SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 6-30 : CCSFS SLC-40 : 27/28 November 2023 (04:20 UTC)

[zubenelgenubi]

Thread for the Starlink 6-30 group launch.

NSF Threads for Starlink 6-30: Discussion

Launch 28 November 2023, at 04:20:00 UTC (11:20 pm EST, November 27), from Canaveral SLC-40, on booster 1062-17.  The first stage successfully landed aboard Just Read the Instructions.

Payload 23 Starlink V2 Mini satellites to 43 degree inclination orbit on a southeastern trajectory.  Initial orbit 285 x 293 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:

1543-EX-ST-2023  SpaceX Mission 1880 Starlink Group 6-30
Florida, NET September [3]
ASDS  North  25  41  37   West  75  5  42

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7248

Starlink Group 6-30
Launch Time
NET December, 2023
...
SLC-40 or LC-39A, Florida, USA

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7248

Starlink Group 6-30
Launch Time
NET November, 2023

My bold:

Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated October 31:

The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on November 3 around 7 p.m. EDT or later. A Falcon 9 will launch the CRS-29 resupply mission to the ISS from pad 39A on November 7 at 9:16 p.m. EST. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch the mPOWER-C internet satellites for SES from pad 40 on November 12 at 4:08 p.m. EST. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches from pad 40.

The SLC-40 Starlink mission following the Starlink 6-29 launch is likely to launch in late November.  Assuming that SpaceX continues to launch its Florida Starlink Group 6's in ascending numerical order, this launch will be 6-30.  It is currently listed with launch NET November, from either Kennedy LC-39A or Canaveral SLC-40.

However, LC-39A will not be available due to launch preparations for the Falcon Heavy USSF-52 launch.

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7248


O3b mPower-c successfully launched November 12, with the first stage successfully landing aboard ASOG.

Starlink 6-28 is currently scheduled to launch November 18 UTC, with the first stage landing aboard JRTI.

Starlink 6-29 is currently scheduled to launch NET November 21, and is likely to be delayed to November 22, with the first stage landing aboard ASOG.  (4 day SLC-40 turnaround, 8 day ASDS turnaround)

Starlink 6-30 could launch circa November 26, with the first stage landing aboard JRTI.  (4 day SLC-40 turnaround, 8 day ASDS turnaround)

(Foul weather and sea states, including hurricanes, will break the perfect pattern.🌀 Murphy's Law.)

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post; my bold:

Information may already be partially superseded?
Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated November 15 (or 16):

Falcon 9, November 17-18 @ between 11:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. EST (pad 40): The best viewing locations are Port Canaveral (Rt. 528 over the Banana River, 11.6 miles) with a clear view and Titusville (13-14 miles) on the Max Brewer bridge, also with a clear view.

Falcon 9, November 19-20 @ between around 11:50 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. EST (pad 40): The best viewing locations are Port Canaveral (Rt. 528 over the Banana River, 11.6 miles) with a clear view and Titusville (13-14 miles) on the Max Brewer bridge, also with a clear view.

The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on November 17 at 11:00 p.m. EST or later. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on November 21 at 11:50 p.m. EST or later. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches from pad 40. A Falcon Heavy will launch the seventh OTV X-37B spaceplane mission for the U.S. Space Force from pad 39A on December 7. The side boosters will land back at the Cape eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch the USSF-124 mission for the U.S. Space Force from pad 40 on mid-December. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch.

[Ken the Bin]

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

No Rocket Launching notice yet, but the timeframe of the Space Debris notices is the same as 6-27, 6-28, and 6-29, so the Rocket Launch timeframe is probably the same as those prior launches: 04:00-08:31 UTC.

201810Z NOV 23
HYDROPAC 3666/23(57,61,71).
EASTERN SOUTH ATLANTIC.
INDIAN OCEAN.
DNC 01, DNC 02, DNC 03.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   0558Z TO 1027Z DAILY 27 NOV THRU 03 DEC
   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 031127Z DEC 23.

HYDROLANT 2670/23(57,61,71).
EASTERN SOUTH ATLANTIC.
INDIAN OCEAN.
DNC 01, DNC 02, DNC 03.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   0558Z TO 1027Z DAILY 27 NOV THRU 03 DEC
   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 031127Z DEC 23.

[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.

1064.5 and 1065.5 are reserved as the Falcon Heavy side boosters for USSF-52.

1072.1 is reserved for Cygnus NG-20.

1076.10 and 1073.12 may undergo modifications to become Falcon Heavy side boosters for a future launch, but both are available for "single-stick" launches currently.

Available first stages, with UTC date of most recent recovery:
1078.6    Sep 16 (saving for a particular future launch?)
1060.18  Sep 24
1062.17  Oct 18
1080.5    Oct 22
1077.9    Oct 30
1058.19  Nov 4 (maybe)

Edit November 27: It's B1062.17, skipping over B1078.6 and B1060.18.

[Ron Lee]

If you listen to reports about Thanksgiving period air traffic, this mission may be on/NET 26 November 2023 local to reduce impact to air travel.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

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

SPACE-X STARLINK 6-30 CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, FL
PRIMARY   -28 NOV   0400Z-0831Z
BACKUP   -29 NOV 0400Z-0831Z

[Ken the Bin]

NGA Rocket Launching notice for November 28 to December 4.  (The Space Debris notices came out a few days ago for November 27 to December 3.)

241644Z NOV 23
NAVAREA IV 1359/23(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   280400Z TO 280831Z NOV, ALTERNATE 
   0400Z TO 0831Z DAILY 29 NOV THRU 04 DEC 
   IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-38.95N 080-37.65W, 28-37.00N 080-25.00W,
      28-26.00N 080-04.00W, 28-23.00N 080-02.00W,
      28-19.00N 080-02.00W, 28-30.66N 080-33.12W.
   B. 26-15.00N 076-00.00W, 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,
      25-58.00N 075-59.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 040931Z DEC 23.

[OneSpeed]

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

NGA Rocket Launching notice for November 28 to December 4 ...

    
The launch hazard area coordinates have reverted to those for 6-26, but the space debris coordinates haven't changed. ASDS 630km downrange.

[realnouns]

Crosby Skipper + JRTI departed PC on Nov 24 @ 6:51pm ET

[realnouns]

Bob departed PC on Nov 25 @ 7:23pm ET

[Ken the Bin]

L-1 weather forecast. 90%-> 80% 'Go' for November 27/28. 90% 'Go' for November 28/29. Upper-Level Wind Shear risk is Low-Moderate for November 28/29. All other Additional Risk Criteria are Low.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/tskelso/status/1729228071860097180

CelesTrak has pre-launch SupGP data for the #Starlink Group 6-30 launch from Cape Canaveral on 2023-11-28 at 04:01:30 UTC: celestrak.org/NORAD/elements…. Deployment of 23 satellites at 05:06:58.320 UTC. Data for 7 backup launch opportunities also provided: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/

[Galactic Penguin SST]

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1729308337874030673

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-6-30

SpaceX is targeting Monday, November 27 for a Falcon 9 launch of 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 11:20 p.m. ET, with backup opportunities available until 2:58 a.m. ET on Tuesday, November 28. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Tuesday, November 28 starting at 11:00 p.m. ET.

A live webcast of this mission will begin on X @SpaceX about five minutes prior to liftoff. Watch live.

This is the 17th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched GPS III Space Vehicle 04, GPS III Space Vehicle 05, Inspiration4, Ax-1, Nilesat 301, OneWeb Launch 17, ARABSAT BADR-8, and nine Starlink missions. (=B1062-17) Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

[catdlr]

for for Steven's use

SpaceX Broadcast
https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1OyKAWXNpQaJb

YouTube Re-Broadcast links

[Steven Pietrobon]

PDF of online press kit and launch times. Currently targeting the second opportunity.

04:01:30 UTC.
04:20:00 UTC.
04:42:00 UTC.
05:06:40 UTC.
05:30:40 UTC.
06:07:10 UTC.
07:05:40 UTC.
07:58:10 UTC.

[Steven Pietrobon]

T-38 minutes. The SpaceX launch director should be verifying go to start propellant loading.

[Steven Pietrobon]

NSF webcast has begun.

[Steven Pietrobon]

T-35 minutes. First stage LOX loading and first and second stage RP-1 loading should be starting about now.

[Steven Pietrobon]

"Propellant load has begun for tonight’s launch of 23 @Starlink satellites from Florida. All systems and weather are currently go for launch"

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1729345717402243136