SpaceX F9 : Starlink v1.0 L25 : KSC LC-39A : 4 May 2021 (1901 UTC)

[Jansen]

Discussion thread for Starlink v1.0 Launch 25

NSF Threads for Starlink v1.0 L25: Discussion
NSF Articles for Starlink v1.0 L25: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/05/spacex-parallel-operations-starlink-l25/

Launched successfully 04 May 2021 at 3:01pm EDT (1901 UTC) on Falcon 9 (booster 1049.9) from Kennedy Space Center’s LC-39A. ASDS landing on OCISLY achieved, towed by tugboat Mr. Jonah. Recovery support ship was GO Quest. Fairing half was recovered  from the water by MV Shelia Bordelon.

The Falcon 9 first stage rocket booster supporting this mission previously supported launch of Telstar 18 VANTAGE, Iridium-8, and six Starlink missions. Following stage separation, SpaceX will land Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which will be located in the Atlantic Ocean. One half of Falcon 9’s fairing previously supported two Starlink missions.

Payload: A batch of 60 Starlink satellites. Expected deployment orbit of approximately 282 x 261 km.

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

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

L2 SpaceX:
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?board=60.0

From a previous 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.

[Jansen]

0123-EX-ST-2021 Starlink RF Mission 2-2 STA application

0123-EX-ST-2021 Starlink RF Mission 2-2 Grant

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post:

http://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Guide.html [updated April 7]

FALCON 9
The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral will launch Crew Dragon Crew-2, carrying four astronauts to the International Space Station from pad 39A on April 22 at 6:11am EDT. Sunrise is 6:49am. The launch time gets 22-26 min. earlier each day. Then, a Falcon 9 will launch the Starlink 24 internet satellite batch on TBD. Other upcoming Falcon 9s include more Starlink batches on TBD. A Falcon 9 from pad 40 will launch the SiriusXM-8 on June 1 at 12:25am EDT. And Falcon 9 from pad 39A will launch the next Dragon resupply mission, CRS-22, on June 3 at around 1pm EDT.

[Jansen]

Crosspost:

It could be referring to a different mission but SpaceX has used "Starlink-xx" nomenclature in an STA request for the first time (that I'm aware of) "Starlink-26" is NET May 13th.

https://fcc.report/ELS/Space-Exploration-Technologies-Corp-SpaceX/0628-EX-ST-2021

SpaceX has traditionally counted the v0.9 launch as part of its Starlink launches. Entirely possible it refers to this launch instead.

[Jansen]

From SpaceFlight Now

Early May • Starlink V1.0-L25
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

[Jansen]

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/2680

OCISLY is the designated ASDS.

[Jansen]

https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/04/27/spacex-to-resume-starlink-launches-stretching-reused-falcon-boosters-to-their-limits/

“So I think that’s probably a couple of flights is a good number for a crew booster, and in the meantime, we’ll keep flying the life leader,” Musk said. “We’ve got nine flights on one of the boosters. We’re going to have a 10th flight soon with a Starlink mission.”

Another Falcon 9 launch with the next batch of Starlink satellites is scheduled as soon as next week from pad 39A from the Kennedy Space Center.

B1051.10 could launch next week.

[Jansen]

New details from SFN

May 4 • Starlink V1.0-L25
Launch time: 1901 GMT (3:01 p.m. EDT)
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

May the 4th be with you!

[raketa]

Starlink every week amazing.

[Jansen]

Scheduled for 12 days from the previous launch at LC-39A, so no speed records or anything.

Booster should already be in the HIF.

[vaporcobra]

Booster should already be in the HIF.

Very likely B1049, B1051, and B1058 pictured here with B1061 inside 39A's hangar on April 16th

[Ken the Bin]

I received notices from the NGA, however the times for May 4 and May 5 are not consistent with each other and not consistent with May 6.  May 6 through May 10 are consistent with each other.

So here are my best guesses for launch times, working backwards from May 6 to calculate May 5 and May 4.  Note that my May 4 launch time is five minutes later than what others are reporting.  As the double tilde indicates, my confidence level in these times is not particularly high.

Primary Day = Tuesday, May 4 at ~~19:06 UTC.
Backup Day #1 = Wednesday, May 5 at ~~18:44 UTC.
Backup Day #2 = Thursday, May 6 at ~~18:23 UTC.
Backup Day #3 = Friday, May 7 at ~~18:01 UTC.
Backup Day #4 = Saturday, May 8 at ~~17:39 UTC.
Backup Day #5 = Sunday, May 9 at ~~17:18 UTC.
Backup Day #6 = Monday, May 10 at ~~16:56 UTC.

290924Z APR 21
NAVAREA IV 351/21(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   041830Z TO 042049Z MAY, ALTERNATE
   051830Z TO 052027Z, 061718Z TO 062005Z,
   071656Z TO 071944Z, 081634Z TO 081922Z,
   091613Z TO 091901Z AND 101551Z TO 101839Z MAY
   IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-40-20N 080-38-37W, 29-20-00N 079-54-00W,
      29-13-00N 079-46-00W, 28-34-00N 080-23-00W,
      28-30-10N 080-32-53W.
   B. 31-27-00N 077-29-00W, 33-17-00N 076-03-00W,
      33-31-00N 074-59-00W, 33-10-00N 074-36-00W,
      32-27-00N 074-46-00W, 31-15-00N 077-17-00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 101939Z MAY 21.

290904Z APR 21
HYDROPAC 1298/21(61,75,76).
SOUTHEASTERN INDIAN OCEAN.
DNC 03, DNC 04, DNC 05.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   042040Z TO 042237Z MAY, ALTERNATE
   052040Z TO 052215Z, 061928Z TO 062240Z,
   071906Z TO 072132Z, 081844Z TO 082110Z,
   091823Z TO 092049Z AND 101801Z TO 101927Z MAY
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   29-43S 060-07E, 24-55S 064-27E,
   38-45S 084-30E, 45-12S 099-45E,
   49-46S 119-13E, 50-42S 138-19E,
   48-50S 156-44E, 51-46S 158-08E,
   54-42S 148-32E, 56-20S 131-03E,
   55-52S 107-50E, 49-11S 085-05E,
   34-32S 064-13E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 102027Z MAY 21.

[Jansen]

May 4 • Starlink V1.0-L25
Launch time: 1901 GMT (3:01 p.m. EDT)
May the 4th be with you!

Launch time now confirmed by Ben Cooper and Next SpaceFlight.

[RocketLover0119]

Could see the TE vertical at 39a this morning on the NSF stream, likely picking up the launch mount/frame for rollback and vehicle mating.

[jjyach]

Mr. Jonah (formerly of carrying Pegasus/SLS Core Stage) has hooked up to OCISLY

From NSF's Fleetcam

[Orbiter]

Nextspaceflight is reporting that B1049 will be supporting this mission.

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/2680

[SPKirsch]

https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/1387924073670496256

Mr. Jonah and OCISLY are outbound for Starlink L25.

[zubenelgenubi]

State of play on the Space Coast for the immediate future:

Scheduled:
Date - Satellite(s) - Rocket - Launch Site - Time (UTC)

2021
May 4 Q2 April early May - Starlink flight 26 (x60) [v1.0 L25] - Falcon 9-116 (1049.9 S) - Kennedy LC-39A - 19:01:07
(Starlink: launch 20-22 minutes earlier/day)

NET May 9 - Starlink flight 27 28 (x60) [v1.0 L27] - Falcon 9-117 (1051.10 S) - Canaveral SLC-40 - 06:42:45
(Starlink: launch 20-22 minutes earlier/day)

May 17 - SBIRS-GEO 5 - Atlas V 421 - Canaveral SLC-41

NET May Q2 April? - Starlink flight 28? 27 (x60) [v1.0 L26] - Falcon 9 (S) - Kennedy LC-39A / Canaveral SLC-40
(Starlink: launch 20-22 minutes earlier/day)

NET May - Starlink flight 29 (x60) [v1.0 L28] - Falcon 9 (S) - Kennedy LC-39A / Canaveral SLC-40
(Starlink: launch 20-22 minutes earlier/day)

June 1 NET Q2 - SiriusXM SXM-8 - Falcon 9 (S) - Canaveral SLC-40 - 04:25

June 3 early June - Dragon v2 SpX-22 (CRS-22) - Falcon 9 (1067.1 S) - Kennedy LC-39A - ~17:00
(ISS flights: launch 22-26 minutes earlier/day)

June 17 July  - GPS III SV05 - Falcon 9 (B1062.2 S) - Canaveral SLC-40 - 22:00-01:00 June 18
(GPS: launch about 4 minutes earlier/day)

June 23 - STP-3: STPSat-6, LDPE-1, small satellite (x6) - Atlas V 551 - Canaveral SLC-41

Changes on March 13th
Changes on March 16th
Changes on March 23rd
Changes on March 27th
Changes on March 31st
Changes on April 2nd
Changes on April 4th
Changes on April 7th
Changes on April 15th
Changes on April 16th
Changes on April 19th
Changes on April 27th
Changes on April 29th
Changes on April 30th
Changes on May 4th
Changes on May 9th
zubenelgenubi

[Jansen]

https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/1388089459669979137

[Jansen]

https://twitter.com/Raul74Cz/status/1387742249396670464