Author Topic: SpaceX F9 : Starlink 4-2 & BlueWalker 3 : KSC LC-39A : 10/11 Sep 2022(01:20 UTC)  (Read 48863 times)

Offline Conexion Espacial

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Thread for the Starlink 4-2 group launch.

The rideshare is BlueWalker 3.
BlueWalker 3

NSF Threads for Starlink 4-2: Discussion

Launch September 11, 2022, 01:20 UTC (September 10, 9:20 pm EDT), from Kennedy LC-39A, on booster 1058-14.  ASDS landing is expected.

Payload 34 Starlink satellites to 53.2 degree inclination on a northeastern trajectory.  Initial orbit of 320 x 330 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.



L2 SpaceX: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?board=60.0
« Last Edit: 09/11/2022 01:07 am by Galactic Penguin SST »
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Offline Conexion Espacial

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 4-2 : Florida : NET Aug, 2022
« Reply #1 on: 06/01/2022 10:31 pm »
NextSpaceFlight indicates launch scheduled for August
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Offline Skyrocket

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 4-2 : Florida : NET Aug, 2022
« Reply #2 on: 06/02/2022 12:13 am »
Any idea why Group 4-2 is so much delayed.

Offline zubenelgenubi

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 4-2 : Florida : NET Aug, 2022
« Reply #3 on: 06/02/2022 01:07 am »
Any idea why Group 4-2 is so much delayed.
Will there be rideshares?
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Offline wannamoonbase

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 4-2 : Florida : NET Aug, 2022
« Reply #4 on: 06/02/2022 02:48 pm »
Any idea why Group 4-2 is so much delayed.

Crazy for this one to be so out of sequence.  I can only guess that it is a rideshare.

Could it be that the whole stack of Starlinks assigned to this flight have been on the ground this long?
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Offline Conexion Espacial

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The reason this mission has been delayed so long is because it may be a rideshare mission (a SpaceX official commented a few weeks ago that such a mission was expected), Blue Walker 3 maybe the satellite that will travel on this mission, perhaps there are more satellites onboard.
https://twitter.com/AST_SpaceMobile/status/1536318439274565634
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The reason this mission has been delayed so long is because it may be a rideshare mission (a SpaceX official commented a few weeks ago that such a mission was expected), Blue Walker 3 maybe the satellite that will travel on this mission, perhaps there are more satellites onboard.
https://twitter.com/AST_SpaceMobile/status/1536318439274565634

BlueWalker 3 doesn't fit, wrong inclination. But I guess it could launch on one of the Group 3 missions? (Nevermind, it's launching from SLC-40.)

Quote
The BW3 will operate at an inclination angle of between 97.4 and 97.8 degrees, at an altitude of
between 500 and 600 km.

https://fcc.report/ELS/AST-Science-LLC/1059-EX-CN-2020/265582.pdf
« Last Edit: 06/13/2022 04:27 pm by scr00chy »

Offline gongora

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Quote
The BW3 will operate at an inclination angle of between 97.4 and 97.8 degrees, at an altitude of
between 500 and 600 km.

https://fcc.report/ELS/AST-Science-LLC/1059-EX-CN-2020/265582.pdf

That is out of date, BW 3 is going to 53 degrees.  Also we don't actually know if it's on this flight.
« Last Edit: 06/13/2022 04:45 pm by gongora »

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IF BlueWalker 3 is on this flight, we should see a delay to September.

Quote
AST SpaceMobile was notified by SpaceX, its launch provider, of an updated launch window for early to mid-September, from the previously announced window targeting the week of August 15, 2022. There has been no change to BlueWalker 3 satellite preparations and the AST SpaceMobile team remains on schedule. [June 29]

https://investors.ast-science.com/news-releases/news-release-details/ast-spacemobile-provides-updated-bluewalker-3-launch-timing
« Last Edit: 07/03/2022 06:39 am by zubenelgenubi »

Offline zubenelgenubi

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If BlueWalker 3 is on this flight:
https://twitter.com/AbelAvellan/status/1549213346490114048
Quote
Getting BlueWalker 3 ready to leave Midland!
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Re: SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 4-2 : Florida : NET August 2022
« Reply #10 on: 07/20/2022 11:07 pm »
Next Spaceflight is now showing a NET September launch date for this mission and saying it will be a rideshare, seemingly confirming the BlueWalker 3 theory (unless it's a circular reasoning based on this thread).

Also:

Quote
AST SpaceMobile says its BlueWalker 3 test satellite has been fully assembled and left the factory for environmental testing. It is due to launch in mid-September.

https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1549871079912611842
« Last Edit: 07/20/2022 11:07 pm by scr00chy »

Offline Alexphysics

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 4-2 : Florida : NET August 2022
« Reply #11 on: 07/20/2022 11:12 pm »
No circular reasoning fwiw. It's a rideshare. Couldn't confirm whether it is BlueWalker 3 or not but there's a rideshare on this mission

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 4-2 : Florida : NET August 2022
« Reply #12 on: 07/20/2022 11:36 pm »
No circular reasoning fwiw. It's a rideshare. Couldn't confirm whether it is BlueWalker 3 or not but there's a rideshare on this mission

Thanks for the clarification!

I suspect 4-20, 4-23 and 4-24 might also be rideshares (or at least some of them might be). It would explain their weird out of place order in the manifest.


Offline zubenelgenubi

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FCC permit is out https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=117382&RequestTimeout=1000

Launch operations NET August 31, which essentially equals September; northeastern trajectory.
Quote
This application uses information from previous grant 1149-EX-ST-2022. This STA is necessary to authorize launch vehicle communications for Mission 1714 Starlink Group 4-2 from Cape Canaveral FL at LC-40 CCAFS or LC-39a at KSC, and the experimental recovery operation following the Falcon 9 launch.



Will the SLS launch operations at SLC-39B preclude a Falcon 9 launch from 39A?

If the alternation between 39A and 40 continues through August, then this launch could be from 39A.  The above assumes this order:
SLC-40 Danuri/KPLO
LC-39A Starlink 4-26
SLC-40 Starlink 4-27
LC-39A Starlink 4-23
SLC-40 Starlink 4-20
LC-39A Starlink 4-2

If so, then this launch >could< be delayed until after the 3rd Artemis I launch attempt day, September 5.

That would mesh perfectly with a BlueWalker 3 launch availability in early to mid September.  Ditto for the Sherpa (see the next post).

This all is a chain of deduction.  If any of the assumptions are incorrect, the chain likely disintegrates.
« Last Edit: 08/10/2022 10:09 am by zubenelgenubi »
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This says the BlueWalker 3 launch window starts on September 7, 2022.

https://twitter.com/ASTS_Investors/status/1554181048338186240?s=20&t=_jaGBNwUEe82KivUAuTgyg

Offline gongora

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Also says 513km injection orbit

Offline ZachS09

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Also says 513km injection orbit

This most likely means two M-Vac burns to get into this orbit and the Starlinks will have to maneuver to a lower orbit before raising themselves to their operational positions.

I'm referring to what happened during the Starlink 1-26 mission/rideshare last year. Similar scenario, IMO.
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AST SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker 3 Test Satellite Arrives at Cape Canaveral for Upcoming Launch
[August 9]

Quote
BlueWalker 3 test satellite (BW3) has arrived at Cape Canaveral. The satellite recently departed an off-site testing facility in California after collecting flight data for the upcoming planned launch to low Earth orbit, with a launch window for early to mid-September.
« Last Edit: 08/12/2022 11:59 pm by zubenelgenubi »

Offline zubenelgenubi

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Stephen Clark discussed the schedule for the next Starlink launches at the end of the Starlink 4-26 webcast.  A screencap is attached.

A Starlink 4-2 launch from LC-39A on NET September 7 would be 14 days after Starlink 4-23 and after the Artemis I launch window.
« Last Edit: 08/10/2022 10:07 am by zubenelgenubi »
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