak information.
Booster = B1080-14.

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-12-2

SpaceX is targeting Monday, December 23 for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, to low-Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 12:35 a.m. ET, with backup opportunities available until 3:21 a.m. ET. If needed, additional opportunities are also available the next day starting at 12:10 a.m. ET.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about five 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 is the 14th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Axiom-2, Axiom-3, CRS-30, SES 24, Cygnus NG-21, Euclid, and seven Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.