Starlink Group 2-9 mission to mark SpaceXs 31st launch of 2023
Date:
Wed, 10 May 2023 17:06:58 +0000
Description:
SpaceX is ready to launch 51 Starlink internet communication satellites into low Earth orbit on The post Starlink Group 2-9 mission to mark SpaceXs 31st launch of 2023 appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .
FULL STORY ======================================================================
SpaceX is ready to launch 51 Starlink internet communication satellites into low Earth orbit on its Starlink Group 2-9 mission. Lifting off on May 10, 2023, at 13:09 PDT (20:09 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, this mission will mark 2023s 68th orbital launch attempt and SpaceXs 31st (30th orbital) launch of the year, making up just under 45% of all launch attempts thus far this year.
To help reach SpaceXs ambitious goal of launching 100 times in 2023, this launch will mark SLC-4Es third-quickest turnaround time at 12.3 days. While this is substantially longer than Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40)s fastest turnaround (just 5.15 days) and Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A)s (at 8.96 days), it is clear that cadence is being increased from the west coast to support SpaceXs busy launch cadence.
The reason why SLC-4E is slower to turn around launches than SpaceXs other two operational pads is due to its use of SpaceXs old transporter erector (T/E) design. At T-4 minutes, the T/E falls 13 degrees away from the rocket and does not move further from this position remaining stationary during liftoff. This is drastically different from the throwback T/E style used at SLC-40 and LC-39A, which moves just under two degrees away from the vehicle
at roughly T-4 minutes, then falls the remaining distance from the vehicle (~45 degrees) at liftoff. This allows for the T/E to be further out of the vehicles exhaust, resulting in less refurbishment needed between flights.
Despite trying to increase Falcon 9s cadence drastically from the west
coast, as apparent by SpaceXs acquisition of Space Launch Complex 6, the company has no public plans to replace the T/E at SLC-4E. See Also Starlink Group 2-9 Updates SpaceX Missions Section L2 SpaceX Section Click here to
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The Falcon 9 booster supporting Starlink Group 2-9 is B1075 one of the
newer boosters in the Falcon 9 fleet, having only supported Starlink Group
2-4 and the Space Development Agencys Tranche 0 Flight 1 mission . Following the launch, the booster will attempt to land on the autonomous spaceport
drone ship (ASDS) Of Course I Still Love You , which was tugged ~660 km downrange by Scorpius .
GO Beyond will provide both ASDS support and fairing recovery for this mission. It is thought that this ship is part of SpaceXs west coast fleet consolidation, replacing both the current fairing recovery ship NRC Quest and ASDS support ship GO Quest .
The 51 Starlink v1.5 satellites atop the Falcon 9 will be placed into an initial 222 by 334 km orbit inclined 70.00 degrees. The satellites will spend the following months further raising their orbits into the second Starlink generation one shell: a 570 km circular orbit at 70 degrees. Satellite
Version Orbit
(Circular) Sats Launched Total in Orbit Total Working Operational Group 1
1.0 550 km 53 1,665 1,494 1,460 1,426 Group 2 1.5 570 km 70 305 302 301 101 Group 3 1.5 560 km 97.6 243 233 233 187 Group 4 1.5 540 km 53.2 1,637 1,570 1,568 1,513 Group 5 1.5 530 km 43 386 384 383 200 Group 6 2.0 Mini 530 km 43 42 40 40 0 ( Starlink information from Jonathan McDowell )
Falcon 9s launch countdown sequence will start at T-38 minutes where the launch director will verify that all systems are go for propellant load. When given the go, both the first stage and second stage will begin being fueled with rocket propellant-1 at T-35 minutes. Also at this time, the first stage will begin being filled with liquid oxygen (LOX).
At T-20 minutes, fueling on the second stage will complete, and the T/E will begin purging its lines, ensuring the lines are not contaminated and are thermally ready for LOX flow, which starts at T-16 minutes. This purging is what causes the iconic Falcon 9 T-20 minute vent.
One minute before launch, the Falcon 9 will enter start-up, which is when
the vehicle takes command of the count. At T-3 seconds the boosters flight computer will command all nine Merlin 1D engines to ignite, which will then
be checked by the on-board flight computer. If the flight computer detects no off-nominal systems, it will command the hydraulic launch clamps to be released, allowing Falcon 9 to lift off. Decembers Falcon 9 launch with the first pair of O3b mPOWER satellites. (Credit: Stephen Marr for NSF)
B1075-3 will burn for two minutes and 26 seconds before shutting down and separating from the second stage. Stage two will burn until T+8:40;
meanwhile, the booster will complete its entry and landing burns. If all goes to plan, B1075 will land atop OCISLY, becoming B1075-4 and marking SpaceXs 190th successful landing to date. During this time, the two fairing halves will be deployed at T+2:41, which will then utilize cold gas thrusters and parafoils to softly land in water for recovery.
The second stage will then coast for approximately 10 minutes, during which the stage will start to rotate end-over-end. The four tension rods will then be deployed at T+17:21, allowing all 51 Starlink satellites to deploy at
once.
This launch is SpaceXs first Starlink launch of the week, with Starlink
Group 5-9 scheduled to lift off later in the week. Later this month, SpaceX
is scheduled to launch the Axiom Mission 2, Arabsat 7B, Iridium-9 and OneWeb flight 19, and several more Starlink missions.
(Lead image: B1075 on SLC-4E ahead of the Tranche 0 Flight 1 mission.
Credit: Jack Beyer for NSF)
The post Starlink Group 2-9 mission to mark SpaceXs 31st launch of 2023 appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .
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Link to news story:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/05/starlink-group-2-9/
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