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SpaceX F9 : Starlink v1.0 L18 : CCSFS SLC-40 : 4 Feb 2021 (0619 UTC)
by
Jansen
on 18 Dec, 2020 15:11
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Discussion thread for Starlink v1.0 Launch 18, AKA RF Mission 1-1.
NSF Threads for Starlink v1.0 Launch 18: DiscussionNSF Articles for Starlink v1.0 Launch 18:SpaceX launches first of twin Starlink missions, 45th Space Wing’s busy year continuesSuccessful launch February 4, 2021 at 01:19 am (0619 UTC) on Falcon 9 (booster 1060.5) from CCSFS SLC-40. Successful ASDS landing on Of Course I Still Love You towed by tugboat Lauren Foss. Fairings successfully recovered from the water by Ms Tree and Ms Chief.Payload: A batch of 60 Starlink satellites. Expected deployment orbit of approximately 250x291 km.
SpaceX is targeting Thursday, Feburary 4 for launch of 60 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The instantaneous window is at 1:19 a.m. EST, or 6:19 UTC.
The Falcon 9 first stage rocket booster supporting this mission previously flew on four missions: the launches of GPS III Space Vehicle 03 and Turksat 5A and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, SpaceX will land Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which will be located in the Atlantic Ocean. One half of Falcon 9’s fairing previously flew on the SAOCOM-1B mission, and the other previously flew in support of the GPS III Space Vehicle 03 mission.
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=60.0From 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.
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#1
by
Jansen
on 18 Dec, 2020 15:13
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#2
by
RocketLover0119
on 18 Dec, 2020 15:13
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What’s different about the name and why?
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#3
by
Jansen
on 18 Dec, 2020 15:18
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What’s different about the name and why?
Not sure, just going by what’s on the paperwork.
Usually SpaceX uses Mission 1xxx as a temporary placeholder, but this time they’ve changed things up with a new naming scheme. It could be an indication that something is different with the satellites.
We’ll see what SpaceX does closer to the launch date and we get more details. If there is no functional difference, it’ll prob just go back to the usual nomenclature.
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#4
by
Josh_from_Canada
on 18 Dec, 2020 17:43
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Could this be a new 1.1 satellite design?
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#5
by
Jansen
on 18 Dec, 2020 18:06
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Could this be a new 1.1 satellite design?
It’s possible, but there are other missions planned such as 2-1, 3-1, etc. so can’t just go by the name.
Another theory is that they will go to different orbital shells, like the new polar orbits.
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#6
by
wannamoonbase
on 18 Dec, 2020 18:09
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Could this be a new 1.1 satellite design?
It’s possible, but there are other missions planned such as 2-1, 3-1, etc. so can’t just go by the name.
Another theory is that they will go to different orbital shells, like the new polar orbits.
To point out the obvious, maybe this has something to do with the laser interlinks.
Could be both, laser interlinks and polar orbits. The laser interlinks would be almost required for the polar satellites, ground stations in the far north and south latitudes would be prohibitively expensive.
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#7
by
Jansen
on 20 Dec, 2020 11:55
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On closer inspection, the ASDS locations are the same as the other Starlink launches. That rules out polar orbits.
So most likely just a new nomenclature, or maybe some modifications (like lasers).
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#8
by
Comga
on 23 Dec, 2020 04:25
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On closer inspection, the ASDS locations are the same as the other Starlink launches. That rules out polar orbits.
So most likely just a new nomenclature, or maybe some modifications (like lasers).
Musk’s dislike of acronyms is well known.
It’s not going to lessen if the addition of laser cross-links is indicated by the acronym for “Radio Frequency”.
I’ve heard things that suggest that laser cross-links are not on the upcoming satellites.
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#9
by
OnWithTheShow
on 23 Dec, 2020 17:42
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Reflight? To replenish birds that have deorbited or malfunctioned?
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#10
by
PM3
on 23 Dec, 2020 18:42
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#11
by
scr00chy
on 29 Dec, 2020 12:07
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Ben Cooper lists two Starlink launches in January and at least one in February. I'm not sure if the second launch in January is supposed to be L17 or RF 1-1.
A Falcon 9 will launch the seventeenth batch of Starlink internet satellites
on January TBD. A Falcon 9 will launch the eighteenth Starlink batch on January TBD. And a
Falcon 9 will launch the nineteenth Starlink batch on February TBD.
http://www.launchphotography.com/Delta_4_Atlas_5_Falcon_9_Launch_Viewing.html
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#12
by
Jansen
on 29 Dec, 2020 15:01
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Ben Cooper lists two Starlink launches in January and at least one in February. I'm not sure if the second launch in January is supposed to be L17 or RF 1-1.
A Falcon 9 will launch the seventeenth batch of Starlink internet satellites
on January TBD. A Falcon 9 will launch the eighteenth Starlink batch on January TBD. And a
Falcon 9 will launch the nineteenth Starlink batch on February TBD.
http://www.launchphotography.com/Delta_4_Atlas_5_Falcon_9_Launch_Viewing.html
January
Starlink v1.0 L16
Starlink v1.0 L17
Early February
Starlink RF 1-1
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#13
by
abaddon
on 29 Dec, 2020 17:08
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Could the “R” be for Rural and indicate the launch is subsidized by the FCC grant (“F”=“Funded”)? I can imagine SpaceX might want funded flights to be tracked separately. I don’t know if the timing works or not.
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#14
by
gongora
on 29 Dec, 2020 17:53
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Could the “R” be for Rural and indicate the launch is subsidized by the FCC grant (“F”=“Funded”)? I can imagine SpaceX might want funded flights to be tracked separately. I don’t know if the timing works or not.
No. All of the satellites pass over the same locations. They don't have money from the FCC yet.
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#15
by
abaddon
on 29 Dec, 2020 18:56
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Thanks. When is funding supposed to start?
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#16
by
gongora
on 29 Dec, 2020 19:04
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They have to fill out another more detailed application form and have it approved, then I think the first year's funding is available, which should be 10% of the total. Should be in the first half of the year? The FCC money is for building out the whole network and providing service to end users, not specifically for launching satellites.
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#17
by
Elthiryel
on 21 Jan, 2021 19:40
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#18
by
klod
on 21 Jan, 2021 19:45
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#19
by
wannamoonbase
on 21 Jan, 2021 20:07
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According to Next Spaceflight, this mission is going to launch NET February 1.
https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/2673
This is insane.
After tomorrow there are 5 Starlinks in a row, that is also Insane!
Looking forward to finding out what 'RF' means.
