SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 6-1 : CCSFS SLC-40 : 27 February 2023 (23:13 UTC)

[zubenelgenubi]

Thread for the Starlink 6-1 group launch.

NSF Threads for Starlink 6-1: Discussion

Launch February 27, 2023, at 23:13 UTC (6:13 pm EST), from Canaveral SLC-40, on booster 1076-3.  First stage successfully landed aboard A Shortage of Gravitas.

Payload: 21 Starlink V2 Mini satellites to 43 degree inclination on a southeastern trajectory.  Initial orbit of 365 x 373 km.

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

[zubenelgenubi]

New:

NextSpaceFlight, updated December 19:
New launch Starlink 6-1
NET February 2023
Kennedy LC-39A or Canaveral SLC-40
Payload unknown number of Starlink v2.0 satellites 🛰

[kevin-rf]

Devils advocate, First launch of Phase 1 Shell 5 could also be possible.

They have -9 months worth of Starlink v1.5 launches left to finish Phase 1. Includes roughly three more launches to Shell 1 (5-1, 5-2, 5-3?).

It will be very interesting to see what 5-x and 6-x launches actually are.

[Chinakpradhan]

New:

NextSpaceFlight, updated December 19:
New launch Starlink 6-1
NET February 2023
Kennedy LC-39A or Canaveral SLC-40
Payload unknown number of Starlink v2.0 satellites 🛰

how to believe this; no FCC filing

[Alexphysics]

New:

NextSpaceFlight, updated December 19:
New launch Starlink 6-1
NET February 2023
Kennedy LC-39A or Canaveral SLC-40
Payload unknown number of Starlink v2.0 satellites 🛰

how to believe this; no FCC filing

Now there is

https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=initial&application_seq=120573&RequestTimeout=1000

2116-EX-ST-2022  Mission 1887 Starlink Group 6-1
from Florida NET early-February
ASDS North  25  40  4   West  75  2  2

[zubenelgenubi: Launch NET Feb 4]

[jketch]

The droneship location is pretty close to the location for 5-1. Looks like about 20km WNW.

1825-EX-ST-2022
Mission 1923 Starlink Group 5-1 from Cape Canaveral FL at LC-40 CCAFS or LC-39a at KSC,
NET end of November [30]

I wonder if they may have put the wrong ship coordinates, unless Group 5 is something different than we expected.
North  25  36  35   West  74  47  47

   North  25  40  4   West  75  2  2   BOAT, within 40.5 nautical miles   75.00

[kevin-rf]

Different model under the fairing? ... or is Elon getting secret pleasure from us debating how many Starlink varieties can dance on the upper stage of a Falcon 9?

[crandles57]

Different model under the fairing? ... or is Elon getting secret pleasure from us debating how many Starlink varieties can dance on the upper stage of a Falcon 9?

WNW = ~direction of CC so still 43 degree inclination?

20km nearer to CC so could mean a heavier payload so could be a different upgraded version? An alternative to this could be a higher altitude insertion/target orbit? Is there a higher approved orbit still at 43 degree inclination?

[virtuallynathan]

Different model under the fairing? ... or is Elon getting secret pleasure from us debating how many Starlink varieties can dance on the upper stage of a Falcon 9?

WNW = ~direction of CC so still 43 degree inclination?

20km nearer to CC so could mean a heavier payload so could be a different upgraded version? An alternative to this could be a higher altitude insertion/target orbit? Is there a higher approved orbit still at 43 degree inclination?

If its a new group, I would assume a new orbit -- given at least 1 launch has gone into each Gen1 orbit, that leaves 53 degree and 33 degree Gen2. Based on where users/gateways are, 53 degrees would make the most sense to me.

[kevin-rf]

Not for nothing,  but putting a group of Starlinks into each of the three defined phase 2 shells does make a claim similar to licking the last piece of dessert so your siblings wouldn't eat it. It makes it that much harder for some state sponsored US entity, say China, or Russia beating SpaceX to the orbit.

Sending one group to 53 degrees and another to 33 degrees would do that. So,  should we be looking for a 7-1 notice going to 33 degrees?

[gongora]

You don't need to send stuff to every different orbit to bring a constellation filing into use.

[zubenelgenubi]

Perhaps, Starlink 6-1 will launch in early February, from LC-39A, after Starlink 5-3 on February 1 January 31, and before Crew-6 on February 26?

(Or Starlink 5-4?)

Edit:  There may be another, brief launch opportunity at SLC-40 between Amazonas Nexus on February 5 and Inmarsat 6 F2 later in the month.

Edit Jan 26: Both launches have been assigned first stages, indicating both launches are in the near future.

[Josh_from_Canada]

B1076 according to NextSpaceFlight

[zubenelgenubi]

Perhaps, Starlink 6-1 will launch in early February, from LC-39A, after Starlink 5-3 on February 2 1 January 31, and before Crew-6 on February 26?

(Or Starlink 5-4?)

Edit:  There may be another, brief launch opportunity at SLC-40 between Amazonas Nexus on February 5 and Inmarsat 6 F2 later in the month.

Edit Jan 26: Both launches have been assigned first stages, indicating both launches are in the near future.

Starlink 5-3 launched from LC-39A today, February 2.

Starlink 5-4 takes the SLC-40 mid February slot.

Is the LC-39A mid February slot real, or will launch preparations for Crew-6 preclude that option (launch still February 26)?

We shall see. 👀

Cross-post:

SFN Launch Schedule, updated January 31:

Feb. 11 • Falcon 9 • Starlink 5-4
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch another batch of Starlink internet satellites. This will be the fourth launch into a new orbital shell for SpaceX’s second-generation Starlink constellation, called Starlink Gen2. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

[zubenelgenubi]

Is the LC-39A mid February slot real, or will launch preparations for Crew-6 preclude that option (launch still February 26)?

We shall see. 👀

A: No.

Not that it needed any confirmation but SpaceX removed the top insert of 39A's strongback (and this can be seen done this morning on SCL) which means it's being converted to Dragon configuration. Next launch from there is Crew-6.

Edit February 9: Starlink 5-4 will launch in mid February, and it could be the second and last February Florida Starlink launch.  The second O3b mPower launch is apparently going forward in late February from SLC-40.

This launch apparently NET March.

[crandles57]

Ben Coopers Launch photography (12th Feb update) has pad 40 doing I6-f2 on 17/18 then a starlink launch then O3b mPower in late Feb.
5 day gaps now possible: 18th 23rd 28th ?

The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Inmarsat 6 F2 satellite from pad 40 on February 17 at 10:58 p.m. EST. A Falcon 9 from pad 40 will launch a Starlink batch on late February TBD. A Falcon 9 from pad 39A will launch four astronauts to the ISS on Crew-6 on February 26 at 2:07 a.m. EST (Saturn V Center tickets on sale here). And a Falcon 9 from pad 40 will launch the next pair of O3b mPOWER satellites for SES on late February.

Seems likely Starlink launch after I6-f2 would be 6-1. O3b likely slipping to March?

So maybe still Feb for 6-1?

[ATPTourFan]

NextSpaceflight now directly lists this as the first launch of V2 Starlink satellites, in a batch of 22. This was recently hinted by AlexPhysics on twitter.
https://twitter.com/Alexphysics13/status/1624665701184053248

First launch of Starlink Gen 2 satellites. These are half-scale versions of the V2 satellites intended to launch on Starship built to fit within Falcon 9's payload fairing and are colloquially known as "Starlink V2 Mini."

SpaceX will launch a batch of Starlink v2 satellites for their second generation high-speed low earth orbit internet satellite constellation.
Payloads: 22

Depending on how many Starlink satellites SpaceX decides to put on the Starlink Group 2-5 mission, Starlink Group 6-1 should be the one to launch the 4000th Starlink satellite by SpaceX.

And yet that's not what's going to stand out on that mission...

[crandles57]

~64% scale 

They were calling sats on 5-1, 5-2 ... Gen 2 satellites. So I think you should be saying

"First launch of Starlink V2 satellites (sort of)" rather than "First launch of Starlink Gen 2 satellites" on your NextSpaceFlight website.

[Elthiryel]

So this is most likely what’s named “Bus F9-2” in FCC documents (and reportedly being called “Starlink V2 Mini” internally according to vaporcobra).

The satellite mass is supposed to be around 800 kg, so 22 satellites would make it around 17,600 kg. It makes sense, Starlink Group 5-2 total payload mass was over 17,400 kg, and these will likely go to 33 or 53 deg. inclination orbit, delta-V required may be a bit lower if it’s 33.

[russianhalo117]

~64% scale 

They were calling sats on 5-1, 5-2 ... Gen 2 satellites. So I think you should be saying

"First launch of Starlink V2 satellites (sort of)" rather than "First launch of Starlink Gen 2 satellites" on your NextSpaceFlight website.

Quick and dirty rushed response:
The 5-x groups so far are using the F9-1 spacecraft bus. The F9-0 spacecraft bus was what v1.0-v1.4 series sats flew. The F9-1 spacecraft bus was what the v1.5-v1.9 and potentially prototype or early v2.0 series sats flew.

The 6-x and potentially 7-x (future Group 5-x might and replenishment of earlier shell groups) will use the F9-2 spacecraft bus. The F9-2 spacecraft bus is what the v2.0+ series sats will fly.