SpaceX F9 : Starlink Group 2-1 : VSFB SLC-4E : 13/14 September 2021 (03:55 UTC)

[cscott]

My interpretation is that this means they are limited by starlink build rate, not F9 launch recycle times.  So after the Boca surge they can launch a couple of F9s at min recycle time and "catch up" to the backlog of starlinks ready to be launched, so that ultimately the Boca surge won't delay the starlink program any.

[Jarnis]

I actually thought the "gap" in Starlink launches is due to new generation sats not quite being ready. Higher inclination sats should be the "mass produced" version with the laser links? The previous batch was built to fill the initial constellation, which is now done (minus a couple of holes due to attrition, but as I understand it, less than 20 sats short) and new revision maybe not quite ready to start launching?

[attathomeguy]

I actually thought the "gap" in Starlink launches is due to new generation sats not quite being ready. Higher inclination sats should be the "mass produced" version with the laser links? The previous batch was built to fill the initial constellation, which is now done (minus a couple of holes due to attrition, but as I understand it, less than 20 sats short) and new revision maybe not quite ready to start launching?

The laser link satellites are already at Vandenberg and ready to go

[attathomeguy]

I have been told privately it is all hands on deck and they can recover the Starlink launch time frame and it give more time for checkouts of OCISLY.

What does "recover the Starlink launch time frame" mean? Decrease turnarounds between future launches?

I made a mistake and I have updated my post

[crandles57]

Per spaceflightnow
https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/  [updated August 15]

Starlink 2-1 is September

(next florida starlink just says TBD but FWIW placed after a late September launch)

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post:

Some explanation of SpaceX launch hiatus:

I watched Gwynne speak at the Space Warfighting Industry Forum yesterday. 

[…]

Need to get over the chip hump and think they will in October.
Standing down on F9 Starlink launches…waiting on building more sats with newer laser terminals.

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post; both Tweets posted August 24.
No indication if the next Starlink launch will be from Cape Canaveral or Vandenberg SFB.

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1430302841202089984
My bold:

In a LEO constellation panel at Space Symposium,  Gwynne Shotwell confirmed that SpaceX paused Starlink launches until it can get intersatellite links in place on all future Starlink satellites.  Next Starlink launch now planned in about 3 weeks.

Shotwell says one supply chain issue for SpaceX is a lack of liquid oxygen because of demands to treat COVID-19 patients. Will impact launch plans, she says. #SpaceSymposium

Another thought: Given the temporary transfers of launch campaign staffers from both the Cape and Vandenberg, will the remaining team members have to complete one launch before starting the campaign for the next?

[zubenelgenubi]

SFN, SpaceX test-fires rocket before space station cargo mission, dated August 25

The Starlink launches are scheduled to resume in September from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

There's no statement about the next Cape Canaveral Starlink flight.

State of play at Vandenberg SFB in September:

Launched:
№ – Date - Satellite(s) - Rocket - Launch Site - Time (UTC)

Failure
September 3 NET December 22, 2020 January 2021 or Q1 NET February NET mid-March NET May NET mid-June NET late June NET July NET July 31 or Q3 NET August 31st NET September 2 - SUV [BSS1, CRESST DREAM COMET, FossaSat-1B (Fossa-1B), FossaSat-2 (Fossa-2), GENESIS-L, GENESIS-N, Hiapo, NPS-CENETIX-Orbital 1, Qubik-1, Qubik-2, TIS Serenity (TISSCCE), hosted payloads: Spinnaker 3, Firefly Capsule 1] - Firefly Alpha (first flight) - Vandenberg SLC-2W - 01:59 ~01:00-05:00 or ~20:00-22:00

September 14 mid/late summer NET July 30 NET August 10 August week of Sept 12 10 13 or - Starlink 2-1 (flight 30/high-inclination flight 1) (x51) [v1.5 v2.0 L1] - Falcon 9-125 (1049.10 S) - Vandenberg SLC-4E - 03:55:50 ~15:30 TBD ~15:40 Sept 13 or ~03:30 Sept 14

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

NET September 27 16? NET 23 (NLT end of September) - Landsat 9, Cesium M1A, Cesium M1B, ELaNa 34: [CuPID, CUTE] - Atlas V 401 (AV-092) - Vandenberg SLC-3E - 18:11-18:41
(Sun-synchronous orbit satellites: launch at approximately the same time of day year-round)

Changes on November 20th, 2020
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zubenelgenubi

Edited

[attathomeguy]

I am hearing launch date might be the week of September 12th

[zubenelgenubi]

I am hearing launch date might be the week of September 12th.

What is the minimum amount of time between launches, of any kind, from Vandenberg ?  Different from Eastern Range?
Edited

[scr00chy]

I am hearing launch date might be the week of September 12th.

What is the minimum amount of time between launches from Vandenberg?  Different from Eastern Range?

The shortest time between two launches from SLC-4E was 36 days. But the real minimum time is probably much shorter, they've just never needed to do two Vandy launches close together.

[attathomeguy]

I know from Twitter they already have 2 boosters at Vandy so I would think they have at least 2 launches ready to go and are confident in the supply chain of refurb time and get more sats to Vandy for processing and loading. I believe the original FAA request said 1 launch a month so 36 days so like a good pace.

[crandles57]

I doubt this is reliable

https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch/falcon-9-block-5-starlink-2-1/
says
Thu · Sep 30th, 2021
1:00 AM BST
(because it seems strangely precisely end of the month UTC time.)


Other launches from Vandenburg include:

Firefly Sep 3

Landsat 9 Sep 23 (until 3 days ago it was Sept 16)

so maybe there is now room between those two? Would be more in line with 3 weeks from Aug 24 and week of Sep 12

[WheelsStop]

I doubt this is reliable

https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch/falcon-9-block-5-starlink-2-1/
says
Thu · Sep 30th, 2021
1:00 AM BST
...

It's not so much they're unreliable as they have a very obtuse way of indicating TBD.  They post an exact date/time, but indicate "date/time may change".  Note they list the mPower 1-3 launch at *exactly the same time*!

For Vandy launches, this site has a good simple list with TBDs clearly noted: https://www.spacearchive.info/vafbsked.htm

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/spacex/status/1433482186573815815

Static fire test of Falcon 9 complete – targeting later this month for first West Coast Starlink mission, will announce a target date closer to launch

[oldAtlas_Eguy]

I think that they wanted to know if all the GSE was all working correctly.

It is!!!! 

[zubenelgenubi]

B1049.10?

Static fire test of Falcon 9 complete – targeting later this month for first West Coast Starlink mission, will announce a target date closer to launch.

[Elthiryel]

B1049.10?

Yes, at least according to Next Spaceflight: https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/6796

[wannamoonbase]

I think that they wanted to know if all the GSE was all working correctly.

It is!!!! 

Agreed, it’s been awhile since they exercised everything out there down to an engine firing.

[ZachS09]

Based on the ASDS position, when would the plane change to the 70-degree orbit occur? After staging or after fairing separation?