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.
We don't have a date yet. Starlink flight dates aren't being released very far ahead of time.
Why 39A again? Is SLC-40 undergoing some sort of refurbishment? Or is it something else?
According to Next Spaceflight, booster 1051.4 is going to be used for this mission.https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/2571
45th Space Wing commander Brig. Gen. Schiess said the launch will be carried out with a lean crew and social distancing measures.
https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1247896041568866305(Note: It's 16 April at 17:31 EDT (21:31 UTC).)Chris G edit:https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1247898265216888834
During a call with reporters April 9, Schiess (Brig. Gen. Doug Schiess, commander of the 45th Space Wing that oversees the Florida space coast ranges) had to defend the decision to allow the launch to go forward amid the coronavirus pandemic. <snip>Schiess said that under the current health emergency, the decision to support a launch is considered on a case-by-case basis. The Starlink launch is less labor intensive than a national security mission like GPS, he said. With a leaner crew it’s easier to implement physical separation at launch facilities, said Schiess.Another consideration is that the 60-satellite Starlink payload is owned by SpaceX so government personnel are not involved in getting it ready for launch.
Quote from: Elthiryel on 04/08/2020 03:37 pmAccording to Next Spaceflight, booster 1051.4 is going to be used for this mission.https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/2571I wonder if that booster was originally meant to be used for SAOCOM.
It’s also possible that SpaceX is also wanting to fly this mission soon because NASA would like to see as many F9 flights as possible to verify any fixes(?) or process changes since the M1D shutdown on the last flight - so flying this mission also makes Helps the crew in flight schedule.
Complete map of LHAs for #Starlink v1.0-L6 from LC-39A for Apr 16-21. Direct inject orbit, booster landing and expected fairing recovery location as last Starlink mission. Stage2 deorbit on the first orbit to same Debris Reentry Area in Eastern Pacific. bit.do/LHA11
ATLANTIC OCEAN - FLORIDA - CAPE CANAVERAL: EATERN RANGE OP# X1303 FALCON 9 STARLINK V1.0-L6 (UPDATE April 14, 2020)Eastern Range will be conducting hazardous operations surface to unlimited within portions of Warning Areas W497A, W497B, W137F/G, W138E,W139E/F, W122 and the following Hazard Areas.A: From 2838 59.35N 8037 40.62WTO 2841N 8036WTO 2902N 8009WTO 2857N 8005WTO 2842N 8018WTO 2833N 8033WTO 2833 14.53N 8033 57.98W to beginningB: From 3201N 7645WTO 3309N 7558WTO 3331N 7526WTO 3328N 7449WTO 3315N 7435WTO 3246N 7435WTO 3229N 7459WTO 3150N 7635W to beginningHazard periods for primary launch day and backup launch days;Primary launch day: 23 / 1856Z thru 23 / 2024Z Apr 20. Preferred T-0 is 1916Z.Backup launch day: 24 / 1834Z thru 24 / 2002Z Apr 20. Preferred T-0 is 1854Z
Why are they still doing direct insertions if the previous missions resulted in booster landing failures?
Quote from: ZachS09 on 04/14/2020 09:08 pmWhy are they still doing direct insertions if the previous missions resulted in booster landing failures?The last failure wasn't anything to do with direct insertion.
Quote from: ZachS09 on 04/14/2020 09:08 pmWhy are they still doing direct insertions if the previous missions resulted in booster landing failures?Because none of the failures were caused by the launch profile
A Falcon 9 rocket has arrived at launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center as SpaceX prepares for the launch of the seventh batch of Starlink broadband internet satellites.
A Falcon 9 rocket is now upright at launch pad 39A as SpaceX prepares for a routine pre-launch test firing of the rocket's nine first stage engines ahead of next week's planned launch.
Quote from: soltasto on 04/14/2020 11:23 pmQuote from: ZachS09 on 04/14/2020 09:08 pmWhy are they still doing direct insertions if the previous missions resulted in booster landing failures?Because none of the failures were caused by the launch profileI understand. It just seemed that way to me after the last mission and I was kinda predicting bad luck on this next one.
Quote from: ZachS09 on 04/15/2020 03:29 amQuote from: soltasto on 04/14/2020 11:23 pmQuote from: ZachS09 on 04/14/2020 09:08 pmWhy are they still doing direct insertions if the previous missions resulted in booster landing failures?Because none of the failures were caused by the launch profileI understand. It just seemed that way to me after the last mission and I was kinda predicting bad luck on this next one.I doubt SpaceX would be influenced by superstitions such as bad luck
10 AM Apr 17 Update: #SpaceX #Falcon9 rocket remains raised for static fire test - timing TBD- for #Starlink6 launch NET Apr 23
A test-firing of SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 rocket is expected later today at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. LIVE UPDATES: spaceflightnow.com/2020/04/16/fal…
Vapors are streaming away from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket on pad 39A in Florida, suggesting fueling is well underway for a static fire test at 12pm EDT (1600 GMT).The test-firing is a key milestone before a planned Starlink satellite launch next week. spaceflightnow.com/2020/04/16/fal…
The strongback structure at pda 39A is being retracted into position for engine start. The test-firing of the Falcon 9 rocket’s nine first stage engines is moments away. spaceflightnow.com/2020/04/16/fal…
F9/Starlink: Falcon 9 hot fire test at KSC/39A carried out at noon EDT; test appeared normal; will now await word from Space on data review, launch date
F9/Starlink: Here are two shots of today’s Falcon 9 hot-fire test at KSC/39A:
Static fire has occurred at 39A ahead of the Seventh Starlink mission scheduled NET 4/23. Stay tuned for confirmation from @SpaceX #Starlink
The first stage rocket booster supporting this mission previously supported Crew Dragon’s first flight to the @space_station, launch of the RADARSAT Constellation Mission, and the fourth Starlink mission
The fairing previously supported launch of the AMOS-17 mission in August 2019
The @SpaceX Falcon 9 sits and waits for its launch on 4/23/20 at 3:16pm EDT. The booster being used is B1051.4 and this will be its 4th flight.Launching from historic 39A once again. The next launch from this pad will be DM-2 and will take astronauts to the ISS.📸- Sam Odom
Does anyone have information on the SkySats that were going to be included in this launch? Wikipedia is saying they are on there but I cant find any other confirmation.
The recovery mission has officially begun for the Seventh Starlink mission which is scheduled NET 4/23. It's time to bring a booster back to port. Fair winds and following seas Finn Falgout and OCISLY. #SpaceXFleet #SpaceX
Departure! Of Course I Still Love You is underway from Port Canaveral for the 7th Starlink mission.Guest tugboat 'Finn Falgout' will be towing the droneship 629km downrange! Photo: PTZtv.com
Departure! Crew ship GO Quest is following OCISLY out of Port Canaveral and heading downrange for the Starlink mission.Photo via @flaspacecoast
Fair winds and following seas GO Quest. The support ship has officially departed Port Canaveral for the #Starlink recovery zone. #SpaceXFleet 📷 Jetty Park beach cam
Quote from: Notleslie on 04/19/2020 10:49 amDoes anyone have information on the SkySats that were going to be included in this launch? Wikipedia is saying they are on there but I cant find any other confirmation.There hasn't been any confirmation. It's an assumption based on the fact that those sats were supposed to launch on a Starlink mission in April 2020. But that could have changed since then, so it's possible the Skysats will launch on the next mission, not this one. Or maybe the one after that.
Weather on Thursday looks great, just 10% probability of violation. 40% on Friday.
Until @SpaceX confirms this themselves, I would treat this news with caution. However, this forecast is not an error. I understand that SpaceX is exploring the potential of an earlier launch date due to more favorable weather on the 22nd.
Catch time! Ms. Tree and Ms. Chief are underway from Port Canaveral for the 7th Starlink mission.They haven't had much success recently so we need to wish them good luck!
aaand here's the other fairing catcher, Ms. Chief!Both photos thanks to visitspacecoast.com
Was there a reason as to why the launch was moved up one day?
Quote from: ZachS09 on 04/20/2020 03:40 pmWas there a reason as to why the launch was moved up one day?Appears to be for better weather.
Tornado Warning including Titusville FL, Indian River City FL until 12:45 PM EDT
Live at VAB via KSC webcams. Potential radar-indicated rotation (tornado) headed this way.
Updated live views at KSC:
"Very tight rotation over the launch pads at Kennedy" - @EricBurrisWESH
Silly but if the schedule holds, SpaceX will launch its 422nd Starlink satellite (including Tintin A/B) on 4/22...
Recovery fleet position update!Progress to LZ:OCISLY/GO Quest:▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░░ 58%Ms. Tree/Ms. Chief:▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 84%
Confirmation of the date moving up a day:https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1252344682807353344
What‘s the matter with 4/20? I don‘t assume everyone is celebrating Hitler‘s birthday.
Ms. Tree and Ms. Chief have arrived at the fairing recovery zone for this week's Starlink mission! They are ~695km downrange.
According to the L-1 weather forecast, recovery conditions are predicted to be low risk.
SpaceX is transferring a Falcon 9 rocket to pad 39A in Florida this afternoon in preparation for launch tomorrow at 3:37pm EDT (1937 GMT) with 60 more Starlink Internet satellites. LIVE UPDATES: spaceflightnow.com/2020/04/16/fal…
Our launch preview.https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/04/falcon-9-us-leader-starlink/ - by Chris Gebhardt and Danny Lentz.twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1252675265844690944
Good article
Quote Good article
According to the simulations I've seen (and also my own simple ones), the second stage and the satellites should pass more or less over London a few minutes after the separation, coming from the west/northwest. I am also pretty sure that's well before entering the Earth shadow.However, I have no idea how bright this is going to be, I don't recall seeing any videos of Starlink sightings just after the separation.
Common to not have logo.
It's not the first time when the webcast on YouTube is showing a strange start time. On Twitter they stated that the webcast will be available around 10 minutes before the launch and I think we can safely assume that's still the plan.EDIT: Not Twitter, but their website, sorry. But it's still there: https://www.spacex.com/webcast
They just mentioned excess alcohol in the engine as the cause of the failure last flight. Had that been announced before, or is that new information (to us) today>
A 4 engine entry burn? That's new isn't it?
Landing, hurrah!
Updating software.
Where's this camera located? Stage 2 tank?
Where's this camera located? Stage 2 tank? There are a couple of frames in today's launch video. Looks like something you would see as video channels were switched.
Quote from: AZspaceman on 04/22/2020 08:09 pmWhere's this camera located? Stage 2 tank? Yes.
Quote from: AZspaceman on 04/22/2020 08:09 pmWhere's this camera located? Stage 2 tank? There are a couple of frames in today's launch video. Looks like something you would see as video channels were switched.So cool! Truly amazing.
Any word on fairing catching?
Sorry it is hard to see, but here are the satellites/upperstage flying over Cambridgeshire
Catching up a bit looks like COVID fever back the past few days again.. Thanks for the coverage. Did they upgrade the camera on the first stage it looked so good or was it just clean and clear?
Quote from: Eerie on 04/22/2020 08:11 pmQuote from: AZspaceman on 04/22/2020 08:09 pmWhere's this camera located? Stage 2 tank? Yes.Stage 2 LOX tank to be specific. That black thing on the side is one of the bottles that holds helium for pressurization as LOX is depleted
A nearly empty LOX tank too, which is what a launch provider wants to see at the end of the burn. Still a bit of residual LOX there though. - Ed Kyle
Do Starlink 2nd stages on the current profile perform a deorbit burn or are they allowed to naturally decay? I imagine with the low perigee it would only take an orbit or two but the accuracy of the rentry area would be reduced.
Quote from: OnWithTheShow on 04/24/2020 02:46 pmDo Starlink 2nd stages on the current profile perform a deorbit burn or are they allowed to naturally decay? I imagine with the low perigee it would only take an orbit or two but the accuracy of the rentry area would be reduced.AIUI 2nd stage does not deorbit. How long it stays in orbit IDK.
Quote from: edkyle99 on 04/24/2020 01:07 pmA nearly empty LOX tank too, which is what a launch provider wants to see at the end of the burn. Still a bit of residual LOX there though. - Ed Kyle Do Starlink 2nd stages on the current profile perform a deorbit burn or are they allowed to naturally decay? I imagine with the low perigee it would only take an orbit or two but the accuracy of the rentry area would be reduced.
Where's this camera located? ...
Quote from: Rocket Science on 04/24/2020 05:25 amCatching up a bit looks like COVID fever back the past few days again.. Thanks for the coverage. Did they upgrade the camera on the first stage it looked so good or was it just clean and clear?I think it was the same camera as always; just didn't get dirty.
https://twitter.com/spacexfleet/status/1253836119491227650QuoteOCISLY is about halfway through the journey home. The droneship and accompanying support ships have been slowly progressing through very rough seas.Saturday is now not-possible and I'm hearing that they are tentatively targeting arrival on Sunday morning - weather permitting.
OCISLY is about halfway through the journey home. The droneship and accompanying support ships have been slowly progressing through very rough seas.Saturday is now not-possible and I'm hearing that they are tentatively targeting arrival on Sunday morning - weather permitting.
Obviously could have non-visible damage, but it appears that letting them land in the ocean then fishing them out is a viable plan for recovery.
Quote from: niwax on 04/25/2020 08:13 pmLanding them in the nets has virtually zero extra cost and some 50% of their missions are Starlink, so it's still likely cheaper to try for a proper landing and sometimes fail than to convince customers to use watered fairings.Except their success rates for the nets isn't very good. And if you try the net and fail, that one is a write-off for sure.
Landing them in the nets has virtually zero extra cost and some 50% of their missions are Starlink, so it's still likely cheaper to try for a proper landing and sometimes fail than to convince customers to use watered fairings.
Is it just me or did that landing look a bit rough? Looked like they crushed the core in the leg facing away from the camera maybe?
so，who wins the landing bingo?
Photographer Szabolcs Nagy (@metrolinaszabi, /u/metrolinaszabi) found a mystery object trailing the 60 Starlink satellites minutes after its deployment.Twitter: https://twitter.com/metrolinaszabiReddit thread: An object closely following the double chain of Starlink satellitesFull article describing the phenomena and a lot more photos: SPACEX STARLINK 7 SATELLITES 22 MINUTES AFTER LAUNCH – CLOSE UP PHOTONote they claim to have identified all 60 satellites plus second stage and 4 tension rods, this object is not any of these.
Quote from: su27k on 04/29/2020 05:01 pmPhotographer Szabolcs Nagy (@metrolinaszabi, /u/metrolinaszabi) found a mystery object trailing the 60 Starlink satellites minutes after its deployment.Twitter: https://twitter.com/metrolinaszabiReddit thread: An object closely following the double chain of Starlink satellitesFull article describing the phenomena and a lot more photos: SPACEX STARLINK 7 SATELLITES 22 MINUTES AFTER LAUNCH – CLOSE UP PHOTONote they claim to have identified all 60 satellites plus second stage and 4 tension rods, this object is not any of these.On that photo, I count 29 white dots in the left string, and 30 white dots in the right - that might simply be a sat that recontacted with another at deploymnet time and then drifted away from the rest of the swarm. Also has the reflective properties of one.
