SpaceX F9 : Starlink v1.0 L24 : CCSFS SLC-40 : 28/29 April 2021 (0344 UTC)

[Jansen]

Discussion thread for Starlink v1.0 Launch 24

NSF Threads for Starlink v1.0 L24: Discussion
NSF Articles for Starlink v1.0 L24: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/04/starlink-l24-launch-starlink-modifications/

Launched successfully April 28, 2021 at 11:44pm EDT (April 29 at 0344 UTC) on Falcon 9 (booster 1060.7) from CCSFS SLC-40. ASDS landing was successful on Just Read The Instructions, towed by tugboat Finn Falgout after issues on tugboat Hawk. Recovery support ship was GO Quest. Fairing recovery from the water of both halves by MV Shelia Bordelon was achieved.

Payload: A batch of 60 Starlink satellites. Expected deployment orbit of approximately 285 x 257 km.

The Falcon 9 first stage rocket booster supporting this mission previously supported launch of GPS III Space Vehicle 03, Turksat 5A, and four Starlink missions. Following stage separation, SpaceX will land Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Just Read the Instructions” droneship, which will be located in the Atlantic Ocean.

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=60.0

From 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 to near global coverage of the populated world by 2021. Additional information on the system can be found at starlink.com.

[Jansen]

0122-EX-ST-2021 Starlink RF Mission 1-2 STA application

0122-EX-ST-2021 Starlink RF Mission 1-2 Grant

[Jansen]

Based on pad turnaround at SLC-40, this launch could be as early as April 14-16.

Possibility of B1051-10.

[zubenelgenubi]

State of play on the Space Coast for the immediate future:

April 23 22 - USCV-2: Dragon v2 Crew 2 - Falcon 9-114 (B1061.2 S) - Kennedy LC-39A - 09:49:02 10:11:45
(ISS flights: launch 22-26 minutes earlier/day)

April 29 Q2 after April 22 28 - Starlink flight 25 (x60) [v1.0 L24] - Falcon 9-115 (B1060.7 S) - Canaveral SLC-40 - 03:44 04:05
(Starlink: launch 20-22 minutes earlier/day)

Early May Q2 April - Starlink flight 26 (x60) [v1.0 L25] - Falcon 9-116 (S) - Kennedy LC-39A
(Starlink: launch 20-22 minutes earlier/day)

May Q2 April? - Starlink flight 27 (x60) [v1.0 L26] - Falcon 9-117 (S) - Canaveral SLC-40? / Kennedy LC-39A
(Starlink: launch 20-22 minutes earlier/day)

May 17 - SBIRS-GEO 5 - Atlas V 421 - Canaveral SLC-41

NET May - Starlink flight 28 (x60) [v1.0 L27] - Falcon 9 (S) - Kennedy LC-39A / Canaveral SLC-40
(Starlink: launch 20-22 minutes earlier/day)

NET May - Starlink flight 29 (x60) [v1.0 L28] - Falcon 9 (S) - Kennedy LC-39A / Canaveral SLC-40
(Starlink: launch 20-22 minutes earlier/day)

Changes on March 13th
Changes on March 23rd
Changes on March 27th
Changes on April 7th
Changes on April 15th
Changes on April 19th
Changes on April 21st
Changes on April 27th
zubenelgenubi

(As of April 7, we know little about how the next few SpaceX launches are scheduled.)

[Jansen]

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/04/spacex-launch-starlink-l23/

Starlink v1.0 L23 will likely be the final launch before SpaceX begins to focus on the Crew-2 mission, lifting off from LC-39A on April 22.

A 16 day gap between launches at SLC-40 seems unlikely to me, especially when SpaceX has scheduled launches with a 7 day turnaround.

B1051 and B1063 should be ready to go. Maybe even B1060.

[Orbiter]

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/04/spacex-launch-starlink-l23/

Starlink v1.0 L23 will likely be the final launch before SpaceX begins to focus on the Crew-2 mission, lifting off from LC-39A on April 22.

A 16 day gap between launches at SLC-40 seems unlikely to me, especially when SpaceX has scheduled launches with a 7 day turnaround.

B1051 and B1063 should be ready to go. Maybe even B1060.

Why not B1049?

[Jansen]

Why not B1049?

There are apparently some design differences with B1049 that make refurbishment more challenging.

It’s a possibility, just not a very strong one.

[zubenelgenubi]

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/04/spacex-launch-starlink-l23/

Starlink v1.0 L23 will likely be the final launch before SpaceX begins to focus on the Crew-2 mission, lifting off from LC-39A on April 22.

A 16 day gap between launches at SLC-40 seems unlikely to me, especially when SpaceX has scheduled launches with a 7 day turnaround.

B1051 and B1063 should be ready to go. Maybe even B1060.

Cross-post; interesting that SpaceX is choosing not to launch another Starlink batch from SLC-40 before Crew-2:

http://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Guide.html [updated April 7]

FALCON 9
The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral will launch Crew Dragon Crew-2, carrying four astronauts to the International Space Station from pad 39A on April 22 at 6:11am EDT. Sunrise is 6:49am. The launch time gets 22-26 min. earlier each day. Then, a Falcon 9 will launch the Starlink 24 internet satellite batch on TBD. Other upcoming Falcon 9s include more Starlink batches on TBD. A Falcon 9 from pad 40 will launch the SiriusXM-8 on June 1 at 12:25am EDT. And Falcon 9 from pad 39A will launch the next Dragon resupply mission, CRS-22, on June 3 at around 1pm EDT.

[Lars-J]

It is probably all hands on deck for Crew 2.
It is also possible that with the recent run of frequent launches that they simply don't have the next Starlinks (or upper stage or fairing) ready yet.

[Jansen]

It is also possible that with the recent run of frequent launches that they simply don't have the next Starlinks (or upper stage or fairing) ready yet.

There is a current unlaunched backlog of at least 720 Starlink satellites.

Also a healthy inventory of fairings thanks to successful recoveries.

[Vultur]

It's pretty amazing now that a 15 day gap between F9 launches feels long....

...but it does feel unusually long.

It is probably all hands on deck for Crew 2.

That would make sense.

[Nomadd]

 S0, will this launch fill out the initial 18 satellite minimum for all 72 53° planes in the 1st shell?

[gongora]

S0, will this launch fill out the initial 18 satellite minimum for all 72 53° planes in the 1st shell?

There are so many satellites in parking and transfer orbits it's hard to tell.  They already have a little more than 72x18 functional sats on orbit.  It just depends where they put them.

[gongora]

Some resources for trying to see what's going on with Starlink include the visualizations from theinternetftw:
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=profile;u=15414

langgesat:
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=49936.msg2200720#msg2200720

@MichelVolle:
https://twitter.com/MichaelVolle/status/1380543355784945664

[gongora]

S0, will this launch fill out the initial 18 satellite minimum for all 72 53° planes in the 1st shell?

Just counting gaps from the latest update (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=49936.msg2220066#msg2220066), looks like maybe two more flights after this one to fill the initial planes?

[Mat-FoundInSpace]

Spaceflight Now has this launch listed on 4/28 at 1205am EDT at this point.

[Jansen]

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/2679

SLC-40 confirmed

[Jansen]

Confirmation of B1060.7 and JRTI.

35 day turnaround of B1060 if it launches on schedule.

[Ken the Bin]

NGA notices plus my estimated launch times.

Primary Day = Wednesday, April 28 at ~04:05 UTC.
Backup Day #1 = Thursday, April 29 at ~03:44 UTC.
Backup Day #2 = Friday, April 30 at ~03:22 UTC.
Backup Day #3 = Saturday, May 1 at ~03:01 UTC.
Backup Day #4 = Sunday, May 2 at ~02:39 UTC.
Backup Day #5 = Monday, May 3 at ~02:18 UTC.
Backup Day #6 = Tuesday, May 4 at ~01:56 UTC.
Backup Day #7 = Wednesday, May 5 at ~01:34 UTC.

230849Z APR 21
NAVAREA IV 328/21(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   280300Z TO 280558Z APR, ALTERNATE
   290239Z TO 290537Z, 300217Z TO 300515Z APR,
   010156Z TO 010454Z, 020134Z TO 020432Z,
   030113Z TO 030411Z, 040051Z TO 040349Z AND
   050029Z TO 050327Z MAY IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-39-14N 080-37-51W, 29-07-00N 080-05-00W,
      29-00-00N 079-57-00W, 28-34-00N 080-24-00W,
      28-30-07N 080-32-51W.
   B. 31-27-00N 077-29-00W, 33-17-00N 076-03-00W,
      33-31-00N 074-59-00W, 33-10-00N 074-36-00W,
      32-27-00N 074-46-00W, 31-15-00N 077-17-00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 050427Z MAY 21.

230841Z APR 21
HYDROPAC 1231/21(61,75,76).
SOUTHERN INDIAN OCEAN.
SOUTHEASTERN INDIAN OCEAN.
DNC 03, DNC 04, DNC 05.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   280510Z TO 280746Z APR, ALTERNATE
   290449Z TO 290725Z, 300427Z TO 300703Z APR,
   010406Z TO 010642Z, 020344Z TO 020620Z,
   030323Z TO 030559Z, 040301Z TO 040537Z AND
   050239Z TO 050515Z MAY IN AREA BOUND BY
   29-43S 060-07E, 24-55S 064-27E,
   38-45S 084-30E, 45-12S 099-45E,
   49-46S 119-13E, 50-42S 138-19E,
   48-50S 156-44E, 51-46S 158-08E,
   54-42S 148-32E, 56-20S 131-03E,
   55-52S 107-50E, 49-11S 085-05E,
   34-32S 064-13E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 050615Z MAY 21.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/spacexfleet/status/1385639148787322887

Just Read the Instructions droneship is being prepared to depart Port Canaveral later today for the next Starlink mission.

Tug Hawk will tow JRTI ~633 km downrange to the landing zone.