SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 4-37 : KSC LC-39A : 17 December 2022 (21:32 UTC)

[Nomadd]

 Will this be the last Group 4 launch until replacements start going up?

[jebbo]

Will this be the last Group 4 launch until replacements start going up?

Probably ... 1583 out of 1584 planned are "up".

Jonathan's constellations page is here:  https://planet4589.org/space/stats/conlist.html

--- Tony

[Alexphysics]

Will this be the last Group 4 launch until replacements start going up?

There's still a few more Group 4 launches left, I think this might actually be the replacement batch already since there's still like 4-5 more "holes" in the list of Group 4 launches (example is Starlink Group 4-24). As far as actual true replacements go, I'm sure the mini Starlink v2s are gonna be that replacement

[kevin-rf]

Will this be the last Group 4 launch until replacements start going up?

Probably ... 1583 out of 1584 planned are "up".

Jonathan's constellations page is here:  https://planet4589.org/space/stats/conlist.html

--- Tony

1583 is the total number launched.  That includes satellites that have deorbit for one reason or another.  1518 are currently in orbit. So one and a half launches are still needed.

See his other page: https://planet4589.org/space/stats/star/stats.html

[zubenelgenubi]

NextSpaceFlight, updated November 12?:
Launch NET December

Follow-on to delays of the previous Eutelsat 10B and HAKUTO-R launches from SLC-40.

[zubenelgenubi]

SFN Launch Schedule, updated November 22:
December launch

[zubenelgenubi]

Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated November 27:

Other upcoming launches include more Starlink batches on December TBD.

Will Starlink 4-37 still be the SLC-40 launch immediately following HAKUTO-R?  If so, it would be an early December launch.

Edit November 30 UTC :  True, even with HAKUTO-R delayed from November 30 to December 1.

[Ken the Bin]

Per the current FAA ATCSCC Current Operations Plan:

SPACEX STARLINK 4-37 (X1452), CCSFS, FL
PRIMARY:    12/06       0121-0329Z
BACKUP:     12/07       0100-0307Z
            12/08       0038-0245Z
            12/09       0016-0224Z (FIRST ATTEMPT)
            12/09       2355-0202Z (SECOND ATTEMPT)
            12/10       2333-0141Z
            12/11       2312-0119Z

This should be taken with a large grain of salt.  The Space Operations information in the Plan is not always accurate.

[scr00chy]

Spaceflight Now shows the launch on Dec 5 at ~9 pm EST (updated on Nov 29).

Ben Cooper has Dec 6 in the evening EST (updated on Nov 30).

Considering the HAKUTO-R delay, Dec 6 EST / Dec 7 UTC is probably the earliest possible date anyway.

[GewoonLukas_]

NextSpaceflight (Updated 30 November)
Launch NET December 7th, 01:29 UTC
B1058.15 no longer listed

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7015

[ZachS09]

OneWeb L15 and Starlink 4-37 will be launching almost three hours apart from each other. I think that's a new record for the shortest gap between two Falcon 9 launches.

[zubenelgenubi]

Will the Starlink 4-37 launch move forward to launch as soon as possible; or be the next SLC-40 launch on December 7 UTC; or will it retain its place in line at SLC-40 after HAKUTO-R?

The third choice would delay the launch of Starlink 4-37.

After further inspections of the launch vehicle and data review, we're standing down from tomorrow's launch of @ispace_inc's HAKUTO-R Mission 1; a new target launch date will be shared once confirmed. [Dec 1 UTC]

Edit December 1: So far, no changes to the SLC-40 launch order or timing.

Edit Dec 3: Choice #3.  Starlink 4-37 delayed; HAKUTO-R scheduled to launch Dec 7 instead.


What first stage will now launch this flight?

Available first stages and most recent landing date
1052.8    Sep 5 (last use before modifications to return to a Falcon Heavy side booster to launch ViaSat-3 Americas)
1058.15  Sep 11
1077.2    Oct 5
1060.15  Oct 8
1069.4    Oct 15
1062.11  Oct 20
1067.8    Nov 3

NextSpaceflight (Updated 30 November)
Launch NET December 7th, 01:29 UTC
B1058.15 no longer listed

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7015

Edited

Edit December 15: It's 1058.15, again.

[zubenelgenubi]

Launch scheduled within the window described for December 7 UTC.

Per the current FAA ATCSCC Current Operations Plan:

SPACEX STARLINK 4-37 (X1452), CCSFS, FL
PRIMARY:    12/06       0121-0329Z
BACKUP:     12/07       0100-0307Z
            12/08       0038-0245Z
            12/09       0016-0224Z (FIRST ATTEMPT)
            12/09       2355-0202Z (SECOND ATTEMPT)
            12/10       2333-0141Z
            12/11       2312-0119Z

This should be taken with a large grain of salt.  The Space Operations information in the Plan is not always accurate.

NextSpaceflight (Updated 30 November)
Launch NET December 7th, 01:29 UTC
<snip>
https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7015

[realnouns]

What first stage will now launch this flight?

Available first stages and most recent landing date
1052.8    Sep 5 (last use before modifications to return to a Falcon Heavy side booster to launch ViaSat-3 Americas)
1058.15  Sep 11
1077.2    Oct 5
1060.15  Oct 8
1069.4    Oct 15
1062.11  Oct 20
1067.8    Nov 3

NextSpaceflight (Updated 30 November)
Launch NET December 7th, 01:29 UTC
B1058.15 no longer listed
https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7015

Why 1058.15 crossed out (could still be used, no)?  1077.2 currently assigned to GPS III SV06 and 1069.4 assigned to OneWeb #15 per NxSF.  Seems like 1052 or 1058 are raring to go

[Ken the Bin]

NGA notice.  Note that the Primary Day is December 6 UTC, December 5 EST.

261956Z NOV 22
NAVAREA IV 1281/22(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   060121Z TO 060329Z DEC, ALTERNATE 
   070100Z TO 070307Z, 080038Z TO 080245Z, 
   090016Z TO 090224Z, 092355Z TO 100202Z, 
   102333Z TO 110141Z AND
   112312Z TO 120119Z DEC IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-39.47N 080-38.01W, 29-09.00N 080-02.00W,
      29-03.00N 079-55.00W, 28-53.00N 080-02.00W,
      28-35.00N 080-22.00W.
  B. 31-52.00N 076-56.00W, 32-51.00N 076-06.00W,
      33-20.00N 074-59.00W, 33-14.00N 074-54.00W,
      32-32.00N 075-11.00W, 31-42.00N 076-46.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 120219Z DEC 22.//

[Ken the Bin]

Reviewing NGA notices that I was unable to identify, it looks like these two Space Debris notices that I received previously go along with the Rocket Launching notice that I received today.  These two notices are the same thing, for two different Navigational Areas.

290717Z NOV 22
NAVAREA XII 926/22(83).
EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN.
1. 1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS 
   060231Z TO 060419Z DEC, ALTERNATE 
   070210Z TO 070357Z, 080148Z TO 080335Z, 
   090126Z TO 090314Z, 100105Z TO 100252Z, 
   110043Z TO 110231Z AND 120022Z TO 120209Z DEC
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   03-30.00N 123-06.00W, 03-30.00N 120-58.00W,
   15-23.00S 133-53.00W, 14-26.00S 135-24.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 120309Z DEC 22.//

011758Z DEC 22
HYDROPAC 3421/22(83).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
EASTERN SOUTH PACIFIC.
DNC 06, DNC 13.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS 060231Z TO 060419Z,
   ALTERNATE 070210Z TO 070357Z, 080148Z TO 080335Z, 
   090126Z TO 090314Z, 100105Z TO 100252Z, 110043Z TO 110231Z,
   120022Z TO 120209Z DEC IN AREA BOUND BY
   A. 03-30.00N 123-06.00W, 03-30.00N 120-58.00W, 
       15-23.00S 133-53.00W, 14-26.00S 135-24.00W.
2. CANCEL HYDROPAC 3420/22.
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 120309Z DEC 22.

[Ken the Bin]

I've received these cancellation notices for the Space Debris notices posted above.

022342Z DEC 22
NAVAREA XII 931/22(83).
EASTERN PACIFIC.
CANCEL NAVAREA XII 926/22 AND THIS MSG.

022342Z DEC 22
HYDROPAC 3443/22(83).
EASTERN PACIFIC.
DNC 06, DNC 13.
CANCEL HYDROPAC 3421/22 AND THIS MSG.

I did NOT receive a cancellation for the Rocket Launching, but shortly before the Space Debris cancellation notices I received this new Rocket Launching notice.  It does NOT cancel any prior notice and it doesn't seem to match up with anything that I can identify.

022314Z DEC 22
NAVAREA IV 1286/22(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   070759Z TO 070856Z DEC, ALTERNATE
   080751Z TO 080848Z, 090744Z TO 090841Z,
   100739Z TO 100836Z, 110733Z TO 110830Z,
   120726Z TO 120823Z, 130720Z TO 130817Z DEC
   IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-35.00N 080-02.00W, 28-40.00N 080-04.00W,
      28-39.41N 080-37.97W, 28-27.14N 080-31.60W,
      28-27.00N 080-20.00W.
   B. 28-58.00N 074-34.00W, 29-06.00N 074-57.00W,
      28-47.00N 076-55.00W, 28-40.00N 076-54.00W,
      28-31.00N 074-54.00W, 28-39.00N 074-33.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 130917Z DEC 22.

EDIT: I've got it.  It's a new notice for HAKUTO-R.  So they must be postponing 4-37 to launch HAKUTO-R.

[Ken the Bin]

I've now also received an NGA cancellation notice for the Rocket Launching notice.

030052Z DEC 22
NAVAREA IV 1288/22(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
CANCEL NAVAREA IV 1281/22 AND THIS MSG,
OPERATION POSTPONED.

[OneSpeed]

NGA notice.  Note that the Primary Day is December 6 UTC, December 5 EST.

LHA map from the NGA notice. At least one coordinate appears to be missing from area A. ASDS position estimated from previous launches, 656km downrange.

Reviewing NGA notices that I was unable to identify, it looks like these two Space Debris notices that I received previously go along with the Rocket Launching notice that I received today.  These two notices are the same thing, for two different Navigational Areas.

The Space Debris notices do appear to be for a 53.2° inclination launch from Florida, but they appear to be incomplete so far.

Edit: Added missing coordinate from area A.

[Ken the Bin]

The Space Debris notices do appear to be for a 53.2° inclination launch from Florida, but they appear to be incomplete so far.

All of the notices have been cancelled TBD anyway, so we'll start fresh when the launch gets rescheduled.