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.
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.
What’s different about the name and why?
Could this be a new 1.1 satellite design?
Quote from: Josh_from_Canada on 12/18/2020 05:43 pmCould 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.
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).
A Falcon 9 will launch the seventeenth batch of Starlink internet satelliteson January TBD. A Falcon 9 will launch the eighteenth Starlink batch on January TBD. And aFalcon 9 will launch the nineteenth Starlink batch on February TBD.
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.QuoteA Falcon 9 will launch the seventeenth batch of Starlink internet satelliteson January TBD. A Falcon 9 will launch the eighteenth Starlink batch on January TBD. And aFalcon 9 will launch the nineteenth Starlink batch on February TBD.http://www.launchphotography.com/Delta_4_Atlas_5_Falcon_9_Launch_Viewing.html
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.
According to Next Spaceflight, this mission is going to launch NET February 1.https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/2673
Quote from: Elthiryel on 01/21/2021 07:40 pmAccording to Next Spaceflight, this mission is going to launch NET February 1.https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/2673This is insane.
