SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 3-3 : Vandenberg : 12 August 2022 (21:40 UTC)

[zubenelgenubi]

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

NSF Threads for Starlink 3-3: Discussion

Launch August 12, 2022 at 21:40 UTC (2:40 pm PDT), from SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB, California, aboard first stage 1061-10.  The first stage successfully landed aboard Of Course I Still Love You.

Payload 46 Starlink satellites to 97.6° degree inclination on a south-southwestern trajectory.  Initial orbit of 308 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; operations NET July 31, which essentially equals NET August.

1147-EX-ST-2022
SpaceX Mission 1843 Starlink Group 3-3 from SLC-4E, Vandenberg
ASDS  North  29  0  24  West  121  47  22

[Conexion Espacial]

Cross-post; operations NET July 31, which essentially equals NET August.

1147-EX-ST-2022
SpaceX Mission 1843 Starlink Group 3-3 from SLC-4E, Vandenberg
ASDS  North  29  0  24  West  121  47  22

Nextspaceflight indicates that it is in August

[zubenelgenubi]

Probable number of satellites for Starlink 3-3, 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]

[scr00chy]

#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

[zubenelgenubi]

#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. [July 21]

SFN Launch Schedule, updated July 21:
Confirms early August launch.

My thought: This launch is probably scheduled for a few days before Starlink 4-26 on August 9.

[zubenelgenubi]

Also noting that, following the recent launch rotation of the two Vandenberg Falcon 9 first stages, this launch would use 1063.7.  There will most likely not be a Static Fire.

Unless...B1075.1 enters the rotation in the first days of August.

The launch of Psyche aboard a Falcon Heavy is now NET 2023.  1075 was designated as one of the FH side boosters and shipped to Florida before the launch delay.

If 1075.1 is not used to launch Starlink 3-3, then it would be used for Starlink 3-4 later in August.

I presume a Static Fire will precede its first launch.

Cross-posts; B1075.1 travels Hawthorne > McGregor > Cape/KSC for Psyche as FH side > Vandenberg for use as a single stick:

Cross-post:

B1075 has been spotted on its way to Florida.

It's a Falcon Heavy Side planned to fly on Psyche later this year. [June 5]

A booster was spotted heading west, presumably to Vandenberg, presumably from McGregor: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spacexgroup/posts/10160793945856318/ [posted July 18]

(previous post about the same booster: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spacexgroup/posts/10160791349436318/) [posted July 16]

If that's the case, my theory is that it's B1075 which was originally meant to be a Psyche side booster, but because that launch was delayed by at least a year, SpaceX will now use the booster as an F9 on the west coast, where they've recently increased their launch cadence and the two boosters they have there now would be limiting them.

[Booster photo attached to original post.]

Edited

[jackvancouver]

I'm guessing Group 3 is 4 launches with 46 per launch and 6 launches with 58 per launch as per the FCC filing?

[zubenelgenubi]

SFN SpaceX launches sixth mission in 17 days, July 24

Two more Starlink missions are also on tap in the first half of August, one from the Kennedy Space Center and one from Vandenberg Space Force [Base] in California.

[wannamoonbase]

I'm guessing Group 3 is 4 launches with 46 per launch and 6 launches with 58 per launch as per the FCC filing?

58 would be a neat trick while maintaining booster reuse.

I believe you are confusing the number of satellites per plane in Shell 3 (6 planes with 58 satellites each) and Shell 5 (4 planes with 43 satellites each).  Both Shell 3 & 5 are at 97.6 degrees.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink

If they can maintain 2 flights per month they will still be done both Shells 3 & 5 by the end of this year.

[zubenelgenubi]

Apparently, the first stage recently shipped from Florida to Vandenberg was not 1075.1!

The Starlink 3-3 first stage is instead 1061.10, according to Nextspaceflight, updated August 3.

Will a Static Fire precede launch?

Edit August 11: No Static Fire.

B1075 has been spotted on its way to Florida.

It's a Falcon Heavy Side planned to fly on Psyche later this year. [June 5]

A booster was spotted heading west, presumably to Vandenberg, presumably from McGregor: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spacexgroup/posts/10160793945856318/ [posted July 18]

(previous post about the same booster: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spacexgroup/posts/10160791349436318/) [posted July 16]

If that's the case, my theory is that it's B1075 which was originally meant to be a Psyche side booster, but because that launch was delayed by at least a year, SpaceX will now use the booster as an F9 on the west coast, where they've recently increased their launch cadence and the two boosters they have there now would be limiting them.

[Booster photo attached to original post.]

Edit August 4: There has been no announcement of a launch date, and no NOTAMs or NOTMARs identified.

I suspect that this launch will be after Starlink 4-26 on the 9th.

Edit August 4: Launch August 12.

[zubenelgenubi]

Starlink 3-3 launch date and time on Nextspaceflight, updated August 4:
August 12 21:30 UTC = 2:30 pm PDT

[Ken the Bin]

NGA notice.  Note that there is a typo in the hazard warning period ending time for August 12.  It says 12230Z, but there is a missing digit.  It should be 122230Z.

061048Z AUG 22
NAVAREA XII 547/22(18).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
CALIFORNIA
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   122100Z TO 12230Z AUG, ALTERNATE 0500Z TO
   0630Z DAILY 14 THRU 17 AUG IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 34-40.00N 120-41.00W, 34-39.00N 120-29.00W,
      33-29.00N 120-39.00W, 31-06.00N 121-17.00W,
      31-05.00N 121-31.00W, 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 170730Z AUG 22.

[OneSpeed]

NGA notice ...

Map from the notice. ASDS 636km downrange.

Edit:

Here's an associated NGA Space Debris that has come out.

[Ken the Bin]

Here's an associated NGA Space Debris that has come out.

080004Z AUG 22
HYDROPAC 2160/22(83).
SOUTH PACIFIC.
DNC 06.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   122304Z TO 130036Z AUG AND
   0704Z TO 0836Z DAILY 14 THRU 17 AUG
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   25-28.00S 156-42.00W, 25-56.00S 154-18.00W,
   59-57.00S 165-13.00W, 59-30.00S 169-29.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 170936Z AUG 22.

[wannamoonbase]

Apparently, the first stage recently shipped from Florida to Vandenberg was not 1075.1!

It's always interesting to me which cores are shuttled back and forth across the country and why they maybe moving them.

Maybe 1061 is going to live out it's life on west coast launches before taking a final plunge.

[Ken the Bin]

A new cancel-and-replace Rocket Launching NGA notice.

They fixed the typo that I mentioned (the missing 2) and also changed the location coordinates somewhat.

081829Z AUG 22
NAVAREA XII 549/22(18).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
CALIFORNIA
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   122100Z TO 122230Z AUG, ALTERNATE 0500Z TO
   0630Z DAILY 14 THRU 17 AUG IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 33-29.00N 120-39.00W, 34-39.00N 120-29.00W,
      34-40.00N 120-41.00W, 32-47.00N 121-13.00W,
      31-05.00N 121-31.00W, 31-06.00N 121-17.00W.
   B. 29-47.00N 121-09.00W, 29-43.00N 122-04.00W,
      28-28.00N 122-16.00W, 28-24.00N 121-28.00W.
2. CANCEL NAVAREA XII 547/22.
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 170730Z AUG 22.

[OneSpeed]

A new cancel-and-replace Rocket Launching NGA notice.

They fixed the typo that I mentioned (the missing 2) and also changed the location coordinates somewhat.

They appear to be same coordinates, but in a counterclockwise order, with a different starting point. Not sure why they'd do that.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/spaceoffshore/status/1557056844882903041

Of Course I Still Love You droneship departed from Long Beach last night with tug Scorpius for Starlink 3-3

GO Quest will cover droneship support whilst NRC Quest is expected to recover the fairing.

[Ken the Bin]

Launch time 21:40 UTC per CelesTrak.

https://twitter.com/TSKelso/status/1557194569745252352

CelesTrak has pre-launch SupGP data for the #Starlink Group 3-3 launch scheduled for 2022-08-12 at 21:40:20 UTC from Vandenberg SFB. Deployment of 46 satellites is planned to occur at 22:43:26.420 UTC: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/.