SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 6-40 : CCSFS SLC-40 : 29 February 2024 (15:30 UTC)

• #60 by edkyle99 on 01 Mar, 2024 01:00
• Why back to 23 minis for this launch after 24 on the last launch?  Does B1069 have special powers?  (It was rebuilt after its inaugural drone ship crunch with new engines.)
  
   - Ed Kyle
• #61 by LouScheffer on 01 Mar, 2024 12:04
• Quote from: edkyle99 on 01 Mar, 2024 01:00

  Why back to 23 minis for this launch after 24 on the last launch?  Does B1069 have special powers?  (It was rebuilt after its inaugural drone ship crunch with new engines.)
  

  If B1069 does have a super-power, it's the ability to withstand re-entry heat.  It did a roughly 3 second shorter re-entry burn, leaving 5970 m/s to be scrubbed off by the air, where this mission only left 5290 m/s or so.  Less fuel for re-entry means more fuel for boost, is my suspicion.
• #62 by edkyle99 on 01 Mar, 2024 12:35
• Quote from: LouScheffer on 01 Mar, 2024 12:04

  Quote from: edkyle99 on 01 Mar, 2024 01:00

  Why back to 23 minis for this launch after 24 on the last launch?  Does B1069 have special powers?  (It was rebuilt after its inaugural drone ship crunch with new engines.)
  

  If B1069 does have a super-power, it's the ability to withstand re-entry heat.  It did a roughly 3 second shorter re-entry burn, leaving 5970 m/s to be scrubbed off by the air, where this mission only left 5290 m/s or so.  Less fuel for re-entry means more fuel for boost, is my suspicion.
  

  Good point.  Could also be a test of the higher speed reentry profile, which would require close inspection of B1069 after the flight to determine if the profile can be used universally.
  
   - Ed Kyle
• #63 by FutureSpaceTourist on 02 Mar, 2024 17:37
• https://twitter.com/spaceoffshore/status/1763996737042104386
  
  

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  Saturday success as SpaceX simultaneously delivers the Falcon 9 and both its fairing halves back to Port Canaveral following Starlink 6-40. 📸 nsf.live/spacecoast

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• #64 by realnouns on 02 Mar, 2024 18:23
• Bob returned to PC on Mar 2 @ 1:18pm ET

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• #65 by realnouns on 02 Mar, 2024 18:24
• Signet Warhorse III + JRTI + B1076 returned to PC on Mar 2 @ 1:50pm ET

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• #66 by FutureSpaceTourist on 02 Mar, 2024 19:45
• https://twitter.com/tweetsiphotos/status/1764008115647717382
  
  

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  Falcon 9 🤝 random pelicans
  
  🚀 Some pelicans admiring B1076 as it comes into Port Canaveral this afternoon, fresh from its 11th flight to space and back.
  
  📸: me for @TLPN_Official
  @SpaceOffshore
• #67 by shiro on 04 Mar, 2024 16:48
• Some reusability stats for this launch (Starlink Group 6-40):
  
  Booster B1076.11 turnaround time:
  56 days 16 hours 26 minutes
  (its previous mission was Ovzon-3 on Jan 3, 2024 UTC).
  
  FYI: median turnaround time for Falcon 9 / Heavy boosters is currently 53.23 days *
  * – based on the last 30 launches, excluding new first stages.
  
  Launchpad SLC-40 turnaround time:
  3 days 17 hours 24 minutes
  (the previous launch from this pad was Starlink Group 6-39 on Feb 25, 2024 UTC).
  
  It's the fastest SLC-40 turnaround ever!
  The previous record was 3 days 22 hours and 26 minutes between Galaxy 37 and Starlink Group 6-8 launches in August, 2023.
  
  FYI: median turnaround time for SLC-40 is currently 5.24 days *
  * – based on the last 30 launches.
  
  The same type of stats for previous SpaceX launches may be found on this spreadsheet online.
• #68 by FutureSpaceTourist on 04 Mar, 2024 17:15
• https://twitter.com/madeonearthfou1/status/1764628018687787158
  
  

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  Bob and A Shortfall Of Gravitas bringing in @SpaceX fairings and a #Falcon9 booster back into port for processing, for another mission, after launching for @Starlink Group 6-40 on Tuesday.