SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 3-4 : Vandenberg : 31 August 2022 (05:40 UTC)

[zubenelgenubi]

Thread for the Starlink 3-4 group launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

NSF Threads for Starlink 3-4: Discussion

Launch August 31, 2022, at 05:40 UTC (August 30 10:40 pm PDT), from SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB, California.  First stage is 1063-7.  It  landed successfully aboard Of Course I Still Love You.

Payload 46 Starlink satellites to 97.6° degree inclination on a south-southwestern trajectory.  Initial orbit circa 307 x 321 km.

Starlink v1.5 satellite mass is now about 300kg after the addition of laser ISL terminals.

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

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

From an early Starlink mission's Press Kit:

Each Starlink satellite weights approximately 260 kg and features a compact, flat-panel design that minimizes volume, allowing for a dense launch stack to take full advantage of Falcon 9’s launch capabilities. With four powerful phased array and two parabolic antennas on each satellite ... At end of their life cycle, the satellites will utilize their on-board propulsion system to deorbit over the course of a few months. In the unlikely event their propulsion system becomes inoperable, the satellites will burn up in Earth’s atmosphere within 1-5 years, significantly less than the hundreds or thousands of years required at higher altitudes. Further, Starlink components are designed for full demisability.

Starlink is targeting service to near global coverage of the populated world by 2021. Additional information on the system can be found at starlink.com.

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post; operation start NET August 17:

1226-EX-ST-2022

SpaceX Mission 1844 Starlink Group 3-4 from SLC-4E
ASDS North  28  58  4   West  121  47  59

Probable number of satellites for Starlink 3-4, or a baseline number that could be improved upon in subsequent launches:

46 satellites for Starlink 3-1.

CelesTrak has pre-launch SupGP data for the #Starlink Group 3-1 launch set for 2022-07-11 at 01:39:40 UTC from Vandenberg SFB. Deployment of 46 satellites is set for 02:42:43.760 UTC: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/.  [July 7]

[crandles57]

3-2 21 July

3-3 then 3-4 17 Aug

So they are planning on launching more than twice a month - about 14 days between launches for Vandenberg
Guess we should take 26 launches per year from VSFB with at least a pinch of salt. 

[Clavin]

3-2 21 July

3-3 then 3-4 17 Aug

So they are planning on launching more than twice a month - about 14 days between launches for Vandenberg
Guess we should take 26 launches per year from VSFB with at least a pinch of salt. 

Shell 3 (348 sat) and Shell 5 (172 sat)have a total of 520 satellites which will be launched from VAB. so somewhere around 12 Starlink launches in total in the near future.
With planned turnaround time of 11 days (Starlink 3-2) for pad and Droneship, somewhere around 25 launches seems to be the current theoretical limit. But IMO it will be limited by pad usage as customers that require polar launches are less and even starlink launches seemed to be capped (Unless more shells are planned please share if any info is available of this).

[Alexphysics]

Remember they can also launch shell 4 Starlinks from Vandenberg as well so that's another potential 10 to 20 more launches to add depending on how they distribute them between east and west coast.

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post:

#SpaceX host @kate_tice said during today's #Starlink 3-2 webcast that the next Starlink polar mission was scheduled to launch from Vandenberg "in about two weeks".

That means Starlink 3-3 is planned for early August.

She also implied that Starlink 3-4 is scheduled for August.

https://twitter.com/ElonXnet/status/1550220413908783104

July 21 + 4 weeks = mid August.  Matches NET August 17 well.

[zubenelgenubi]

Starlink 3-4 now has a NextSpaceFlight page, as of the August 3 updates.
The first stage is 1063.7.


There should be no need for a Static Fire.

[zubenelgenubi]

At the end of the SFN webcast of the Starlink 4-26 launch, Stephen Clark mentioned the upcoming Falcon 9 Starlink launches.  He said SpaceX may launch a second Starlink mission from Vandenberg before the end of August,  after the launch of Starlink 3-3 on the 12th.  He did not have a date for Starlink 3-4, and therfore he did not include it on the table seen in the webcast screencap.

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post:

If this is of any use... order of launches for August and first half of September was supposed to be

KPLO (already launched)
Starlink 4-26 (already launched)
Starlink 3-3 (currently scheduled for August 12th)
Starlink 4-27 (currently scheduled for August 16th)
Starlink 3-4
Starlink 4-23 (currently scheduled for August 24th)
Starlink 4-20
Starlink 4-2

I was and I'm still expecting 3-4 and 4-20 to be on for this month. Likely to have 3-4 around the 20th +- a couple of days and 4-20 could likely be anywhere from August 25th to 31st given pad turnaround times. But those are just guesses based on the expectation of those two happening this month. There's definitely room in the schedule for them.

[AmigaClone]

Remember they can also launch shell 4 Starlinks from Vandenberg as well so that's another potential 10 to 20 more launches to add depending on how they distribute them between east and west coast.

I suspect Florida would be used for most launches to finish shell 4 and to top off shell 1. That would account for about 20 launches.

Vandenberg has the advantage for launches for shells 2, 3 and 5. There might be some mission that would include Starlink satellites destined for both shell 3 and shell 5 since both shells are at the same inclination/ elevation. There would be about 25 Starlink launches for those three shells.

[Barley]

I suspect Florida would be used for most launches to finish shell 4 and to top off shell 1. That would account for about 20 launches.

Vandenberg has the advantage for launches for shells 2, 3 and 5. There might be some mission that would include Starlink satellites destined for both shell 3 and shell 5 since both shells are at the same inclination/ elevation. There would be about 25 Starlink launches for those three shells.

They can do the same with shells 1 and 4.  The ΔV for a 0.2° inclination change is not large.  The difference between the ΔVs from the insertion orbit to each of the two operational orbits is tiny.

[kevin-rf]

The question would be, when they complete shell 3 (and maybe 5) what do they think is more important shells 1 & 4 or starting shell 2.

Personal wag, they will complete shells 3 & 5 at roughly the same time shell 4 is completed. So use 14 or so launches from all three pads to build shell 2.

[zubenelgenubi]

SFN Launch Schedule update, August 14:
Starlink 3-4 launch late August.

[zubenelgenubi]

My bold; NSF SpaceX to launch third Starlink mission in less than two weeks, August 19, author is our contributor @alexphysics13:

Two more launches are on tap for the rest of August: one Starlink mission from Vandenberg and another Starlink launch from LC-39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

In what may be the longest streak of consecutive Starlink missions, SpaceX has at least four more Starlink missions on the schedule for September, two of them with rideshares, alternating between their SLC-40 and LC-39A launch sites.

[zubenelgenubi]

No launch date yet; still "before end of August":
SFN SpaceX’s Starlink fleet gets 53 new satellites with launch from Florida, August 19:

A launch date for the Vandenberg mission has not been confirmed.

[scr00chy]

Next Spaceflight shows the launch on August 27 at 05:30 UTC.

[Ken the Bin]

This NGA Space Debris notice looks like it could be for the S2 reentry for this launch.

212350Z AUG 22
HYDROPAC 2298/22(83).
SOUTH PACIFIC.
DNC 06.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   0719Z TO 0757Z DAILY 27 AUG THRU 02 SEP 
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   25-56.00S 154-18.00W, 25-28.00S 156-42.00W,
   59-30.00S 169-29.00W, 59-57.00S 165-13.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 020857Z SEP 22.

[Ken the Bin]

This NGA generic Hazardous Operations notice appears to be the launch.

172207Z AUG 22
NAVAREA XII 591/22(18).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
CALIFORNIA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 270500Z TO 270630Z AUG,
   ALTERNATE 0500Z TO 0630Z DAILY 28 THRU 31 AUG
   IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 34-40.00N 120-41.00W, 34-39.00N 120-29.00W,
      33-29.00N 120-39.00W, 31-43.00N 121-10.00W,
      31-44.00N 121-20.00W, 32-47.00N 121-13.00W.
   B. 29-43.00N 122-04.00W, 29-47.00N 121-09.00W,
      28-24.00N 121-28.00W, 28-28.00N 122-16.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 310730Z AUG 22.

[OneSpeed]

This NGA Space Debris notice looks like it could be for the S2 reentry for this launch.

This NGA generic Hazardous Operations notice appears to be the launch.

Maps from the NGA notices. The ASDS will be positioned about 642km downrange.

[Rondaz]

LHA map for #Starlink Group 3-4 from VSFB SLC-4E NET 27 Aug 05:30 UTC, altern. 28-31 Aug based on issued NOTMAR/NOTAMs. B1063.7 planned landing with roughly estimated fairing recovery approx. 640km downrange. Stage2 debris reentry in southern Pacific.

https://twitter.com/Raul74Cz/status/1561740926007087104