SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 7-16 : VSFB SLC-4E : 18/19 March 2024 (02:28 UTC)

[zubenelgenubi]

Thread for the Starlink Group 7-16 launch.

Launch 19 March 2024, at 02:28:00 UTC (18 Mar. 7:28 pm PDT), from Vandenberg SFB SLC-4E, on booster 1075-10.  The first stage successfully landed aboard Of Course I Still Love You.

Payload 20 Starlink V2 Mini satellites and 2 Starshield satellites (USA 350/351) to 53 degree inclination orbit on a southeastern trajectory.  Initial orbit 306 x 316 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:

<snip>
2537-EX-ST-2023 Mission 2198 Starlink Group 7-16

NET February [10] from Vandenberg
ASDS  North  30  6  19   West  116  57  37  (7-14, 7-16)
          North  29  52  50   West  116  45  3  (7-15, 7-17)

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7472

Starlink Group 7-16
Launch Time
NET February 2024

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

SPACE X STARLINK 7-15 VANDENBERG SFB CA
PRIMARY:   02/22/24   0424Z-0846Z
BACKUP:      02/23/24   0402Z-0824Z
      02/24/24   0341Z-0803Z
      02/25/24   0319Z-0741Z
      02/26/24   0257z-0719z
<snip>

https://twitter.com/breadfrom/status/1758646662799446120

Hearing from a source that SpaceX is now targeting March 4 for the launch of Transporter-10.

Starlink 7-16 likely follows Starlink 7-15, with a launch NET in the final days of February.  Starlink 7-15 is currently scheduled to launch February 22.  SpaceX is attempting ~four to ~five day turnarounds.

Assuming a successful February 22 UTC Falcon 9 launch, this launch would be NET February 26 or 27.  Transporter-10 follows on March 4, and appears to be a RTLS landing--OCISLY turnaround would not gate Starlink 7-16 with respect to Transporter-10.

[zubenelgenubi]

Starlink 7-15 launched February 23 UTC.

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7472

Starlink Group 7-16
Launch Time
NET March 2024

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

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

Available first stages, with UTC date of most recent recovery:
1063.17   Jan 24 Starlink 7-17
1075.10   Jan 29
1071.15   Feb 10

Edit March 4: Transporter-10 successfully launched March 4 UTC, using just-transported to Vandenberg B1081.5!

Edit March 11 UTC: B1063.17 launches Starlink 7-17.

Edit March 18: It's B1075.10.

[zubenelgenubi]

Next Vandenberg Falcon 9 launch?

Edit March 5: No, it's to be Starlink 7-17.

[zubenelgenubi]

Starlink 7-17 successfully launched earlier today UTC.  Is this the next Vandenberg Falcon 9 launch, or Starlink 8-1?

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Starlink 7-17 successfully launched earlier today UTC.  Is this the next Vandenberg Falcon 9 launch, or Starlink 8-1?

It is.
NET early March 19 UTC (late March 18 PDT) per this 2nd stage de-orbit NOTAM:

A0371/24 NOTAMN
Q) SEFG/QXXLW/IV/NBO/AE/000/999/0004S07739W999
A) SEXX B) 2403190359 C) 2403250831
D) MAR 19, 20 0359-0827, MAR 21 0400-0828, MAR 22 0401-0829,
MAR 23 0402-0830 AND MAR 24, 25 0403-0831
E) FALCON 9 STARLINK 7-16 STAGE 2 REENTRY AND SPLASHDOWN IN THE
UNASSIGNED FIR, SECT DELIMITED BY THE FOLLOWING COORD 0119S 11654W,
0010S 11517W, 1500S 10441W, 1500S 10724W, 0119S 11654W
F) SFC G) UNL

[Ken the Bin]

NGA Space Debris notice that is effectively a Rocket Launching notice.

140000Z MAR 24
NAVAREA XII 148/24(21).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
MEXICO.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   190220Z TO 190651Z, 200220Z TO 200651Z,  
   210221Z TO 210652Z, 220222Z TO 220653Z, 
   230223Z TO 230654Z, 240224Z TO 240655Z,
   AND 250224Z TO 250655Z MAR
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   30-38.00N 117-19.00W, 30-23.00N 117-19.00W,
   29-32.00N 117-06.00W, 29-12.00N 116-48.00W, 
   28-58.00N 116-22.00W, 29-18.00N 115-56.00W, 
   29-42.00N 116-06.00W, 30-04.00N 116-28.00W, 
   30-37.00N 117-12.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 250755Z MAR 24.

[OneSpeed]

NGA Space Debris notice that is effectively a Rocket Launching notice.

Launch map from the notice.

[Martin_G]

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

SPACE-X STARLINK 7-16, VANDENBERG SFB, CA
PRIMARY:   03/19/24   0220Z-0651Z
BACKUP:      03/20/24   0220Z-0651Z
      03/21/24   0221Z-0652Z
      03/22/24   0222Z-0653Z
      03/23/24   0223Z-0654Z
      03/24/24   0224Z-0655Z
      03/25/24   0224Z-0655Z

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/spaceoffshore/status/1769145089199153484

Of Course I Still Love You droneship is outbound from the Port of Long Beach to support Starlink 7-16.

[realnouns]

Lindsay C + OCISLY departed PoLB on Mar 16 @ 4:33pm PT / 7:33pm ET

[realnouns]

Go Beyond departed PoLB on Mar 17 @ 9:00am PT / 12:00pm ET

[Ken the Bin]

Primary launch time = 2024-03-19 02:28:00 UTC per CelesTrak.

https://twitter.com/TSKelso/status/1769707151306424398

CelesTrak has pre-launch SupGP data for the @Starlink Group 7-16 launch from Vandenberg SFB on 2024-03-19 at 02:28:00 UTC: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/table.php?FILE=starlink-g7-16. Deployment of 20 satellites at 03:30:26.260 UTC. Data for 12 backup launch opportunities also provided: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/.

https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/

Launch: 2024-03-19 02:28:00 UTC. Deploy: 2024-03-19 03:30:26.260 UTC.
Launch: 2024-03-19 02:46:00 UTC. Deploy: 2024-03-19 03:48:26.260 UTC.
Launch: 2024-03-19 02:56:00 UTC. Deploy: 2024-03-19 03:58:26.260 UTC.
Launch: 2024-03-19 03:36:00 UTC. Deploy: 2024-03-19 04:38:26.260 UTC.
Launch: 2024-03-19 04:00:00 UTC. Deploy: 2024-03-19 05:02:26.260 UTC.
Launch: 2024-03-19 04:14:00 UTC. Deploy: 2024-03-19 05:16:26.260 UTC.
Launch: 2024-03-19 04:28:00 UTC. Deploy: 2024-03-19 05:30:26.260 UTC.
Launch: 2024-03-19 05:04:00 UTC. Deploy: 2024-03-19 06:06:26.260 UTC.
Launch: 2024-03-19 05:26:00 UTC. Deploy: 2024-03-19 06:28:26.260 UTC.
Launch: 2024-03-19 05:28:00 UTC. Deploy: 2024-03-19 06:30:26.260 UTC.
Launch: 2024-03-19 05:42:00 UTC. Deploy: 2024-03-19 06:44:26.260 UTC.
Launch: 2024-03-19 06:08:00 UTC. Deploy: 2024-03-19 07:10:26.260 UTC.
Launch: 2024-03-19 06:10:00 UTC. Deploy: 2024-03-19 07:12:26.260 UTC.

[AJW]

Last night, NOAA forecast for Vandenberg at launch time was zero sky cover, winds diminishing, looked perfect.  This morning it is slight ran, thunder and 45% sky cover.    Anyone else seeing this?  I was going to hit the road in an hour, now I might hold.

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?w0=t&w1=td&w2=wc&w3=sfcwind&w3u=1&w4=sky&w5=pop&w6=rh&w7=rain&w8=thunder&w9=snow&w10=fzg&w11=sleet&w13u=0&w15u=1&Submit=Submit&FcstType=graphical&textField1=34.821&textField2=-120.41&site=all&unit=0&dd=&bw=

[Bean Kenobi]

Only 20 satellites this time... is there any rideshare with them ? Otherwise, can these be DTC satellites ?

[GewoonLukas_]

SpaceX is targeting Monday, March 18 for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is targeted for 7:28 p.m. PT, with backup opportunities available until 11:10 p.m. PT. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Tuesday, March 19 starting at 7:38 p.m. PT.

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

This is the 10th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched SDA-0A, SARah-2, and seven Starlink missions. (=B1075-10) Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-7-16

[1]

I was going to hit the road in an hour, now I might hold.

Checking just now, it looks like 25% sky coverage for most of the launch window. I generally don't drive up to see these things on work nights, but if this were a weekend launch, I'd go for it. Also worth noting that the launch window opens about 20 minutes after local sunset, so this flight has jellyfish potential. I'll probably be watching from the Redondo Beach pier. Good luck with the viewing (assuming you decided to go)!

[catdlr]

For Steven P usage,

The SpaceX live Broadcast feed on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1MYGNoYwElZJw

The backup Live Re-Broadcast link for those not wishing to view on Twitter is here:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=kG2qKXBd_Gk

[catdlr]

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1769858308943589426

Targeting Monday, March 18 for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 @Starlink
 satellites to low-Earth orbit from California → http://spacex.com/launches

[catdlr]

Due to the persistent cut-off low over the lower desert creating winds from the east and driving moisture up from the Baja coast, some rather off-seasonal weather, especially thunder and hail has been showing up daily.  Here is the latest from NWS

https://twitter.com/NWSLosAngeles/status/1769859066069991528

A special weather statement has been issued for Los Angeles CA, Pasadena CA, and  East Los Angeles CA until 4:45 PM PDT