SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 6-38 : KSC LC-39A : 28/29 January 2024 (01:10 UTC)

[zubenelgenubi]

Thread for the Starlink 6-38 group launch.

NSF Threads for Starlink 6-38: Discussion

Launch 29 January 2024, at 01:10:00 UTC (8:10 pm EST), from KSC LC-39A, on booster 1062-18.  The first stage successfully landed aboard A Shortfall of Gravitas.

Payload 23 Starlink V2 Mini satellites to 43 degree inclination orbit on a southeastern trajectory.  Initial orbit 284 x 292 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:

Four more Starlinks from Vandy
<snip>
1301-EX-ST-2023  Mission 1883 Starlink Group 6-38
<snip>
All are NET July [21]
ASDS    North  29  41  52   West  116  41  19

[Launch location changed to Florida.]
<snip>
2357-EX-ST-2023   Mission 1883 Starlink Group 6-38
NET late Dec. [30]
ASDS North  25  41  37   West  75  5  42

Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated December 29:
<Ovzon-3, currently Jan 3>

Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches from pad 40.

<Axiom-3, currently Jan 17>


The SLC-40 Starlink mission that may follow Starlink 6-37 is likely to launch in mid January 2024.  Assuming that SpaceX continues, again, to launch its Florida Starlink Group 6's in ascending numerical order, this launch will be 6-38.  It is currently listed with launch NET January, from either Kennedy LC-39A or Canaveral SLC-40.

However, LC-39A will not be available due to the launch campaign of Axiom-3.

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7453

[zubenelgenubi]

Starlink 6-35 launches from SLC-40 NET January 7.

+ 4 days = NET January 11 Starlink 6-37?

+ 4 days = NET January 15

Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated January 2:

<Starlink 6-35>
Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches from pad 40.
<Axiom-3, currently launching Jan 17 from LC-39A>

Edit: Calculations assume both JRTI and ASOG are available.

[zubenelgenubi]

Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated January 8:
<Starlink 6-37 launches from SLC-40 late Jan 13 EST/early Jan 14 UTC.>
<Axiom-3 launches from LC-39A Jan 17.>

Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches from pad 40.

<Cygnus NG-20 launches from SLC-40 Jan 29.>

How long will JRTI/Octagrabber repairs prevent JRTI from performing recoveries?

Assuming no RTLS and no JRTI = ASOG first stage recovery, launch would be ~January 21.

[zubenelgenubi]

Will this launch be the last Florida Starlink in January?

LC-39A is occupied by Axiom-3 (launch Jan 17), then IM-1 (launch Feb 10), then Crew-8 (launch late Feb?).  All three launches are LZ-1 recoveries.

SLC-40 will be occupied by Cygnus NG-20 (launch Jan 29), then PACE (Feb 6).  Both launches are LZ-1 recoveries.

[zubenelgenubi]

Next SLC-40 launch?  Next ASOG recovery?
Starlink 6-37 successfully launched January 15 UTC.

+ 8 days (assumes JRTI is not available, no RTLS authorization) = NET January 23 UTC


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

Falcon 9 first stages are now apparently cleared for use up to twenty times for non-crewed launches, although that number is apparently more restricted for Cargo Dragon than these other payloads.

1064.6 and 1065.6 are the Falcon Heavy side boosters for Europa Clipper.

1080.5 is reserved for Axiom-3.  1072.1 is reserved for Cygnus NG-20.  (1072.1 may be assigned to Crew-8.)  (1072.1 assigned as a side booster for GOES-U.

1073.13 and 1076.11 may undergo modifications to become Falcon Heavy side boosters for a future launch, but both are currently available for "single-stick" launches.

Available first stages, with UTC date of most recent recovery:
1060.18  Sep 24
1062.18  Nov 28
1078.7    Dec 3
1077.10  Dec 7 Cygnus NG-20
1081.4    Dec 19
1069.13  Dec 29
1076.11  Jan 3 (maybe)
1067.11  Jan 7 (maybe)

Edit January 27: It’s B1062.18, skipping over B1060.18 yet again.

Edited

[raptorx2]

I thought 6-38, 6-39 do have filed RTLS option?

https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=129774&RequestTimeout=1000

I sort of assumed/speculate that this string of RTLS launches (AX-3, 6-38, 6-39 Cygnus) would provide for "maintenance time" and perhaps install the in-motion gateways on both ASDS vessels?  Perhaps loft some V3 full size payloads to test/qualify before launching a large batch on Starship?

[zubenelgenubi]

Mention of future Florida Starlink launches from SLC-40 moves after January 18, Jan 29, February 6, and Feb 10 launches, and before Telkomsat.

LC-39A is successively occupied by the Axiom-3, IM-1, and Crew-8 launch campaigns.

Launch NET mid February, with JRTI returned to operation?

Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated January 17:

The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Axiom-3 crew to the International Space Station from pad 39A on January 18 at 4:49 p.m. EST. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch Northrop Grumman's Cygnus NG-20 resupply mission to the ISS from pad 40 on January 29 at 12:29 p.m. EST. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch NASA's Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite from pad 40 on February 6 around 1:30 a.m. EST. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch the Intuitive Machines IM-1 Nova-C lunar lander from pad 39A on February 10. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches from pad 40. A Falcon 9 will launch the Telkomsat communications satellite for Indonesia from pad 40 on mid-February TBD. A Falcon 9 will launch the next crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station, Crew-8, from pad 39A on late February, likely around midnight EST. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch.

[zubenelgenubi]

Launch NET mid February, with JRTI returned to operation?

NextSpaceflight, updated January 18:
Launch NET February 2024

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Launch NET mid February, with JRTI returned to operation?

NextSpaceflight, updated January 18:
Launch NET February 2024

...or maybe not, there's a new 2nd stage de-orbit NOTAM out showing NET January 26 for this 6-38:

F0236/24 NOTAMN
Q) YMMM/QWMLW/IV/BO/W/000/999/1525S08311E710
A) YMMM
B) 2401260150 C) 2402010417
D) 2401260150 TO 2401260644
   2401270130 TO 2401270624
   2401280104 TO 2401280558
   2401290038 TO 2401290532
   2401300014 TO 2401300508
   2401302348 TO 2401310442
   2401312323 TO 2402010417
E) ROCKET LAUNCH WILL TAKE PLACE
FLW RECEIVED FROM GOVERNMENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
HAZARDOUS OPS WILL BE CONDUCTED FOR ATMOSPHERIC RE-ENTRY AND
SPLASHDOWN OF LAUNCH VEHICLE FALCON-9 STARLINK 6-38 STAGE 2 WI THE
FOLLOWING AREAS:
2033S 07500E
0746S 08927E
0853S 09228E
2422S 07500E TO BEGINNING

PRIMARY LAUNCH 24 01 26 0150 THRU 24 01 26 0644
BACKUP AS PER FIELD D
F) SFC G) UNL

[raptorx2]

6-38 (RTLS Option) is the last Group 6 launch that has a currently Granted Experimental launch license.
6-39 6-40, 6-41, 6-42 are all pending in a nearly month of backlog at the FCC

[Ken the Bin]

Ben Cooper lists this launch as taking place from KSC LC-39A ...

https://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Guide.html

(bold in original)

The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 39A on January 25 at 7 p.m. or later EST.

[Salo]

https://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Guide.html

The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 39A on January 28 at 6:04-10:04 p.m. EST.

[Ken the Bin]

NGA Rocket Launching notice. No Space Debris notices yet.

231010Z JAN 24
NAVAREA IV 74/24(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   282304Z TO 290335Z JAN, ALTERNATE
   292238Z TO 300309Z, 302213Z TO 310244Z, 
   312148Z JAN TO 010219Z FEB, 012123Z TO 020154Z, 
   022057Z TO 030128Z AND 032032Z TO 040103Z FEB
   IN AREAS BOUND BY
   A. 28-39.03N 080-37.65W, 28-39.00N 080-28.00W,
      28-28.00N 080-06.00W, 28-24.00N 080-06.00W,
      28-20.00N 080-08.00W, 28-23.00N 080-19.00W,
      28-29.33N 080-32.49W.
   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 040203Z FEB 24.//

[zubenelgenubi]

Apparently, no changes in ASDS availability for this launch? = ASOG only?

Thread title edited to "KSC LC-39A."

Edited

[OneSpeed]

NGA Rocket Launching notice. No Space Debris notices yet.

The launch hazard area A is a little different because it is from LC-39A instead of SLC-40. The hazard area B is the same as recent group 6 SLC-40 launches, so the ASDS should be 635km downrange.

... there's a new 2nd stage de-orbit NOTAM out showing NET January 26 for this 6-38:

The NOTAM aligns with the north-eastern segment of previous group 6 Space Debris areas, so they may be similar.

[Ken the Bin]

NGA Rocket Launching notice. No Space Debris notices yet.

<snip>

Here are the NGA Space Debris notices (the same notice for two different Navigational Areas).

251020Z JAN 24
HYDROLANT 188/24(57,61,71).
EASTERN SOUTH ATLANTIC.
INDIAN OCEAN.
DNC 01, DNC 02, DNC 03.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   2230Z TO 0531Z DAILY 29 JAN THRU 04 FEB
   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 040631Z FEB 24.//

251020Z JAN 24
HYDROPAC 300/24(57,61,71).
EASTERN SOUTH ATLANTIC.
INDIAN OCEAN.
DNC 01, DNC 02, DNC 03.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   2230Z TO 0531Z DAILY 29 JAN THRU 04 FEB
   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 040631Z FEB 24.//

[OneSpeed]

Here are the NGA Space Debris notices ...

Identical to previous group 6 Space Debris areas.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/spaceoffshore/status/1750965123731030429

Departure! A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship is outbound to support Starlink 6-38. Tug Signet Warhorse III is towing.

nsf.live/spacecoast

[realnouns]

Signet Warhorse III + ASOG departed PC on Jan 26 @ 2:47pm ET