Starlink 7-18 (https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=132307&RequestTimeout=1000)
[NET March 26]
[ASDS position North 29 52 50 West 116 45 3]
https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7520QuoteStarlink Group 7-18
Launch Time
NET April 2024
...
SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA
191915Z MAR 24
NAVAREA XII 184/24(21).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
MEXICO.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
0230Z TO 0701Z DAILY 28 MAR THRU 03 APR
IN AREA BOUND BY
30-38.00N 117-19.00W, 30-23.00N 117-19.00W,
29-32.00N 117-06.00W, 29-12.00N 116-48.00W,
28-58.00N 116-22.00W, 29-18.00N 115-56.00W,
29-42.00N 116-06.00W, 30-04.00N 116-28.00W,
30-37.00N 117-12.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 030801Z APR 24.
And…7-18 is next, NET early March 28 UTC.
NGA Space Debris notice that is effectively a Rocket Launching notice. ...
https://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_spt.jsp (https://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_spt.jsp):
SPACEX STARLINK 7-18, VANDENBERG SFB, CA
PRIMARY: 03/29/24 0230Z-0701Z
BACKUP: 03/30/24 0230Z-0710Z
03/31/24 0230Z-0710Z
Targeting Thursday, March 28 for Falcon 9 to launch 22 @Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from California → spacex.com/launches
SpaceX is targeting Thursday, March 28 for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 7:30 p.m. PT, with backup opportunities available until 11:24 p.m. PT. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Friday, March 29 starting at 7:30 p.m. PT.
A live webcast of this mission will begin on X @SpaceX about five minutes prior to liftoff. Watch live.
This is the 15th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, Transporter-8, Transporter-9, and eight Starlink missions. (=B1071-15) Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
7:30 PM PDT is about 20 mins after sunset so it should not take the launcher and contrail too long to find sunshine.Rough calculation gives sunlight at about 5 miles up. To reach that altitude won't take long at all.
Hopefully it goes on its first attempt.
CelesTrak has pre-launch SupGP data for the @Starlink Group 7-18 launch from Vandenberg SFB on 2024-03-29 at 02:30:00 UTC: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/table.php?FILE=starlink-g7-18. Deployment of 22 satellites at 03:32:22.460 UTC. Data for 10 backup launch opportunities also provided: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/.
...Liftoff is targeted for 8:32 p.m. PT, with backup opportunities available until 11:24 p.m. PT.
UPDATE #1:
@SpaceX is now targeting the 2nd backup launch opportunity for the @Starlink
Group 7-18 launch on 2024-03-29 at 03:32:00 UTC with deployment at 04:34:22.460 UTC.
SpaceX is targeting no earlier than Friday, March 29 for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 7:30 p.m. PT, with backup opportunities available until 11:30 p.m. PT.
A live webcast of this mission will begin on X @SpaceX about five minutes prior to liftoff. Watch live.
Standing down from tonight’s Falcon 9 launch of @Starlink. Targeting no earlier than Friday, March 29 for liftoff
I wonder why they forewent tonight's countdown. 🤔
Tyler Gray
@TylerG1998
#Falcon9 B1071-15 saw Delta IV Heavy’s scrub earlier & decided to scrub in sympathy. 🧽
Trying again from Vandenberg NET tomorrow at 7:30 PM Pacific (02:30 UTC on Saturday):
I wonder why they forewent tonight's countdown. 🤔
How is the weather?
CelesTrak has pre-launch SupGP data for the
@Starlink Group 7-18 launch from Vandenberg SFB on 2024-03-30 at 02:30:00 UTC: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/table.php?FILE=starlink-g7-18. Deployment of 22 satellites at 03:32:22.460 UTC. Data for 10 backup launch opportunities also provided: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/.
I wonder why they forewent tonight's countdown. 🤔
How is the weather?
https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/vandenberg-village/93436/hourly-weather-forecast/2189840
Per AccuWeather, there's no chance of precipitation and it's partly cloudy too. So, ground weather would've been good all throughout the window. Question, however, is were the upper level winds within limits? Did something within the GSE cause a hold?
Unlike ULA, which almost immediately disclosed the cause of the Delta IV Heavy scrub, SpaceX hardly opens up about scrub reasons.
I wonder why they forewent tonight's countdown. 🤔How was/is the space weather?
How is the weather?
X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE
Giant sunspot AR3615 just produced another strong solar flare. Peaking on March 28th at 2053 UT, the X1-class explosion ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere and caused a deep shortwave radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean. This follows similar blackouts over over the Indian Ocean and South America earlier the same day due to strong M-class flares. AR3615 is active again, and more flares may be in the offing.
I wonder why they forewent tonight's countdown. 🤔How was/is the space weather?
How is the weather?
https://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=29&month=03&year=2024QuoteX-CLASS SOLAR FLARE
Giant sunspot AR3615 just produced another strong solar flare. Peaking on March 28th at 2053 UT, the X1-class explosion ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere and caused a deep shortwave radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean. This follows similar blackouts over over the Indian Ocean and South America earlier the same day due to strong M-class flares. AR3615 is active again, and more flares may be in the offing.
Here's a good look at the storm heading our way. Expect winds to pick up in the afternoon with stronger showers this evening. #CAwx
SpaceX is targeting no earlier than Saturday, March 30 for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 7:30 p.m. PT, with backup opportunities available until 11:30 p.m. PT. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Sunday, March 31 starting at 7:30 p.m. PT.= 31 March 02:30 to 06:30
UPDATE #1: @SpaceX is now targeting Mar 31 (UTC) for the next window for the @Starlink Group 7-18 launch. I have removed the data for the Mar 30 window and will post new pre-launch SupGP data once we receive new state vectors from SpaceX.
SPACEX STARLINK 7-18, VANDENBERG SFB, CA
PRIMARY: 03/31/24 0230Z-0701Z
BACKUP: 04/01/24 0230Z-0710Z
04/02/24 0230Z-0710Z
Wrote this on the thread but I'll mention it here too.
There's potentially three Falcon 9 missions within 5 hours of each other 21:52 UTC, 1:00 UTC, and 2:30 UTC.
Targeting Saturday, March 30 for back-to-back-to-back launches from all three launch pads in Florida and California → http://spacex.com/launches
Later Saturday night at pad 4E in California, Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch an additional 22 @Starlink satellites to orbit
Wrote this on the thread but I'll mention it here too.
There's potentially three Falcon 9 missions within 5 hours of each other 21:52 UTC, 1:00 UTC, and 2:30 UTC.
And...official tweets:QuoteTargeting Saturday, March 30 for back-to-back-to-back launches from all three launch pads in Florida and California → http://spacex.com/launchesQuoteLater Saturday night at pad 4E in California, Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch an additional 22 @Starlink satellites to orbit
CelesTrak has pre-launch SupGP data for the @Starlink Group 7-18 launch from Vandenberg SFB on 2024-03-31 at 02:30:00 UTC: celestrak.org/NORAD/elements…. Deployment of 22 satellites at 03:32:22.460 UTC. Data for 9 backup launch opportunities is also provided: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/
Three flight-proven Falcon 9 boosters vertical ahead of today’s launches from Florida and California → spacex.com/launches
Today's first mission complete. Up next: Falcon 9 is targeted to launch @Starlink satellites to orbit from pad 40 in ~2.5 hours → http://spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-6-45
SpaceX is targeting no earlier than Saturday, March 30 for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 8:54 p.m. PT, with backup opportunities available until 11:30 p.m. PT. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Sunday, March 31 starting at 7:30 p.m. PT.= 31 March 03:54 UTC
UPDATE #1: @SpaceX is now targeting the 2nd backup launch opportunity for the @Starlink Group 7-18 launch on 2024-03-31 at 03:54:00 UTC with deployment at 04:56:22.460 UTC.
Up next, teams in California are readying to launch Falcon 9 from pad 4E while also keeping a close eye on the weather → http://spacex.com/launches
SpaceX is targeting no earlier than Saturday, March 30 for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 9:46 p.m. PT, with backup opportunities available until 11:30 p.m. PT. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Sunday, March 31 starting at 7:38 p.m. PT.= 31 March 04:46 UTC
UPDATE #2: @SpaceX is now targeting the 5th backup launch opportunity for the @Starlink Group 7-18 launch on 2024-03-31 at 04:46:00 UTC with deployment at 05:48:22.460 UTC.
SpaceX is targeting no earlier than Saturday, March 30 for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 10:28 p.m. PT, with backup opportunities available until 11:30 p.m. PT. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Sunday, March 31 starting at 7:38 p.m. PT.= 31 Mar 05:28 UTC
SpaceX is targeting no earlier than Saturday, March 30 for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 10:48 p.m. PT, with backup opportunities available until 11:30 p.m. PT. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Sunday, March 31 starting at 7:38 p.m. PT.
Pushed back another 20 mins:
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-7-18QuoteSpaceX is targeting no earlier than Saturday, March 30 for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 10:48 p.m. PT, with backup opportunities available until 11:30 p.m. PT. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Sunday, March 31 starting at 7:38 p.m. PT.
= 31 Mar 05:48 UTC
TS Kelso backup launch opportunity #7
SpaceX is targeting no earlier than Saturday, March 30 for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 11:30 p.m. PT. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Sunday, March 31 starting at 7:38 p.m. PT.= 31 March 06:30 UTC = the end of the launch window
This one keeps slipping through the window, so it's getting tight if it'll make it off the pad to make it a hat trick of Falcons in a matter of hours.
Proof once again East Coast is the best coast. 😅
Due to unfavorable weather, we are standing down from tonight's Falcon 9 launch of @Starlink from California. Vehicle and payload remain healthy. Teams continue to keep an eye on the weather as they work toward the next best opportunity for liftoff – we will announce a new launch date once confirmed on the Range
UPDATE #4:
@SpaceX has scrubbed for this launch window due to weather violations. Expect new data for next launch window shortly.
CelesTrak has pre-launch SupGP data for the @Starlink Group 7-18 launch from Vandenberg SFB on 2024-04-01 at 02:38:00 UTC: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/table.php?FILE=starlink-g7-18. Deployment of 22 satellites at 03:40:22.460 UTC. Data for 12 backup launch opportunities is also provided: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/.
Now targeting Monday, April 1 for Falcon 9 to launch @Starlink satellites to orbit → http://spacex.com/launches
SpaceX is targeting Monday, April 1 for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 7:30 p.m. PT, with backup opportunities available until 11:30 p.m. PT. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Tuesday, April 2 starting at 7:30 p.m. PT.
SpaceX is targeting Monday, April 1 for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 7:30 p.m. PT, with backup opportunities available until 11:30 p.m. PT. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Tuesday, April 2 starting at 7:30 p.m. PT.
A live webcast of this mission will begin on X @SpaceX about five minutes prior to liftoff. Watch live.
This is the 15th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, Transporter-8, Transporter-9, and eight Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
Primary launch opportunity per CelesTrak = 2024-04-01 02:38:00 UTC, so the FAA ATC information is correct. Given the situation, I wonder why SpaceX removed the mission webpage, and why it's still not back.It's Easter. Somebody dropped the
Primary launch opportunity per CelesTrak = 2024-04-01 02:38:00 UTC, so the FAA ATC information is correct. Given the situation, I wonder why SpaceX removed the mission webpage, and why it's still not back.It's Easter. Somebody dropped theballEaster egg and they'll likely pick it up Monday. 🐣
Edit: Picked it up ASAP!
That's a valid question. 🤔 I don't know.So why did SpaceX give wrong information to the FAA and to CelesTrak about a launch attempt on early April 1 UTC?Primary launch opportunity per CelesTrak = 2024-04-01 02:38:00 UTC, so the FAA ATC information is correct. Given the situation, I wonder why SpaceX removed the mission webpage, and why it's still not back.It's Easter. Somebody dropped theballEaster egg and they'll likely pick it up Monday. 🐣
Edit: Picked it up ASAP!
I'm thinking someone was celebrating Easter a little too much while on the job. 🐇
That's a valid question. 🤔 I don't know.So why did SpaceX give wrong information to the FAA and to CelesTrak about a launch attempt on early April 1 UTC?Primary launch opportunity per CelesTrak = 2024-04-01 02:38:00 UTC, so the FAA ATC information is correct. Given the situation, I wonder why SpaceX removed the mission webpage, and why it's still not back.It's Easter. Somebody dropped theballEaster egg and they'll likely pick it up Monday. 🐣
Edit: Picked it up ASAP!
I'm thinking someone was celebrating Easter a little too much while on the job. 🐇
We'll see if TS Kelso revises his launch opportunities listings.
SPACEX STARLINK 7-18, VANDENBERG SFB, CA
PRIMARY: 04/02/24 0230Z-0701Z
BACKUP: 04/03/24 0230Z-0710Z
NOAA forecasts can give you some general hints on conditions before you drive to a launch, especially very high winds, fog, rain and lightning, but the actual launch criteria are quite detailed. Here's a good doc on launch criteria for crew dragon, I haven't spotted one for uncrewed.
https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/falcon9_crewdragon_launch_weather_criteria_fact_sheet.pdf
The criteria makes no mention of gusts, but when reading this NOAA wind forecast, it is easy to get the impression that the ground level wind gusts conveniently stop right at 7:00. I believe that NOAA doesn't report gusts below 15 mph. At 8pm, wind speeds drop to 6, but you might still have unreported gusts as high as 14. These forecasts also tell you nothing about upper level winds or the other 10 or more criteria. IANAMeteorologist, but that's my experience. (fixed a time)
CelesTrak has pre-launch SupGP data for the
@Starlink Group 7-18 launch from Vandenberg SFB on 2024-04-02 at 02:30:00 UTC: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/table.php?FILE=starlink-g7-18. Deployment of 22 satellites at 03:32:22.460 UTC. Data for 14 backup launch opportunities is also provided: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/.
With less than an hour to liftoff, weather is not tracking any issues ahead of tonight’s Falcon 9 launch of 22 @Starlink satellites from California
Fueling is underway at pad 4E in California for tonight’s sunset launch of Falcon 9. All systems are currently go for launch
Upcoming launches with the latest on the final Delta IV-Heavy mission.
By John Sharp (@ukspacebulletin)
Watch Falcon 9 launch 22 @Starlink satellites to orbit.
Liftoff of Falcon 9’s 150th dedicated @Starlink launch!
It's been a hot minute since the last Falcon 9 launch, so here's another.
Fairing deployment confirmed. This was the 190th Falcon 9 mission using flight-proven fairings.
Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship.
And that's 217 consecutive successful landings for the Falcon booster.
Are we off-line?
This mission launched at the first opportunity 22 minutes ago.
Successful landing
Nominal orbit insertion.
Waiting for second burn of second stage and deployment
Deployment of 22 @Starlink satellites confirmed.
First one in on the first of April! ☝️
Updated orbital launch count as of Apr. 1 (Apr. 2 UTC):
Earth 🌎 — 62/63
USA 🇺🇸 — 37/37
China 🇨🇳 — 14/14* (1 partial failure)
Russia 🇷🇺 — 5/5
Japan 🇯🇵 — 2/3
Iran 🇮🇷 — 2/2
India 🇮🇳 — 2/2
1/3
Orbital launches by organization:
🇺🇸 — 32 SpaceX, 4 Rocket Lab, 1 ULA
🇨🇳 — 10 CASC (1 partial failure), 2 CASIC, 1 OrienSpace, 1 CAS Space
🇷🇺 — 5 TsSKB Progress
🇯🇵 — 2 MHI, 1 Space One ❌
🇮🇳 — 2 ISRO
🇮🇷 — 1 IRGC, 1 ISA
2/3
Launches by spaceport:
🇺🇸 — 15 CCSFS, 11 Vandy, 7 KSC, 1 Wallops
🇨🇳 — 4 Xichang, 4 Jiuquan, 3 Wenchang, 2 offshore, 1 Taiyuan
🇳🇿 — 3 Māhia
🇷🇺 — 3 Baikonur, 1 Plesetsk, 1 Vostochny
🇯🇵 — 2 Tanegashima, 1 Space Port Kii
🇮🇳 — 2 Satish Dhawan
🇮🇷 — 1 Shahrud, 1 Semnan
3/3
Recent 21st #Starlink launch of this year via #SpaceX's #Falcon9 vehicle
Tonight's #SpaceX #Falcon9 7-18 #Starlink launch from SoCal!! What a spectacular launch!
#Rocket #SoCal
🚀Photo of @SpaceX #Falcon9 #launch from Vanderberg, CA - seen from Mulegé, Mexico
📸: Pati Taylor
CelesTrak has ephemeris-based SupGP data for all 22 satellites from the
@Starlink Group 7-18 launch (2024-062) atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB on Apr 2 at 0230 UTC: https://spaceflightnow.com/2024/03/28/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-22-starlink-satellites-on-a-falcon-9-flight-from-vandenberg-space-force-base/. Data for the launch can be found at: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/table.php?INTDES=2024-062.
The launch with a batch of 22 of its Starlink satellites on board ran into poor weather on the previous two attempts. SpaceX didn’t state why they scrubbed on Thursday.Confirmation of what we already know, but appreciated.
It’s a @SpaceX #Falcon9 #Booster party in Long Beach! Just as B1071.15 comes in from its 15th time to space…B1081.6 gets refurbished for its next flight to space & back again. 04-09-24