SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 2-6 (R) : VSFB SLC-4E : 31 January 2023 (16:15 UTC)

[zubenelgenubi]

Thread for the Starlink 2-6 group launch.

NSF Threads for Starlink 2-6: Discussion

Launch NET January 31, 2023, at 16:15 UTC (8:15 am PST), from Vandenberg SLC-4E, on booster 1071-7 1075-1 1063-9.  Landing will be aboard Of Course I Still Love You.

Payload is 49 Starlink satellites to a 70 degree orbial inclination, launching on a south-southeastern trajectory.  The rideshare payload is D-Orbit ION SCV009 Eclectic Elena.

Initial orbit 327 x 339 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

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post:

2031-EX-ST-2022
SpaceX Mission 1601 Starlink Group 2-6 from SLC-4E
NET mid-January [NET January 12]
ASDS North  29  19  10   West  117  49  35

Will there be any "external" customer payloads launched by Vandenberg Falcon 9's in January? = Will SpaceX launch Starlink 2-4 and 2-6 as the only January Vandenberg Falcon 9 launches?

Or one Starlink, one other?

1st SDA TT&L launch has been slipped to March.

[zubenelgenubi]

First stage for Starlink 2-6?

Is this B1075 going to Vandenberg before it's used for Psyche next year? Because I think that's the only booster we haven't seen leave McGregor after it finished testing.

Or maybe the tweet is incorrect and the booster is actually coming from Florida?

I'm gonna put $10 on this. Eyes on the Vandy barge!

Edit [Dec 13]: Ooooh I would have lost those $10 if I had done that for real hah! Just checked and it should be B1075 going to Vandenberg for a Starlink launch next month.

Dec 16        1071.6     SWOT
Dec 29        1061.11   EROS C3 #1
Mid? Jan    1063.9     Starlink 2-4
Late? Jan   1075.1     Starlink 2-6

Edit:
NextSpaceFlight, updated December 19:
First stage 1075.1

[zubenelgenubi]

Starlink 2-4 currently will launch on January 10 UTC, 11 days after EROS C3.

Given SpaceX's intentions to launch 100 orbital launches this year, a 10 or 11 day turnaround would launch Starlink 2-6 circa January 20.

Might OCISLY sail out and back from Long Beach to retrieve and deposit recovered first stages, for Starlink 2-4, then Starlink 2-6, then return boosters two at a time to Vandenberg?

A operational efficiency? Haven't they already done this?

And, there are four boosters at Vandenberg now.

Will 1075.1 Static Fire--first use and after transcontinental road travel?

[zubenelgenubi]

NextSpaceFlight, updated December 19:
First stage 1075.1

First stage swap with Starlink 2-4.
NextSpaceFlight, updated January 7:
First stage 1063.9

[realnouns]

updated Jan 8
Spaceflight Now
Starlink 2-6
Late January
SLC-4E

Looks like they might just be able to squeeze in 3 Starlink missions at all 3 pads.  If 5-2, 2-6, and 5-3 all launch in January, that would put them on pace for 97 missions

[zubenelgenubi]

Moderator:
100 launches in 2023 discussion split/merged to "Reuse milestones"
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=54795.0
💯

[Josh_from_Canada]

Launch on January 29th at 15:02 UTC according to NextSpaceFlight

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Launch on January 29th at 15:02 UTC according to NextSpaceFlight

240107Z JAN 23
NAVAREA XII 38/23(18,21).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
CALIFORNIA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS:
   A. 1502Z TO 2145Z DAILY 29 JAN THRU 02 FEB
      IN AREA BOUND BY
      34-40N 120-40W, 34-40N 120-17W,
      34-27N 120-17W, 34-08N 120-05W,
      32-27N 119-26W, 32-25N 119-35W,
      32-39N 119-43W, 33-52N 120-20W,
      34-22N 120-36W, 34-33N 120-38W.
   B. 1502Z TO 2146Z DAILY 29 AND 30 JAN
      IN AREA BOUND BY
      30-11N 118-18W, 30-11N 117-56W,
      29-53N 117-36W, 28-35N 117-09W,
      28-26N 117-42W, 29-38N 118-22W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 022245Z FEB 23.

[OneSpeed]

240107Z JAN 23
NAVAREA XII 38/23(18,21).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
CALIFORNIA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS:
   A. 1502Z TO 2145Z DAILY 29 JAN THRU 02 FEB
      IN AREA BOUND BY
      34-40N 120-40W, 34-40N 120-17W,
      34-27N 120-17W, 34-08N 120-05W,
      32-27N 119-26W, 32-25N 119-35W,
      32-39N 119-43W, 33-52N 120-20W,
      34-22N 120-36W, 34-33N 120-38W.
   B. 1502Z TO 2146Z DAILY 29 AND 30 JAN
      IN AREA BOUND BY
      30-11N 118-18W, 30-11N 117-56W,
      29-53N 117-36W, 28-35N 117-09W,
      28-26N 117-42W, 29-38N 118-22W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 022245Z FEB 23.

Map from the NGA coordinates. ASDS 640km downrange.

[wannamoonbase]

Here it is, the 7th flight of the month, but 8th to be listed on the manifest.

8 flights, 10 cores, in a month, that's crazy, I can't believe we live in an era that this is happening.

Plus who doesn't love a Vandy flight.

[Ken the Bin]

Launch on January 29th at 15:02 UTC according to NextSpaceFlight

240107Z JAN 23
NAVAREA XII 38/23(18,21).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
CALIFORNIA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS:
   A. 1502Z TO 2145Z DAILY 29 JAN THRU 02 FEB
      IN AREA BOUND BY
      34-40N 120-40W, 34-40N 120-17W,
      34-27N 120-17W, 34-08N 120-05W,
      32-27N 119-26W, 32-25N 119-35W,
      32-39N 119-43W, 33-52N 120-20W,
      34-22N 120-36W, 34-33N 120-38W.
   B. 1502Z TO 2146Z DAILY 29 AND 30 JAN
      IN AREA BOUND BY
      30-11N 118-18W, 30-11N 117-56W,
      29-53N 117-36W, 28-35N 117-09W,
      28-26N 117-42W, 29-38N 118-22W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 022245Z FEB 23.

The notice has the same hazard warning timeframe for every day, but the launch time moves approximately 14 minutes earlier every day.

This information from the FAA ATCSCC Current Operations Plan gives a better idea of the actual daily launch times.

https://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_spt.jsp

SPACE X STARLINK 2-6  VANDENBERG SFB, CA
PRIMARY:        01/29           1612Z-2146Z
BACKUP:         01/30           1559Z-2132Z
                01/31           1545Z-2118Z
                02/01           1531Z-2104Z
                02/02           1517Z-2050Z

[GewoonLukas_]

Looks like SpaceX did a booster swap again:

NextSpaceflight (Updated January 25th/26th)

B1071
Flight #7

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7052

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post:

SFN Launch Schedule, updated January 24:
Launch time on January 29 is approximately 16:12 UTC.

Likely sourced from the FAA ATCSCC Current Operations Plan.

[realnouns]

If this launches as scheduled, it will mark the fastest turnaround time from SLC-4E yet at barely over 10d.  Previous record 11.7d from Starlink 3-1 to 3-2 (July 10 to July 22)

[FutureSpaceTourist]

twitter.com/tskelso/status/1618802895268503553

CelesTrak has pre-launch SupGP data for the #Starlink G2-6 launch from Vandenberg SFB set for 2023-01-29 at 16:47:30 UTC. Deployment of 49 satellites is scheduled for 18:04:38.400 UTC. Data is available at: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/table.php?FILE=starlink-g2-6

https://twitter.com/tskelso/status/1618803236231868416

.@SpaceX has advised that these times are expected to change slightly and that an update will be sent out on Saturday. You can find the very latest SupGP data at the link provided above.

[realnouns]

Looks like Scorpius departed with OCISLY and is heading due south from Long Beach.  Already ~140km underway

[gongora]

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl2-6

SpaceX is targeting Sunday, January 29 at 8:47 a.m. PT (16:47 UTC) for a Falcon 9 launch of 49 Starlink satellites and D-Orbit’s ION SCV009 Eclectic Elena to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. If needed, there is an additional launch opportunity the same day at 12:45 p.m. PT (20:45 UTC) with backup opportunities also available on Monday, January 30 at 8:34 a.m. PT (16:34 UTC) and 12:31 p.m. PT (20:31 UTC).

The first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship stationed in the Pacific Ocean.

The ION finally shows up

[gongora]

D-Orbit Signs In-Orbit Validation Contract with Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD)

The mission will perform a debris-free non-pyrotechnical separation ring orbital test

Fino Mornasco, Italy, December 15, 2022: The space transportation and logistics company D-Orbit has signed a hosted payload contract with Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD) for the in-orbit demonstration (IOD) of its NEA® 8’’ Payload Release Ring. Available in 8”, 15” and 24” diameters, EBAD’s separation system will be connected to a satellite simulator, which will be integrated within ION Satellite Carrier, D-Orbit’s proprietary orbital transfer vehicle designed for launch and deployment, and in-orbit validation missions.

The test will be performed while ION will be operating in a mid-inclination orbit with an altitude of 270km. By releasing the simulator in proximity to the perigee, D-Orbit will ensure that it will burn up into the atmosphere within four to eight weeks. In fact, prior to raising ION’s orbit, D-Orbit is able to perform experiments in very low earth orbit opening opportunities for a wide range of experiments and thus reducing the number of CubeSats that would otherwise remain in orbit for years after their experiment has concluded.

“This is an extremely innovative mission profile for us,” said Renato Panesi, D-Orbit’s chief commercial officer (COO). “Space debris mitigation has always been an important goal for us, so we are excited to work on an IOD mission that will free up the orbit almost immediately.”

“This important mission will further demonstrate the versatility of the NEA® ultra-low shock release mechanism, by integrating the technology into a standard interface ring configuration,” said Geoff Kaczynski, EBAD’s Vice President of Business Development & Strategy. “As a leader in spacecraft separation systems, EBAD continues to advance its separation technologies to meet the rapidly evolving needs of the space industry.”

The IOD is part of an experimental mission scheduled for Q4 2022, which will test ION’s ability to operate and maneuver in an extremely low orbit. The flexibility of ION Satellite Carrier will allow EBAD to reduce the time needed to qualify the device to less than six months from the signing of the IOD contract. After qualification, the device will join EBAD’s growing catalog of separation, release and deployment systems for the defense and space market

[zubenelgenubi]

ION-SCV rideshare first mentioned in the Starlink 5-1 launch thread here.