SpaceX F9 : Starlink v1.0 L11 : KSC LC-39A : September 3, 2020 (12:46 UTC)

[gongora]

Discussion thread for Starlink v1.0 Flight 11.

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

NSF Threads for Starlink v1.0 Flight 11: Discussion / Updates

Successful launch September 3, 2020 at 8:46:14 am EDT (12:46 UTC) on Falcon 9 (booster 1060.2) from LC-39A.  ASDS landing on OCISLY was successful.  Fairings were not recovered intact.  Deployment orbit of approximately 212x346km, 53.0 degrees.

Payload: A batch of 60 Starlink satellites.

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

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 in the Northern U.S. and Canada in 2020, rapidly expanding to near global coverage of the populated world by 2021. Additional information on the system can be found at starlink.com.

[zubenelgenubi]

I also wanted to point out that the launch complex for this flight has not yet been announced--could be either at Kennedy LC-39A or Canaveral SLC-40.

How the Eastern Range in September looks now.  I include MARS (Wallops) launches because, I believe, they share some range tracking assets with KSC/CC.  Seeking clarification or correction.:

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

2020
NET August  September - Starlink flight 12 (x60) [v1.0 L11] - Falcon 9 (S) - Canaveral SLC-40 / Kennedy LC-39A
NET August  September - Starlink flight 13 (x60) [v1.0 L12] - Falcon 9 (S) - Canaveral SLC-40 / Kennedy LC-39A
September - NROL-101 - Atlas V 531 (AV-090) - Canaveral SLC-41
NET September - STP-27RM: Monolith - Electron/Kick Stage - MARS LA-0A (LC-2)
September    29   30  October 2 - Cygnus NG-14 (CRS-14) - Antares-230+ - MARS LP-0A - 02:26
NET September 30  October 1 - GPS III SV04 - Falcon 9 (B1062.1 S) - Canaveral SLC-40 - 00:00-04:00  (or Late)

Changes on August 10th
Changes on August 11th
Changes on August 17th

[zubenelgenubi]

http://www.launchphotography.com/Delta_4_Atlas_5_Falcon_9_Launch_Viewing.html

A Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch the eleventh batch of Starlink internet satellites from pad 39A on late August TBA. Other upcoming launches include more batches of Starlink satellites on September TBA.

Use of LC-39A would apparently be mandated because there would not be enough time to turn around SLC-40 before the end of the month.

I wonder how close the Starlink launch will follow after SAOCOM-1B.

EDIT August 21: Thinking further, Falcon 9 no longer needs range radar to determine if a flight deviation has reached the limits of triggering the destruct package--it's autonomous via GPS use.  Therefore, there's no need to await a range reset of such between launches.

This launch could be as soon as August 28!  That depends on the two previous launches being on-time and successful.

Three launches in three days?!

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

2020
August 26 - NROL-44: Orion 10 (Mentor 8 ) (TBD) - Delta IV-H [D-385] - Canaveral SLC-37B - 06:16-10:25
August 27 - SAOCOM-1B, Capella 2 (Sequoia), GNOMES-1 - Falcon 9-092 (B1059.4 L) - Canaveral SLC-40 - 23:19
NET August 28?  Late August  September - Starlink flight 12 (x60) [v1.0 L11] - Falcon 9 (1060.2 S) - Kennedy LC-39A  / Canaveral SLC-40

Changes on August 20th
zubenelgenubi August 21

[LandingZone-1]

Any guesses on the booster? I'd say B1060.2 or a surprise return of B1052/53.

[vaporcobra]

Any guesses on the booster? I'd say B1060.2 or a surprise return of B1052/53.

B1060 and B1058 are the likeliest candidates.

[gongora]

Any guesses on the booster? I'd say B1060.2 or a surprise return of B1052/53.

60 should be ready.  58 could possibly be ready.  I don't see any other obvious candidates.

[Elthiryel]

Next Spaceflight confirms it’s 1060.2.

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/2576

[Ken the Bin]

An NGA notice which appears to be for this launch:

240921Z AUG 20
NAVAREA IV 783/20(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   281441Z TO 281549Z AUG, ALTERNATE
   291420Z TO 291528Z AND 301359Z TO 301507Z AUG
   IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-39-18N 080-37-54W, 28-48-00N 080-30-00W,
      28-59-00N 080-15-00W, 28-58-00N 080-12-00W,
      28-40-00N 080-27-00W, 28-33-04N 080-33-55W.
   B. 31-54-00N 077-04-00W, 33-14-00N 075-53-00W,
      33-34-00N 074-59-00W, 33-13-00N 074-33-00W,
      32-47-00N 074-31-00W, 31-41-00N 076-49-00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 301607Z AUG 20.

[Elthiryel]

Comparing that to NOTMARs for the previous Starlink launch, liftoff times should be:

around 14:51 UTC (10:51 AM EDT) for August 28
around 14:30 UTC (10:30 AM EDT) for August 29
around 14:09 UTC (10:09 AM EDT) for August 30

[scr00chy]

Spaceflight Now shows Aug 29 launch date: https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/

[Elthiryel]

Spaceflight Now shows Aug 29 launch date: https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/

They have also published an article on upcoming Cape launches.

After the Delta 4-Heavy launch and the launch of SAOCOM 1B, SpaceX aims to fire another Falcon 9 rocket into orbit from Florida’s Space Coast as soon as Saturday, Aug. 29, with the company’s 12th batch of Starlink broadband satellites. (...) The launch set for Aug. 29 will take off from pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/08/24/august-set-to-end-with-string-of-launches-from-cape-canaveral/

EDIT:

Ben Cooper confirms it's August 29 at 10:30 AM EDT.

A Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch the eleventh batch of Starlink internet satellites from pad 39A on August 29 at 10:30am EDT.

http://www.launchphotography.com/Delta_4_Atlas_5_Falcon_9_Launch_Viewing.html

[Ken the Bin]

An update from the NGA for this launch:

251946Z AUG 20
NAVAREA IV 793/20(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   301358Z TO 301506Z AUG , ALTERNATE
   311337Z TO 311445Z AUG IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-39-18N 080-37-54W, 28-48-00N 080-30-00W,
      28-59-00N 080-15-00W, 28-58-00N 080-12-00W,
      28-40-00N 080-27-00W, 28-33-04N 080-33-55W.
   B. 31-54-00N 077-04-00W, 33-14-00N 075-53-00W,
      33-34-00N 074-59-00W, 33-13-00N 074-33-00W,
      32-47-00N 074-31-00W, 31-41-00N 076-49-00W.
2. CANCEL NAVAREA IV 783/20.
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 311545Z AUG 20.

Referenced:

240921Z AUG 20
NAVAREA IV 783/20(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   281441Z TO 281549Z AUG, ALTERNATE
   291420Z TO 291528Z AND 301359Z TO 301507Z AUG
   IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-39-18N 080-37-54W, 28-48-00N 080-30-00W,
      28-59-00N 080-15-00W, 28-58-00N 080-12-00W,
      28-40-00N 080-27-00W, 28-33-04N 080-33-55W.
   B. 31-54-00N 077-04-00W, 33-14-00N 075-53-00W,
      33-34-00N 074-59-00W, 33-13-00N 074-33-00W,
      32-47-00N 074-31-00W, 31-41-00N 076-49-00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 301607Z AUG 20.

This would put launch time around 14:08 UTC on August 30 and around 13:47 on August 31.

[leetdan]

It would take at least 20 hours for Ms Tree & Ms Chief to travel from the SAOCOM 1B recovery zone to the Starlink recovery zone.  With this Starlink launch pushing back one day, and over 38 hours between launches, it's quite possible that they can recover both fairings.

There might not be enough time to stop in to port and unload between launches, but that's probably OK.  They recently demonstrated scooping a fairing half out of the water while a second half was already on deck.  It may even be possible for them to re-rig the nets while underway following the first recovery, in order to make a second catch attempt.  We'll see soon enough!

[gongora]

It would take at least 20 hours for Ms Tree & Ms Chief to travel from the SAOCOM 1B recovery zone to the Starlink recovery zone.  With this Starlink launch pushing back one day, and over 38 hours between launches, it's quite possible that they can recover both fairings.

There might not be enough time to stop in to port and unload between launches, but that's probably OK.  They recently demonstrated scooping a fairing half out of the water while a second half was already on deck.  It may even be possible for them to re-rig the nets while underway following the first recovery, in order to make a second catch attempt.  We'll see soon enough!

The other strategy I've heard suggested would be send one fairing catcher to each zone, try to catch one half, and just fish out the other afterwards.

[AndrewRG10]

It would take at least 20 hours for Ms Tree & Ms Chief to travel from the SAOCOM 1B recovery zone to the Starlink recovery zone.  With this Starlink launch pushing back one day, and over 38 hours between launches, it's quite possible that they can recover both fairings.

There might not be enough time to stop in to port and unload between launches, but that's probably OK.  They recently demonstrated scooping a fairing half out of the water while a second half was already on deck.  It may even be possible for them to re-rig the nets while underway following the first recovery, in order to make a second catch attempt.  We'll see soon enough!

The other strategy I've heard suggested would be send one fairing catcher to each zone, try to catch one half, and just fish out the other afterwards.

Good way to lose a fairing because you don't know where it went and it breaks up by the time you find it. Based on the fact that we're hearing a possible 24 hour slip, they're likely gonna do it the proper way

[Nomadd]

Good way to lose a fairing because you don't know where it went and it breaks up by the time you find it. Based on the fact that we're hearing a possible 24 hour slip, they're likely gonna do it the proper way

Yeah...If they don't know where the fairing was going, it's not too likely they'd be able to put a ship there to catch it.

[SMS]

@gongora

At the leading post:

(14:308 UTC)

[zubenelgenubi]

NROL-44 delayed to August 28:

Scrub!

twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1298853251648040961

"Launch Director Lou Mangieri has announced that we will not continue with the #DeltaIVHeavy rocket countdown operations today for #NROL44. Another launch attempt will be possible in 24 hours."

SAOCOM-1B would be delayed to August 30, same time of day:

[Re: launch on August 28] Any idea why there is no longer a backup window on the forecast? Starlink-L11 taking priority?

If SAOCOM is delayed again, we'll have to wait a couple more days for a launch window. The 29th doesn't have the optimal conditions for orbit insertion.

If this Starlink launch must follow the SAOCOM launch by 2 days, that would place this launch on September 1.

If the launch time continues to regress by 21 or 22 minutes per day, then launch time on the 1st would be circa 1325 UTC.

[sferrin]

 1 for 3 in July.  1 for 3 - 4 in August.  I get it, stuff happens.  If SpaceX ever wants to get a full constellation up though maybe they want to start looking for ways to be less affected by external factors.  They're building up quite a log jam.  I wonder if they could add a launch site for Falcon 9 to Boca Chica? 

[FutureSpaceTourist]

twitter.com/spacexfleet/status/1298985752508817408

OCISLY droneship is getting underway from Port Canaveral for the Starlink mission.

Edit to add:

https://twitter.com/spacexfleet/status/1298989986650312704

Departure as captured by the WKMG-TV webcam: ClickOrlando,com