SpaceX F9 : Starlink v1.0 Flight 3 : January 29, 2020 - Master Thread

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/spacexfleet/status/1222682882419908609

New tracking data just in shows that B1051.3 has been secured. Of Course I Still Love You is underway towards Port Canaveral!

[gongora]

https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-fourth-batch-of-starlink-satellites-tweaks-satellite-design/

The launch — SpaceX’s fourth for Starlink not counting two demonstration satellites launched in 2018 — carried an upgraded set of satellites designed for better spectral efficiency and throughput.

Also from the article:

SpaceX’s Starlink satellites launched Jan. 29 each weigh approximately 260 kilograms, an increase of 33 kilograms from the 60 satellites launched in May 2019.

A bit of a weird comparison going back to the pre 1.0 satellites; is 260 the 'normal' mass of 1.0 satellites or was there an increase somewhere?

SpaceX specified that the newest Starlink satellites have four phased array antennas. Previous satellites were described as having “multiple” phased array antennas.

Not sure if this was previously divulged...

All of the v1.0 sats should have four phased array antennas.  The v0.9 sats didn't.  That was a weirdly written article.  All of the changes mentioned seem to be from the 0.9 to 1.0 design.

[gongora]

This mission's thread was never split between updates and discussion. Is that a new thing, or just an oversight?

I hope that this format continues. With Starlink launches every 2 to 3 weeks, the mission section can be a bit messy at times.

1. It's a new thing
2. I don't think I saw an announcement of the change. Just noticed one day that the name was 'Master thread'
3. I mostly like the concept.
4. I sort of wish there was a general Master Starlink update thread. (No discussion...) Hard to make the bounds of the thread though. Something like Starlink Launch and tracking??

It is a new thing we're trying for the Starlink launches.  The threads aren't quite as long as they used to be, and the Starlink launches will be very frequest and very similar.  It's basically how the forum works outside of the SpaceX section.

A Starlink Master Updates thread is a possibility.  The Starlink threads in the SpaceX General section are a work in progress right now.  All of the main Starlink threads should be listed in the Starlink Index thread.

As a reminder for the Mission section, the SpaceX Manifest thread kinda serves as an index.  The first two posts in the thread have links to a Discussion/General/Master thread for each mission.  The top post has recent and future flights, the second post has older flights.  If there is an Update thread for a mission it will be linked in the top post of the Discussion thread (at least for the last few years).  The third and fourth posts in the manifest thread are also maintained with additional information.

[Lars-J]

The amount of bellyaching about this "hard landing" is pretty amusing. The landing appears to be getting worse in every retelling, like a game of telephone. 

I'd wager this wouldn't even hit the top-10 of "barely made it" sea landings, keep in mind that signal cutout have prevented us from seeing landings with this quality in previous launch streams. There have been plenty worse, that I am sure of.

[JamesH65]

The amount of bellyaching about this "hard landing" is pretty amusing. The landing appears to be getting worse in every retelling, like a game of telephone. 

I'd wager this wouldn't even hit the top-10 of "barely made it" sea landings, keep in mind that signal cutout have prevented us from seeing landings with this quality in previous launch streams. There have been plenty worse, that I am sure of.

Last time I checked, it actually landed upside down. Still managed to recover though, although they used 150% of the crush cores and they used robot squirrels instead of the octograbber because there wasn't any room underneath.

Yes, pretty amusing. It landed.

[tyrred]

The amount of bellyaching about this "hard landing" is pretty amusing. The landing appears to be getting worse in every retelling, like a game of telephone. 

I'd wager this wouldn't even hit the top-10 of "barely made it" sea landings, keep in mind that signal cutout have prevented us from seeing landings with this quality in previous launch streams. There have been plenty worse, that I am sure of.

Last time I checked, it actually landed upside down. Still managed to recover though, although they used 150% of the crush cores and they used robot squirrels instead of the octograbber because there wasn't any room underneath.

Yes, pretty amusing. It landed.

But... But they landed an orbital-class booster.  Again?

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/spacexfleet/status/1222840630319157249

GO Ms. Tree and GO Ms. Chief are tracking for an arrival at Port Canaveral at around 4pm EST TODAY. (30/01)

[OneSpeed]

It is a new thing we're trying for the Starlink launches.  The threads aren't quite as long as they used to be, and the Starlink launches will be very frequent and very similar.

Yes, flights 2 and 3 had very similar ascent and coast profiles.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Wow

https://twitter.com/considercosmos/status/1222776603865993216

Wait for it...
Testing a new motorized rocket tracker camera from the launchpad in 4k, 160fps. 🎥🚀Here's a preview of some extreme #starlink-3 beauty!! @elonmusk @SpaceX

[Vettedrmr]

A. I don't think a windsock is going to give us very much information, because THERE'S A ROCKET SHIP LANDING NEARBY ON A PILLAR OF FLAME!!!

B. I think the landing was fairly hard, but I don't think the engine bells touched.  But I bet a lot of the crush cores were used up.

C. I like the new "master thread" format.  I expect the updates and discussions to be fairly short, if only because there's a new launch coming quickly.

Have a good one,
Mike

[meekGee]

The amount of bellyaching about this "hard landing" is pretty amusing. The landing appears to be getting worse in every retelling, like a game of telephone. 

I'd wager this wouldn't even hit the top-10 of "barely made it" sea landings, keep in mind that signal cutout have prevented us from seeing landings with this quality in previous launch streams. There have been plenty worse, that I am sure of.

Nobody said it barely made it.

But there's good evidence upthread it landed hard due to killing the vertical speed too high above the deck.

To me, it looks like it is sitting low, indicating some use of the crush cores.

No hysterics.

[ugordan]

Possible venting from the 2nd stage observed


Looks too long to me to be a deorbit burn.

[JAFO]

A. I don't think a windsock is going to give us very much information, because THERE'S A ROCKET SHIP LANDING NEARBY ON A PILLAR OF FLAME!!!

Have a good one,
Mike

Yahbut before that pillar of flame... (and No, I’m not a Delta pilot asking for windchecks every 15 seconds all the way down final!)




Good weekend, Mike. Go Chiefs! :cheers:

[Chris Bergin]

VIDEO: Footage of SpaceX's Starlink v1.0 Flight 3 launch with Falcon 9 B1051.3 -

Filmed by Jay DeShetler (@jdeshetler) Super Slow-Mo Remote with HD Sound and Chris Gebhardt (@ChrisG_NSF) covering the launch. Edited by Brady Kenniston (@TheFavoritist)

[FutureSpaceTourist]

twitter.com/spacexfleet/status/1222980728599851015

Ms. Tree and Ms. Chief just arrived at Port Canaveral! Both ships switched off their trackers and are early.

Photos will come later on when photographers reach them...

SNEAKY!

https://twitter.com/spacexfleet/status/1222981514281062400

Only turning on your tracker 2 mins before you arrive and being 30 mins earlier than I forecasted isn't how this game is meant to be played :S

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/kyle_m_photo/status/1222986891890503681

The fairing catchers have returned. #SpaceXFleet #SpaceX

Edit to add:

twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/1222988809987665933

Thread: SpaceX’s fairing-catching vessels have returned to Port Canaveral following the fourth Starlink mission.

First up: Video of Ms. Chief, which recovered a fairing that splashed down in the ocean.

https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/1222989309176950808

More video: Another catch! Ms. Tree returns to Port Canaveral with a successfully-caught payload fairing — SpaceX’s third.

https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/1222991176405594113

Closeup views of Ms. Tree, which successfully caught a payload fairing half during the fourth Starlink mission this past Monday.

This is the third payload fairing half SpaceX has successfully landed in one of their recovery boats’ nets.

Congratulations, team!

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/gregscott_photo/status/1223005343032193024

FAIRING UPDATE: Go Ms Tree arrived back in port this afternoon with the successfully caught fairing from yesterdays B1051.3 #SpaceX #Starliner mission on board. The fairing was still covered in blue tarp but notice the netting hanging into the wtr.  #NASA #Space #SpaceXFleet

[meekGee]

....  It's basically how the forum works outside of the SpaceX section...

But Captain, what do you mean "OUTSIDE  of the SpaceX section"? 

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/spacexfleet/status/1223200803336466433

Progress was slightly slower overnight so my ETA keeps changing. Dawn on Saturday morning is a very real possibility at this time.

[meekGee]

Unlikely to be just contact.

1. Shutting down at velocity=0 has to result in the gentlest landing in all cases.

2. Shutting an engine down is not instantaneous. There will be residual thrust, so the shutdown has to be commanded on a prediction of v=0.

A result I remember from statics is that if you gently place a weight on an unloaded elastic structure until contact is made and then let go, the max deflection (and stress) will be twice that as if you placed the same weight on the same structure but supported it all the way down till max deflection.

So if the engines had cut instantaneously just as contact was made, the legs would likely break...

EDIT:
... or get damaged...

So I think even in this case where final throttle down started too high above deck, it still overlapped the touchdown somewhat.