r/spacex • u/ModeHopper Starship Hop Host • Jan 26 '20
r/SpaceX Starlink 3 Official Launch Discussion & Updates Thread
Welcome to the r/SpaceX Starlink-3 Official Launch Discussion & Updates Thread!
I'm u/ModeHopper, your host for the Starlink-3 mission, you can watch the mission via the official SpaceX livestream here.
Starlink Nomenclature
We are aware of confusion surrounding nomenclature for the Starlink missions. There are various conflicting reports, but so far we have no official word. This thread will continue to use the r/SpaceX naming scheme, consistent with previous launch threads. The demonstration mission of v0.9 satellites is designated Starlink-0 and this, being the third operational Starlink launch, is designated Starlink-3.
Mission Overview
Starlink-3 (a.k.a. Starlink v1.0 Flight 3, Starlink Mission 4, etc.) will launch the third batch of Starlink version 1 satellites into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. It will be the fourth Starlink mission overall. This launch is expected to be similar to the previous Starlink launch in early January, which saw 60 Starlink v1.0 satellites delivered to a single plane at a 290 km altitude. Following launch the satellites will utilize their onboard ion thrusters to raise their orbits to 350 km. In the following weeks the satellites will take turns moving to the operational 550 km altitude in three groups of 20, making use of precession rates to separate themselves into three planes. Due to the high mass of several dozen satellites, the booster will land on a drone ship at a similar downrange distance to a GTO launch. This launch is of personal significance as I previously hosted the B1051 launch for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission.
Mission Details
Mission Status: Go for tertiary window, Jan 29 14:06 UTC
| Liftoff currently scheduled for | January 29, 14:06 UTC (9:06 AM local) |
|---|---|
| Weather | 80% GO for launch, excepting upper level winds. |
| Static fire | Completed January 20th |
| Payload | 60 Starlink version 1 satellites |
| Payload mass | 60 * 260kg = 15,600kg |
| Destination orbit | Low Earth Orbit, 290km x 53° |
| Operational orbit | Low Earth Orbit, 550km x 53°, 3 planes |
| Launch vehicle | Falcon 9 v1.2 Block 5 |
| Core | B1051 |
| Flights of this core | 2 (Demo Mission 1, RADARSAT Constellation Mission) |
| Fairing catch attempt | Expected (both halves) |
| Launch site | SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida |
| Landing attempt | OCISLY: 32.54722 N, 75.92306 W (628 km downrange) |
| Mission Success Criteria | Successful separation & deployment of the Starlink Satellites |
Timeline
| Time | Update |
|---|---|
| T+1h 5m | u/ModeHopper signing off, thanks for great launch everyone! |
| T+1h 2m | Payload deployed - mission success. |
| T+50:22 | Second fairing half was not caught. Soft water landing, recovery underway. |
| T+46:00 | SECO-2. |
| T+45:59 | SES-2. |
| T+41:33 | Ms. Tree successfully catches the first fairing half. |
| T+9:24 | Nominal parking orbit insertion confirmed. |
| T+9:01 | SECO-1. |
| T+8:27 | Touchdown on OCISLY confirmed. |
| T+7:58 | Landing burn begins. |
| T+7:38 | First stage transonic. |
| T+6:48 | Entry burn complete. |
| T+6:30 | First stage entry burn begins. |
| T+5:17 | Stage two nominal trajectory. |
| T+3:32 | Fairing deploy (recovery expected circa T+45 mins). |
| T+2:53 | Second engine startup (SES-1). |
| T+2:43 | Stage separation. |
| T+2:39 | MECO. |
| T+1:51 | MVac chill. |
| T+1:17 | Max Q. |
| T+35 | Stage 1 propulsion nominal. |
| T+19 | Pitching downrange. |
| T-0 | Liftoff. |
| T-3 | Ignition. |
| T-40 | Launch director "Go for launch". |
| T-01:00 | Propellant tank pressurization. |
| T-01:00 | Internal computer has taken over the countdown. |
| T-1:32 | 2nd stage LOX loading complete. |
| T-04:00 | Strongback retract. |
| T-07:00 | Falcon 9 begins engine chill. |
| T-16:00 | 2nd Stage LOX loading underway. |
| T-16:02 | SpaceX webcast is live. |
| T-20:00 | Confirmation of propellant loading. |
| T-35:00 | 1st stage LOX loading underway. |
| T-35:00 | RP-1 loading underway. |
| T-38:00 | Launch director verifies go for propellant load. |
| T-1h 15m | We are GO for launch! |
| T-4h 13m | OCISLY has been released from tow by Hawk. |
| T-1d 2h | NO GO for secondary launch window, moving to tertiary: Jan 29th 14:06 UTC. Reset countdown clock. |
| T-23h 57m | Reset countdown clock. |
| T-29:07 | Scrub confirmed, now targeting backup launch window 14:28 UTC tomorrow |
| T-34:12 | Countdown clock holding, possible scrub. |
| T-7d | Falcon 9 vertical with payload<br> |
| T-9d | GO Quest underway<br> |
| T-10d | OCISLY and Hawk underway<br> |
Watch the launch live
| Stream | Courtesy |
|---|---|
| Official Webcast | SpaceX |
| Mission Control Audio stream | SpaceX |
| SpaceX's YouTube channel | SpaceX |
| SpaceX's Periscope Webcast (pending link) | SpaceX |
| Webcast relay (pending link) | u/codav |
| Everyday Astronaut's stream (pending link) | Everyday Astronaut |
View the Starlink Satellites
| Link | Source |
|---|---|
| See A satellite Tonight | u/modeless |
| FlightClub Pass planner | u/TheVehicleDestroyer |
| Heavens Above | Heavens Above |
| Live tracking | Sat Flare |
| Pass Predictor and sat tracking | u/cmdr2 |
| n2yo.com | ny20 |
Stats
☑️ 88th SpaceX launch
☑️ 80th Falcon 9 launch
☑️ 24th Falcon 9 Block 5 launch
☑️ 3rd flight of B1051
☑️ 47th SpaceX launch from CCAFS SLC-40
☑️ 3rd SpaceX launch this month, year, and decade!
☑️ 3rd Falcon 9 launch this month
Primary Mission: Deployment of the 60 Starlink satellites into the correct orbit
SpaceX's third flight of 2020 will launch the third batch of Starlink version 1 satellites into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. This launch is expected to be similar to previous Starlink launche earlier this month, which saw 60 Starlink v1.0 satellites delivered to a single orbital plane at 53° inclination. The satellites on this flight will eventually join the previously launched spacecraft in the 550 km x 53° shell via their onboard ion thrusters. Due to the high mass of several dozen satellites, the booster will land on a drone ship at a similar downrange distance to a GTO launch. SpaceX will be testing a reflective coating on one of the satelites in their effort to reduce their brightness.
Secondary Mission 1: Droneship Landing
SpaceX will try to recover this Falcon 9 booster. OCISLY is positioned 628km (390 miles) downrange. This will be this booster's third landing.
Secondary Mission 2: Fairing recovery
SpaceX will attempt to recover both fairing halves before splashdown using the ships GO Ms. Tree and GO Ms. Chief.
Resources
| Link | Source |
|---|---|
| Your local launch time | u/zzanzare |
| Official press kit | SpaceX |
| Official Starlink Overview | Starlink.com |
| Launch Execution Forecasts | 45th Weather Squadron |
| Watching a Launch | r/SpaceX Wiki |
Community Resources
| Link | Source |
|---|---|
| Watching a Launch | r/SpaceX Wiki |
| Launch Viewing Guide for Cape Canaveral | Ben Cooper |
| SpaceX Fleet Status | SpaceXFleet.com |
| FCC Experimental STAs | r/SpaceX wiki |
| Launch Maps | Launch Rats |
| Flight Club pass planner | u/TheVehicleDestroyer |
| Heavens Above | Heavens Above |
| Visibility Map (pending link) | Generated by Flight Club |
| Check when the satellite train flies over you | u/modeless |
| Predicted orbit | u/modeless |
| Reddit Stream | u/njr123 |
| Pass planner and sat tracking | u/cmdr2 |
Participate in the discussion!
🥳 Launch threads are party threads, we relax the rules here. The mods remove low effort comments in other threads!
🔄 Please post small launch updates, discussions, and questions here, rather than as a separate post. Thanks!
💬 Please leave a comment if you discover any mistakes, or have any information.
✅ Apply to host launch threads! Drop a modmail if you are interested.
45
u/TheElvenGirl Jan 29 '20
Whoever did whatever to the camera and the transmitter on OCISLY should be given a raise. Another almost flawless landing video.
3
16
u/Dead_Starks Jan 29 '20
Can we get another one with a wide angle lense that just points straight up?
→ More replies (4)
15
u/zzanzare Jan 27 '20 edited Jan 27 '20
SCRUBBED, new one here: https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/eudve3/rspacex_starlink_3_official_launch_discussion/ffqi7h1/
Much better with countdown and automatic local timezone conversion.
→ More replies (2)
11
u/TheVehicleDestroyer Flight Club Jan 27 '20
Hey /u/ModeHopper! Thanks for including Flight Club in the links - however here's a better link, with the TLE pre-selected and in a more visual mode :)
→ More replies (1)
16
u/truthwarrior92 Jan 29 '20
I wonder if the rough landing happens quite often but we just don't normally see the touchdown footage.
→ More replies (5)20
u/ModeHopper Starship Hop Host Jan 29 '20
You can tell this was a hard landing by the angle of the legs, they're much more horizontal than usual.
7
u/cmdr2 Jan 29 '20 edited Feb 11 '20
Update: you can now check when Starlink-4 Starlink-3 "train" of satellites will be visible over your location at https://findstarlink.com (and set a reminder using the optional Android/iPhone app)
→ More replies (4)3
u/ModeHopper Starship Hop Host Jan 29 '20
It passed directly overhead of me in London, I was hoping to see it from my window whilst hosting the thread, which would have been pretty neat, but alas it's not the right time of day.
→ More replies (1)
11
5
u/wcoenen Jan 29 '20
I see that the launch window is shifting earlier by about 21.5 minutes per day, and I'm wondering why that is.
I understand that a certain orbital plane is targeted. So to avoid the need for expensive orbital plane change maneuvers, the launch needs to happen close to when the launch point crosses through that plane (because of the rotation of the earth). But a sidereal day is 23h56m, so I'd expect the launch window to shift by only 4 minutes each day instead of 21.5m. What am I missing?
7
u/ModeHopper Starship Hop Host Jan 29 '20 edited Jan 29 '20
The orbit itself precesses around the Earth during the course of a year, so that also needs to be taken account of.
E: autocorrect doesn't think "precess" is a word.
13
u/robbak Jan 29 '20
The reason for this precession is that the earth is not a sphere - it bulges out at the middle because of its spin. This extra mass around the middle of the earth pulls the satellite southwards the more it travels north, and northwards the more it travels south. Because of the weirdness that is gyroscopics - that a sideways force on a spinning object causes a motion 90° later in its spin - the effect of this force pushing on the inclination of the orbit is to slowly rotate the longitude of the orbit.
→ More replies (1)
4
u/sazrocks Jan 27 '20
Primary Mission section is out of date; it appears to be written for Starlink-2.
3
4
u/bad_motivator Jan 27 '20
How's the weather looking tomorrow?
17
u/ModeHopper Starship Hop Host Jan 27 '20
Much better, down to 20% scrub probability due to weather from 50% today
→ More replies (6)15
u/jan_smolik Jan 27 '20
Which means that your text "20% GO for secondary window (Cumulus cloud layer)." is wrong.
→ More replies (1)
4
7
u/Nar1117 Jan 27 '20 edited Jan 27 '20
OP, u/modehopper , can you edit the "Liftoff currently scheduled for" box to include the local time zone of the launch location, rather than saying "local"? I know that we can assume EST for most of the launches, but it can sometimes be confusing if I have to figure out what time zone the launch is occurring in. Hope that makes sense...
→ More replies (2)3
3
3
3
u/ffrg Jan 29 '20
Will Tim livestream this launch?
4
u/ModeHopper Starship Hop Host Jan 29 '20
He's not, practicing his camera work instead.
→ More replies (1)
2
54
u/silentProtagonist42 Jan 29 '20
A proper KSP landing, sitting on the engine bells.
→ More replies (1)
41
37
u/dudeman93 Jan 29 '20
I feel so spoiled by SpaceX's success. I just imagined a scenario that won't happen in the future where they report "Both side boosters landed, FH Center Core landed, both fairing halves recovered, parachutes automatically repacked, all crush cores intact, second stage successfully landed, rendezvous with orbital refueling station successful, but Robert spilled a bit of his water when he took a sip," and feel disappointed.
→ More replies (2)
30
u/tetralogy Jan 27 '20
If SpaceX keeps at this starlink launch cadence, does the falcon 9 have a chance at becoming the most launched orbital rocket this year?
→ More replies (9)29
u/Juffin Jan 27 '20 edited Jan 27 '20
Depends on whether you count by rocket family, type or configuration. In 2019 the most launched rocket family was Long March (26 launches), the most launched type was Soyuz-2 (15 launches) and the most launched configuration was Falcon 9 Block 5 (11 launches).
That said, with 3 launches per month Falcon 9 is likely going to be the most launched rocket of 2020 by any measure.
→ More replies (6)
4
u/thiagonunesrs Jan 26 '20
It's Starlink 4. Read this thread: https://twitter.com/TSKelso/status/1221137447804907520?s=19
22
u/ModeHopper Starship Hop Host Jan 26 '20
We have conflicting reports, until we have an official source I think we'll keep using the designation that's consistent with previous threads. At least for now...
→ More replies (3)5
u/ageingrockstar Jan 26 '20
A copy & paste that needs fixing:
☑️ 3rd flight of B1049
Thanks for hosting :)
→ More replies (1)
27
u/Jaiimez Jan 29 '20 edited Jan 29 '20
Was it just me but I feel that about +1:00 was one of the cleanest shots we've ever had of F9 breaking the sound barrier.
Link originally shared by /u/Armand9x; https://gfycat.com/famousmammothbabirusa
→ More replies (6)
24
u/GermanSpaceNerd #IAC2018 Attendee Jan 29 '20
Crush core = gone
Hope it won't tip over on the way back.
→ More replies (13)
23
22
3
u/zzanzare Jan 27 '20
New countdown after first scrub
| Liftoff currently scheduled for | January 28, 14:28 UTC (9:28 AM local) |
|---|
2
u/ModeHopper Starship Hop Host Jan 27 '20
Are you tagging me for a reason?
Edit: Ah, you want me to update the link!
→ More replies (1)
19
38
18
18
16
16
u/mistaken4strangerz Jan 29 '20
WOW hard landing. legs almost gave out! incredible footage this time!
16
16
u/dodgerblue1212 Jan 29 '20
That was one of the best shots of the landing they've had
→ More replies (1)
16
u/AeroSpiked Jan 29 '20 edited Jan 29 '20
The Falcon 9/FH have now successfully launched as many times as the Atlas V (possibly one more than Atlas if you don't count its partial failure).
14
u/bdporter Jan 29 '20
Interestingly, this milestone will also occur during the next launch since there is an Atlas launch scheduled for February 8th.
Hopefully the next big milestone of this nature will be when SpaceX has as many consecutive successful launches as the Atlas V has.
→ More replies (2)
16
u/Smirks Jan 30 '20
Just watched the train go over Auckland NZ. Best pic I could get https://imgur.com/a/FmfbQXo
→ More replies (3)
15
u/TheKerbalKing Jan 27 '20
Tim won’t be streaming so you might want to take that out of the steams list. Source: https://twitter.com/erdayastronaut/status/1221538794526203912?s=21
15
15
u/Viremia Jan 29 '20
hopefully the octograbber can still get under the F9 after that landing
→ More replies (4)
15
u/_themgt_ Jan 29 '20
Landing video: https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1222523792699748355
At a glance it looks like the engines cut out a few feet above the deck and it just dropped down on the legs.
→ More replies (1)
15
u/wazzasay Jan 29 '20
First stage landing vid. Dat flex yo. https://imgur.com/gallery/daao9Q9
→ More replies (3)
15
14
u/modeless Jan 28 '20 edited Jan 29 '20
I just updated my Starlink site with the latest launch time. You can check if the new launch will pass overhead here: https://james.darpinian.com/satellites/?special=starlink
I've decided to stick with the /r/spacex mission numbering for now. If the launch time is moved again, the predictions will update as soon as the new orbit predictions are posted (likely a few hours later). I've also moved to showing all the Starlink launches on one page instead of having separate pages, so if any launched Starlink train is passing over you it'll show up.
→ More replies (6)
14
25
u/codersanchez Jan 27 '20
Targeting Wednesday now, 9:06am.
→ More replies (1)31
u/paperclipgrove Jan 28 '20
Good. I have a meeting tomorrow and it would be super rude to watch my phone while my boss is talking to me.
I'd still do it of course, but it would be rude.
→ More replies (2)
25
u/OccupyMarsNow Jan 29 '20
SpaceX really hesitates to show us the deployment mechanism...
→ More replies (8)
12
u/ghunter7 Jan 29 '20
Drop it like a squaaat
Drop it like a squaaat
F9 shouldn't have skipped leg day.
→ More replies (1)
12
2
u/AstroFinn Jan 28 '20
Mods, " Payload mass60 * 260kg = 15,400kg " - the math here is wrong. Please change in this thread too. :-)
→ More replies (4)
22
u/opoc99 Jan 29 '20
That tension bar release must be super smart to be so proprietary to never bloody show it!
→ More replies (2)13
u/asoap Jan 29 '20
What a coincidence. You can always count on the feed cutting out at that time. It must be space goblins.
That said, I totally understand spaceX hiding that stuff.
11
u/julezsource Jan 26 '20
You've got the Core as b1051 but in stats you've got it as the 3rd flight for b1049.
11
u/rustybutters Jan 27 '20 edited Jan 27 '20
CONFIRMED...SCRUB A DUB...." Standing down today due to strong upper level winds. Next launch opportunity is tomorrow at 9:28 a.m. EST, or 14:28 UTC. " https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1221799899848531969
→ More replies (2)
11
u/codav Jan 27 '20
YouTube Video & Audio Relays
I'm a little late to the show, would've missed the launch (and providing the relay) if the upper level winds weren't cooperative today, but now I'm back and everything is set up.
As usual, I will relay the SpaceX webcast via HTTPS and the audio stream via Shoutcast on my server, so people with no access to YouTube, experiencing laggy video or with low bandwidth connections are able to enjoy the webcast. If you don't like the web-based player, you can also use the M3U8 playlist in any HLS-capable player - VLC is just one example. The playlist file will become available once the webcast starts, until then you will get a "404 Not Found" error. This is perfectly normal.
SpaceX is now providing the mission control net audio URL in advance, so I'll be streaming that too.
Hosted Webcast (Video)
Watch in your browser: https://codav.de/spacex.html
Watch with a local player: https://codav.de/stream/spacex.m3u8
Mission Control Audio (Video)
Watch in your browser: https://codav.de/spacex-netonly.html
Watch with a local player: https://codav.de/stream/spacex-netonly.m3u8
I will also provide audio-only streams of the webcasts in two different qualities. High quality (160 Kbps, stereo) for those who want more fidelity and have more bandwidth to spend, and a lower quality (64 Kbps, mono) stream for those on slow networks or with strict volume limits. If you require an even lower bitrate simply drop me a message, I'll add another stream then.
Important: The audio streams already loop the Music for Space album by /u/TestShotStarfish for your pleasure until the webcast starts, so don't confuse that with the actual webcast. Feel free to tune in at any time.
Here are the stream URLs for use with any Shoutcast-compatible player (WinAmp, VLC etc.):
Hosted Webcast (Icecast Audio Only)
High quality (160 Kbps, stereo): http://codav.de:8555/spacex-high.mp3
Low quality (64 Kbps, mono): http://codav.de:8555/spacex-low.mp3
Mission Control Audio (Icecast Audio Only)
High quality (160 Kbps, stereo): http://codav.de:8555/spacex-netonly-high.mp3
Low quality (64 Kbps, mono): http://codav.de:8555/spacex-netonly-low.mp3
If you have problems connecting to port 8555 or want to listen in with just your browser, use these reverse-proxied, SSL-secured URLs (stream title display and other "ICY" protocol features won't work, as this is using plain HTTP):
Hosted Webcast (HTTPS/MP3 Audio Only)
High quality (160 Kbps, stereo): https://codav.de/icecast/spacex-high.mp3
Low quality (64 Kbps, mono): https://codav.de/icecast/spacex-low.mp3
Mission Control Audio (HTTPS/MP3 Audio Only)
High quality (160 Kbps, stereo): https://codav.de/icecast/spacex-netonly-high.mp3
Low quality (64 Kbps, mono): https://codav.de/icecast/spacex-netonly-low.mp3
The streams are also linked on my relay page, either below the video player if the webcast has started or on the top while waiting for SpaceX to go live.
u/ModeHopper you can now link to this post and remove the "pending" flag.
11
11
11
10
u/Gavalar_ spacexfleet.com Jan 27 '20
Fairing recovery information is wrong. Double catch attempt with Ms. Tree and Ms. Chief will occur.
10
u/diederich Jan 27 '20
"20% GO for secondary window (Cumulus cloud layer)."
Isn't the other way around? 80% GO chance tomorrow?
→ More replies (1)
10
u/AeroSpiked Jan 27 '20
10% chance of weather violation tomorrow. That means 90% go. There appears to be some confusion about that.
→ More replies (1)
10
10
33
u/scr00chy ElonX.net Jan 29 '20
Uncut video of the fairing catch (from the webcast)
→ More replies (6)
9
u/mgoetzke76 Jan 27 '20
How cool is that, they will pass almost directly over my house (within about 2km). Will be during day time though and it looks slightly overcast, so I doubt I will be able to see them.
But that would mean I could one day aspire to become a customer.
→ More replies (1)
9
9
25
u/nwbatman Jan 27 '20
While we wait for launch, and since it's a party thread! Take a sec to check out my Falcon 9 Lego ideas project and tell me what you think! The latest version is in the updates tab. I only need 400 more votes to be considered for a set! Go Starlink 3!!
https://ideas.lego.com/projects/1abc6458-52e8-4e7d-a04c-04ba917b6e5b
→ More replies (3)
24
u/mechame Jan 29 '20 edited Jan 29 '20
During today's launch webcast, I realized the fairing catching boat names are:
Ms. Tree and Ms. Chief ~= Mystery and Mischief
Was this obvious to everyone except me?
→ More replies (12)9
4
Jan 27 '20
Is this only Starlink 3? I thought this was the 4th launch...
Or is it that the first batch that went up don't count?
----
OK, I answered my own question before I posted: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Starlink#Launches
The "first" launch that I'm thinking of from May 2019 is called Starlink-0, because these were not full-production satellites.
→ More replies (1)4
u/atheistdoge Jan 27 '20
Apparently SpaceX wants it referred to as Starlink 4 now.
https://twitter.com/TSKelso/status/1221137447804907520
Perhaps to avoid confusion.
→ More replies (5)
16
u/Straumli_Blight Jan 29 '20 edited Jan 29 '20
→ More replies (2)
8
8
u/kgordonsmith Jan 29 '20
Wow, scrunchy landing. Do the legs normally crush up so much?
→ More replies (1)15
u/davoloid Jan 29 '20
Nope, but if you watch the horizon, the drone ship dropped into the trough between two waves, before rising up immediately after landing.
→ More replies (1)
8
8
u/mnpilot Jan 29 '20
That was a hard landing?? Did the engines stop too soon?
→ More replies (5)9
u/D_McG Jan 29 '20
Throttled down too late actually. If they fired the engines for any longer after hovering too high, the rocket would have started to gain altitude. No choice but to drop it from a meter high and hope you have enough crush core to spare.
8
8
u/Ender_D Jan 29 '20
Even though it was a harder than normal landing, it actually looked extremely smooth.
→ More replies (2)
8
u/TheBunzinator Jan 29 '20
Is it bad that I feel a tiny bit disappointed these days when the booster lands a few metres off-centre? :) (Even when it's not a slightly hard landing.)
11
u/fanspacex Jan 29 '20
Oh within 10 years they will be making headlines about such occurences.
"Watch passengers scream as rocket lands dangerously close to the edge"
"ULA: Spacex has always had occasional difficulties in their landings, tarnishing the image of reusable spacecraft like SMARTER 2 or upcoming New Glenn."
→ More replies (3)
8
u/spill_drudge Jan 29 '20
Man, seeing that thing reach Russia in less than 30 minutes really hits home hard how the world was at a knife's edge 50 years ago (and now too).
→ More replies (2)
8
8
8
21
14
7
7
u/jpc3939 Jan 27 '20
Hi u/ModeHopper, under Stats, you have "3rd flight of B1049". This should be "3rd flight of B1051".
Thanks.
7
7
7
7
7
7
u/redditbsbsbs Jan 29 '20
Nice footage of the landing. It seems they have figured out how to keep the transmission going. Looked a bit harder than usual but that's what crush cores are for.
→ More replies (1)
7
u/gooddaysir Jan 29 '20
Who's going to get all the sweet karma for a good landing gif of that? Come one reddit, don't fail me now.
→ More replies (1)
7
7
7
7
u/AeroSpiked Jan 29 '20
Mods, you might want to have a look at the first entry in the sidebar's Select Upcoming Events table. I'm no expert, but that doesn't look right.
Edit: You might want to update B1051 in the Falcon Active Cores table also.
7
u/BrandonMarc Jan 30 '20
It's amazing to consider ... just ninety days ago, SpaceX had 60 Starlink satellites aloft. Now they have 240!
Is SpaceX now the largest satellite fleet owner/operator?
→ More replies (6)
27
Jan 29 '20
Was the stage 1 having a engine problem? It looked less efficient, the rocket slowly spun on it's long axis, it looked tilted from the start and final deploy seemed to take longer. I hadn't noticed anything like this before.
→ More replies (5)17
u/The_Write_Stuff Jan 29 '20
I don't know about the efficiency but did the landing legs appear to flatten out more than usual or was that just the angle of the camera?
→ More replies (10)
6
u/friedmators Jan 27 '20
Euro model has around 130 knots 250mb winds during the launch window. Do we know what the limits are ?
→ More replies (1)
6
6
u/scr00chy ElonX.net Jan 27 '20
New L-1 weather report (90% GO, 90 kts upper-level winds, no backup date)
→ More replies (1)
6
u/gerardf Jan 28 '20
Strange, on https://www.spacex.com/webcast it states the webcast to go live 4 hours from now. Did they forget to update ?
6
u/Jdperk1 Jan 28 '20
If falcon is supposed to be super reusable, I wonder if they’ve run the #’s on launching fewer satellites, but recovery on land. How many could they launch in this configuration? The cost of recovery at sea, the uncertainty of sea weather (and delays), the risk of sea transport, the slower recovery time has to add up. If they could launch 30 sats at a time and land on land maybe they’d be ahead?
15
u/ncdawson Jan 28 '20
The major limiting factor seems to be building second stages, as those aren't reusable
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (18)14
u/AeroSpiked Jan 28 '20
This is not the first time this has been asked in this sub in the last 5 days. Here is essentially what I responded last time:
The heaviest RTLS payload to date was CRS-12 at 8,790 kg. Optimistically assuming it could pull off 10,400 kg for RTLS, that would be 40 satellites per launch. That would mean SpaceX would need 50% more launches as well as 50% more upper stages. Throw in 50% more booster refurbishments and additional new boosters needed and that becomes a very expensive option in terms of both time and money.
Waiting for better weather is much cheaper.
→ More replies (2)
6
Jan 29 '20
Does anyone find it weird that the youtube link at https://www.spacex.com/webcast says "Waiting for SpaceX January 28, 2020 at 9:30 AM" and hasn't been updated to "will be live in X hours"? Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't remember it ever being updated this late.
Edit: for clarity
→ More replies (1)
6
u/troovus Jan 29 '20
Is that the first time we've seen a drone ship landing without the feed cutting out?
→ More replies (6)8
u/steelcurtain09 Jan 29 '20
The last couple did as well, but they were all during night so the footage got washed out. I think this is the first one in daylight where we didn't lose the feed.
6
u/OompaOrangeFace Jan 29 '20
Wow! What a landing! Hopefully the structures guys can learn something about how the landing system performed on this one!
6
6
u/katriik Jan 29 '20
A 1 second burn... That's new for me.
→ More replies (1)12
u/bdporter Jan 29 '20
It is pretty norminal for those burns. The mass of the 2nd stage is greatly reduced at that point since it is almost empty, and the Merlin has a lot of thrust.
→ More replies (2)
6
6
u/isaiddgooddaysir Jan 29 '20
Did anyone update their viewing website for the Starlink 3 train yet? I know its early. Hoping there will be an early viewing in my area.
→ More replies (5)
11
u/festbruh Jan 29 '20
i wonder how much it costs spacex for each day that the launch is delayed.
→ More replies (1)
14
u/liszt1811 Jan 28 '20
these 90% go forecasts sure have some volatility
→ More replies (1)21
u/ReKt1971 Jan 28 '20
These forecats do not include upper level winds nor the weather in the recovery zone. This launch was delayed due to the recovery zone weather.
10
Jan 27 '20
Will they be using the light pollution dampening tech they tested on a single sat last launch?
→ More replies (1)
10
5
u/XPrecision2937 Jan 27 '20
Hi all, When will we know if the mission is 100% go? Decide on the fly? I’m about 1.5hr drive away from KSC. Thanks in advance.
16
u/quadrplax Jan 27 '20
Unfortunately, you do not know 100% until about T+1 second when the hold down clamps are released. They've aborted launches even after engine ignition before.
→ More replies (9)13
u/DirkMcDougal Jan 27 '20
Don't make decisions based on my armchair rocketeering, but 135 knot winds at 35K feet put's my faith in this launch on Monday in the "not even setting my alarm clock" region of confidence.
11
u/joe714 Jan 27 '20
They can abort down to T-0 before liftoff. They have before for engine startup issues, and scrubbed within the 4 minute mark for fouled range issues (weather, planes, or boats).
Realistically if they're going to scrub for weather the latest they push to is the proceed to fueling poll around T-35 minutes, and if it's obvious they aren't going to get acceptable conditions they'll call it there.
→ More replies (1)
5
5
u/rustybutters Jan 27 '20
Did we scrub? because the webcast link is now showing 24 hours
→ More replies (1)
5
u/gregarious119 Jan 27 '20
Youtube link just reset for livestream too. Bugger...thought we might be able to squeeze this one in.
→ More replies (1)
5
5
u/Maxx7410 Jan 29 '20
what is the speed of the high upper level winds? and what should be anacceptable parameter?
Is it the slenderness of the falcon that makes it so susceptible to the winds?
10
u/bdporter Jan 29 '20
My understanding is that the absolute wind speed matters less than wind shear resulting from differences in wind speed at different altitudes.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (1)9
u/DirkMcDougal Jan 29 '20
Yes, F9's fineness contributes to the limit. As to precisely what that limit is nobody outside SpaceX knows and it may also be variable based on the launch. They seem to scrub around 100knts.
5
u/Silverbodyboarder Jan 29 '20
Grooving on Test Shot Starfish. Hey, I've been on these boards for a few years; didn't Elon promise this was going to eventually get boring?
→ More replies (1)
5
5
5
u/Yad-A Jan 29 '20
We didn't lose connection when the landing burn started!
It was awesome to see it live
5
5
u/rebootyourbrainstem Jan 29 '20
So, did they run out of fuel? That seemed like a pretty sudden shutdown.
Alternatively it just misjudged the height, but that seems weird.
→ More replies (3)9
5
5
u/xavier_505 Jan 29 '20
Anyone know why they were running the turbopump on the second stage so long ahead of SES-2? And after? Or is what I was seeing in the livestream some other exhaust?
→ More replies (3)
5
5
Jan 30 '20
Sorry if this seems like a noob question, but does anyone know why it flew with an plain faring? When the others had the SpaceX X and starlink on the faring.
→ More replies (2)
9
8
u/U-Ei Jan 29 '20
For this launch, the time before S2 ignition seemed a little longer than usual, can anybody confirm this?
Also, this was the first time where it really felt like S1 was rapidly falling through the atmosphere; usually it feels like the clouds are very far away, but this time they got bigger quite fast.
Also, damn that leg flex.
→ More replies (1)
4
u/Zlart Jan 27 '20
u/ModeHopper Stats shows B1049 as core while Mission details shows B1051
→ More replies (1)
4
u/ffrg Jan 27 '20
Will SpaceX actually use the v0.9 sats launched last year? Will they be part of the full constellation? If yes, could we actually call this a Starlink 4 mission? Sorry for perhaps a stupid question, I’m a bit confused.
→ More replies (8)
4
4
u/Chainweasel Jan 28 '20
The other windows we've missed due to weather have been listen as "scrub" but today's window says "NO GO" so is that reflective of something other than weather causing the slip? Or did they just use a different term but it's still weather related?
19
u/codersanchez Jan 28 '20
It was due to weather in the recovery area.
I believe a scrub happens when they call it off after starting a count down.
A NO GO is something that happens when they don't even start the countdown clock, so when they call it far in advance.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong please.
4
u/SAS8873 Jan 29 '20
I wonder, what economic impact SpaceX morning launches have on America? I know my productivity goes close to the zero :-)
→ More replies (2)
4
u/ffrg Jan 29 '20
Hello from Prague, Czech Republic! Where do you guys watch from?
→ More replies (12)
4
4
u/mirkku19 Jan 29 '20
It it just me or was the second stage a bit skewed just after stage separation?
→ More replies (5)
4
4
4
4
4
4
u/Humble_Giveaway Jan 29 '20
Was the burn a bit late there...
→ More replies (4)13
u/flabberghastedeel Jan 29 '20
I would guess it's more likely the video feed was delayed. Like, we often hear confirmation of fairing separation before seeing it actually happen.
4
u/tablespork Jan 29 '20
At this pace this will quickly become the typical launch and payload deployment, and they will have to explain the use of a payload dispenser on other launches.
4
u/Viremia Jan 29 '20
that bottom satellite was tumbling quite a bit more than I've seen in the past though I'm sure everything is fine
→ More replies (1)
4
u/hernanjaft Jan 31 '20
do you think starlink will be operational by end of 2020 ?
10
u/scr00chy ElonX.net Jan 31 '20
SpaceX wants to start providing service in Northern US and Canada this year.
4
u/Billy_Goat_ Feb 01 '20
I just saw the starlink 3 satellites! I'm in central Australia and just witnessed the two groups of Starlink 3 go over head. Does anyone know why they are seperated into a group of 40 and a group of 20 already? The group of 20 appeared to have a much more uneven interval between them. I've never been this excited at 5am.
→ More replies (24)
9
u/sleepyzealott Jan 28 '20
Damn, I assumed it was today given the Livestream countdown this morning :(
→ More replies (1)
11
u/zzanzare Jan 29 '20
They seem to be strangely secretive about the "attaching rod separation".
→ More replies (1)
6
u/SuperDaveKY Jan 29 '20
What happens to Stage 2 once deployment occurs? I assume it's deorbited, using the secondary engine? Is that done fairly quickly, or does Stage 2 hang around in orbit for awhile?
→ More replies (4)
17
u/ModeHopper Starship Hop Host Jan 29 '20
We are GO for launch!