SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 6-16 : CCSFS SLC-40 : 15/16 Sep 2023 (03:38 UTC)

[zubenelgenubi]

Thread for the Starlink 6-16 group launch.

NSF Threads for Starlink 6-16: Discussion

Launch 16 September 2023, at 03:38:20 UTC (15 Sep 11:38 pm EDT), from Canaveral SLC-40, on booster 1078-5.  The first stage successfully landed aboard Just Read the Instructions.

Payload 22 Starlink V2 Mini satellites to 43 degree inclination orbit on a southeastern trajectory.  Initial orbit 284 x 294 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]

Cross-posts:

0967-EX-ST-2023  Mission 1899 Starlink Group 6-16
NET June from Florida [NET May 31]
ASDS North  25  38  18   West  74  59  6

All the Florida Starlink Group 6 launches, 6-10 and up, were listed for H2 2023 on our USA launch update thread here.


Then,

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7184

Starlink Group 6-16
Launch Time
NET September, 2023

Discussion:

Will there be any non-Starlink September Florida Falcon 9 launches from Florida?  Apparently not (assuming the next mPower launch is not delayed into September).

Possibly USSF-124 if that September 29th launchdate from that recent presentation holds.

And now, O3b mPower is listed NET October/NET Q4, and USSF-124 is listed NET November.

So, we have wall-to-wall 🧱 September Florida Starlink launches! 🍎

September SLC-40 Starlink launches:

Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated August 28:

Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches from pad 40.

The SLC-40 Starlink mission following 6-14 is likely to launch in mid September.  Assuming (big assumption) that SpaceX continues to launch its Florida Starlink Group 6's in ascending numerical order, this launch will be 6-16.  It is currently listed as launch NET September, from Canaveral SLC-40.
https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7184

(Starlink 6-15 launched earlier this year from Vandenberg SFB; launch thread: Starlink group 6-15 : VSFB SLC-4E : 20 July 2023 (04:09 UTC).)


Starlink 6-11 successfully launched August 27 UTC from SLC-40, with a successful first stage landing aboard JRTI.

Starlink 6-13 successfully launched September 1 UTC from SLC-40, with a successful first stage landing aboard ASOG.

Starlink 6-12 successfully launched September 4 UTC from LC-39A, with a successful first stage landing aboard JRTI.

Starlink 6-14 is currently scheduled to launch from SLC-40 on September 8 UTC, with a first stage landing aboard ASOG.

Starlink 6-16 (pending identity confirmation) could launch from SLC-40 as early as September 12 UTC, with a first stage landing aboard JRTI.  (4 day pad turnaround, 8 day JRTI turnaround.)


Edit/add September 7 cross-post:

NextSpaceflight, updated September 7:

Starlink Group 6-16
Launch Time
Fri Sep 15, 2023 02:20 GMT
...
Just Read the Instructions
...
SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA

[crandles57]

Per https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/?search=spacex 7 Sept update
15 September 02:20 UTC (14th 2122:20 ET)

[Ken the Bin]

Two NGA Space Debris notices (the same notice for two different navigational areas).

092245Z SEP 23
HYDROPAC 2905/23(57, 61, 71).
EASTERN SOUTH ATLANTIC.
INDIAN OCEAN.
SOUTH AFRICA.
DNC 01, DNC 02, DNC 03.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   2359Z TO 0658Z DAILY 14 THRU 20 SEP
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   08-53.00S 092-28.00E, 07-46.00S 089-27.00E,
   30-12.00S 061-09.00E, 40-45.00S 002-21.00E,
   42-56.00S 002-24.00E, 32-16.00S 063-10.00E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 210758Z SEP 23.

092245Z SEP 23
HYDROLANT 2033/23(57, 61, 71).
EASTERN SOUTH ATLANTIC.
INDIAN OCEAN.
SOUTH AFRICA.
DNC 01, DNC 02, DNC 03.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   2359Z TO 0658Z DAILY 14 THRU 20 SEP
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   08-53.00S 092-28.00E, 07-46.00S 089-27.00E,
   30-12.00S 061-09.00E, 40-45.00S 002-21.00E,
   42-56.00S 002-24.00E, 32-16.00S 063-10.00E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 210758Z SEP 23.

[OneSpeed]

Two NGA Space Debris notices (the same notice for two different navigational areas).

Map from the NGA notices, similar but not identical to those for Starlinks 6-12 and 6-14.

EDIT:

NGA Rocket Launching notice.

Map from the NGA notice. ASDS 640km downrange.

[Ken the Bin]

NGA Rocket Launching notice.

082151Z SEP 23
NAVAREA IV 1048/23(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING 
   150030Z TO 150502Z SEP, ALTERNATE 160007Z TO 
   160439Z, 162340Z TO 170410Z, 172316Z TO 180349Z, 
   182251Z TO 190323Z, 192226Z TO 200258Z AND 
   202201Z TO 210233Z SEP IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-38.54N 080-37.36W, 28-38.00N 080-30.00W,
      28-25.00N 080-09.00W, 28-21.00N 080-11.00W,
      28-30.93N 080-33.25W.
   B. 25-59.00N 076-03.00W, 26-16.00N 076-03.00W,
      26-06.00N 074-58.00W, 25-36.00N 074-03.00W,
      25-23.00N 073-53.00W, 25-09.00N 074-01.00W,
      25-06.00N 074-16.00W, 25-08.00N 074-38.00W,
      25-18.00N 075-00.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 210333Z SEP 23.

[zubenelgenubi]

NGA Rocket Launching notice.

NextSpaceflight, updated September 10:
Launch 15 September 00:45 UTC = 14 September 8:45 pm EDT

I wonder if high seas 🌊 from Hurricane Lee 🌀 in the western North Atlantic will delay the launch because recovery aboard JRTI is too hazardous?
 🤔

[zubenelgenubi]

Which first stage will be used for this launch (semi-rhetorical question)?

The May 16 press briefing revealed Falcon 9 first stages are now cleared for use up to twenty times for Starlink launches.  Will this launch be the first 17th launch of a Falcon 9 first stage?

1064.4 and 1065.4 are reserved as the Falcon Heavy side boosters for Psyche.

1072.1 is reserved for Cygnus NG-20.

1076.8 and 1073.11 may undergo modifications to become Falcon Heavy side boosters for a future launch, but are apparently still available for "single-stick" launches at the current time.

Available first stages, with UTC date of most recent recovery:
1058.17  Jul 10
1060.17  Jul 16
1062.16  Jul 28 (after "deep" inspection?)
1078.5    Aug 7
1069.10  Aug 11
1067.14  Aug 17
1081.2    Aug 26 (maybe)
1080.4    Aug 27 (maybe)

Edit September 14: It's B1078.5.  The 17th, 17th, and 16th flight boosters were skipped over.

[rocketenthusiast]

wouldnt b1080 and b1081 be on like 19 or 20 day turnarounds (beat the turnaround record)?
i think its unlikely they would fly those boosters given there are many others that flew longer ago

[Martin_G]

https://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_spt.jsp:

SPACE X STARLINK 6-16 (X1866) CCSFS, FL
PRIMARY:   09/15/23   0030-05021=
BACKUP:      09/16/23   0007-0439Z
      09/16/23   2340-0410Z
      09/17/23   2316-0349Z
      09/18/23   2251-0323Z
      09/19/23   2226-0258Z
      09/20/23   2201-0233Z

[Ken the Bin]

Another pair of NGA Space Debris notices (the same notice for two different Navigational Areas). These run a day longer than the previous set, but they do not cancel the previous set.

111237Z SEP 23
HYDROLANT 2040/23(57,61,71).
EASTERN SOUTH ATLANTIC.
INDIAN OCEAN.
DNC 01, DNC 02, DNC 03.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   2359Z TO 0658Z DAILY 14 THRU 21 SEP
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   08-53.00S 092-28.00E, 07-46.00S 089-27.00E,
   30-12.00S 061-09.00E, 40-45.00S 002-21.00W,
   42-56.00S 002-24.00W, 32-16.00S 063-10.00E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 220758Z SEP 23.

111237Z SEP 23
HYDROPAC 2916/23(57,61,71).
EASTERN SOUTH ATLANTIC.
INDIAN OCEAN.
DNC 01, DNC 02, DNC 03.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   2359Z TO 0658Z DAILY 14 THRU 21 SEP
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   08-53.00S 092-28.00E, 07-46.00S 089-27.00E,
   30-12.00S 061-09.00E, 40-45.00S 002-21.00W,
   42-56.00S 002-24.00W, 32-16.00S 063-10.00E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 220758Z SEP 23.

[realnouns]

Will we see Crosby Skipper + JRTI sneak out of port before Doug + ASOG's arrival?

https://twitter.com/spaceoffshore/status/1701313006863302862

👀

[realnouns]

Crosby Skipper + JRTI departed PC on Sep 11 @ 8:13pm ET

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1701424559944069446

Two more launches are coming up, and you won't be shocked to hear they are both Falcon 9 launches with Starlinks.

Trevor Sensic (@124970MeV) with the details:

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/09/starlink-7-2-6-14/

Re SLC-40:

in the middle of 2022, the pad was launching a mission every 11-13 days. This has been more than cut in half, with the current average time between launches at between five and six days between launches.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/spaceoffshore/status/1701381672116109472

Just Read the Instructions droneship is underway from Florida for Starlink 6-16. Tug Crosby Skipper towing.

nsf.live/spacecoast

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/tskelso/status/1701676328578343029

CelesTrak has pre-launch SupGP data for the #Starlink Group 6-16 launch from Cape Canaveral on 2023-09-15 at 04:03:40 UTC: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/table.php?FILE=starlink-g6-16. Deployment of 22 satellites is set for 05:08:56.240 UTC. Data for 1 backup launch opportunity is also provided.

[realnouns]

Bob departed PC on Sep 12 @ 8:22pm ET.  Fairing recovery.  Go Bob

[Ken the Bin]

L-1 weather forecast. 65% 'Go' for September 15. 45% 'Go' for September 16. Booster Recovery Weather risk is Moderate for September 15 and Low-Moderate for September 16. All other Additional Risk Criteria are Low.

[zubenelgenubi]

I wonder if high seas 🌊 from Hurricane Lee 🌀 in the western North Atlantic will delay the launch because recovery aboard JRTI is too hazardous? 🤔

L-1 weather forecast. <snip>
Booster Recovery Weather risk is Moderate for September 15 and Low-Moderate for September 16. <snip>

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/spaceoffshore/status/1702049137028743353

JRTI droneship is taking an indirect route thru Bahamas to reach the Starlink LZ. Support ship Bob got underway last night and taking the same path.

Hurricane Lee is churning up the Atlantic Ocean, this route gives crews some shelter. Hopefully improved enough for launch day.