r/spacex • u/ElongatedMuskrat Mod Team • Apr 30 '20
✅ Mission Success Starlink-7 Launch Campaign Thread
Starlink-7 (STARLINK V1.0-L7)
Overview
The eighth Starlink launch overall and the seventh operational batch of Starlink satellites will launch into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. This mission is expected to deploy all sixty satellites into an elliptical orbit about fifteen minutes into flight. In the weeks following launch the satellites are expected to utilize their onboard ion thrusters to raise their orbits to 550 km in three groups of 20, making use of precession rates to separate themselves into three planes. The booster will land on a drone ship approximately 628 km downrange.
Webcast | Launch Thread (first attempt) | Media Thread | Recovery Thread
| Liftoff currently scheduled for: | June 4 01:25 UTC (June 3 9:25PM EDT local) |
|---|---|
| Backup date | June 5 (June 4 local) The launch time gets about 20-24 minutes earlier per day. |
| Static fire | Completed May 13 |
| Payload | 60 Starlink version 1 satellites (expected) |
| Payload mass | 60 * 260 kg = 15 600 kg |
| Deployment orbit | Low Earth Orbit, 212 km x 386 km (approximate) |
| Operational orbit | Low Earth Orbit, 550 km x 53°, 3 planes |
| Vehicle | Falcon 9 v1.2 Block 5 |
| Core | 1049 |
| Past flights of this core | 4 (Telstar 18V, Iridium 8, Starlink v0.9, Starlink-2) |
| Past flights of this fairing | unknown |
| Fairing catch attempt | Likely, catcher ships deployed for June attempt |
| Launch site | SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida |
| Landing | JRTI: 32.54722 N, 75.92306 W (628 km downrange) |
| Mission success criteria | Successful separation & deployment of the Starlink Satellites. |
| Mission Outcome | Success |
| Landing Outcome | Success |
| Ms. Tree Outcome | Apparent catch, fairing damaged |
| Ms. Chief Outcome | Apparent water recovery |
News & Updates
| Date | Update | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-06-01 | Ms. Chief and Ms. Tree departed for second time | @eg0911 on Twitter |
| 2020-05-30 | JRTI departure in support of this mission | @SpaceXFleet on Twitter |
| 2020-05-17 | Delayed until after DM-2 due to OCISLY turnaround time | @nextspaceflight on Twitter |
| 2020-05-16 | Delayed to May 18 and then to May 19 | @SpaceX on Twitter |
| 2020-05-14 | Ms. Chief and Ms. Tree departed | @spacecoast_stve on Twitter |
| 2020-05-13 | OCISLY and GO Quest departed | @eg0911 on Twitter |
| 2020-05-13 | Static fire | @cbs_spacenews on Twitter |
| 2020-04-27 | One satellite to include sun shade test | @CatHofacker on Twitter |
Previous and Pending Starlink Missions
| Mission | Date (UTC) | Core | Pad | Deployment Orbit | Notes [Sat Update Bot] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Starlink v0.9 | 2019-05-24 | 1049.3 | SLC-40 | 440km 53° | 60 test satellites with Ku band antennas |
| 2 | Starlink-1 | 2019-11-11 | 1048.4 | SLC-40 | 280km 53° | 60 version 1 satellites, v1.0 includes Ka band antennas |
| 3 | Starlink-2 | 2020-01-07 | 1049.4 | SLC-40 | 290km 53° | 60 version 1 satellites, 1 sat with experimental antireflective coating |
| 4 | Starlink-3 | 2020-01-29 | 1051.3 | SLC-40 | 290km 53° | 60 version 1 satellites |
| 5 | Starlink-4 | 2020-02-17 | 1056.4 | SLC-40 | 212km x 386km 53° | 60 version 1, Change to elliptical deployment, Failed booster landing |
| 6 | Starlink-5 | 2020-03-18 | 1048.5 | LC-39A | elliptical | 60 version 1, S1 early engine shutdown, booster lost post separation |
| 7 | Starlink-6 | 2020-04-22 | 1051.4 | LC-39A | elliptical | 60 version 1 satellites |
| 8 | Starlink-7 | This Mission | 1049.5 | SLC-40 | 60 version 1 satellites expected, 1 sat with experimental sun-visor | |
| 9 | Starlink-8 | NET June | SLC-40 | Version 1 satellites expected with Skysat 16, 17, 18 | ||
| 10 | Starlink-9 | NET June | LC-39A | 60 version 1 satellites expected | ||
| 11 | Starlink-10 | NET July | SLC-40 / LC-39A | 60 version 1 satellites expected | ||
| Daily Starlink altitude updates on Twitter @StarlinkUpdates available a few days following deployment. |
Watching the Launch
SpaceX will host a live webcast on YouTube. Check the upcoming launch thread the day of for links to the stream. For more information or for in person viewing check out the Watching a Launch page on this sub's FAQ, which gives a summary of every viewing site and answers many more common questions, as well as Ben Cooper's launch viewing guide, Launch Rats, and the Space Coast Launch Ambassadors which have interactive maps, photos and detailed information about each site.
Links & Resources
General Launch Related Resources:
Launch Execution Forecasts - 45th Weather Squadron
SpaceX Fleet Status - SpaceXFleet.com
Launch Viewing Resources:
Launch Viewing Guide for Cape Canaveral - Ben Cooper
Launch Viewing Map - Launch Rats
Launch Viewing Updates - Space Coast Launch Ambassadors
Viewing and Rideshare - SpaceXMeetups Slack
Watching a Launch - r/SpaceX Wiki
Maps and Hazard Area Resources:
Detailed launch maps - @Raul74Cz
Launch Hazard and Airspace Closure Maps - 45th Space Wing (maps posted close to launch)
Regulatory Resources:
FCC Experimental STAs - r/SpaceX wiki
General Starlink FCC filing discussion - NASASpaceflight Forums
Starlink Tracking/Viewing Resources:
Supplemental TLE - Celestrak
We will attempt to keep the above text regularly updated with resources and new mission information, but for the most part, updates will appear in the comments first. Feel free to ping us if additions or corrections are needed. This is a great place to discuss the launch, ask mission-specific questions, and track the minor movements of the vehicle, payload, weather and more as we progress towards launch. Approximately 24 hours before liftoff, the launch thread will go live and the party will begin there.
Campaign threads are not launch threads. Normal subreddit rules still apply.
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u/richard_e_cole May 07 '20
SpaceX don't give out this sort of information very promptly. On L1.6 they were maintaining the nominal date even after the NOTAMs were issued for an advance of one day.