13.09.2022

SpaceX now targeting Tuesday for next Falcon 9 Starlink mission liftoff

After Saturday night's SpaceX Falcon 9 liftoff, the company says its next launch is now expected no earlier than Tuesday, September 13.

Saturday's 9:20 p.m. EDT liftoff from pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center marked Florida's 39th launch of the year and carried a batch of 34 Starlink satellites to orbit, as well as the BlueWalker 3 satellite for customer AST SpaceMobile. 

After a Sunday morning pre-launch Falcon 9 engine test was completed at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station the company announced its next liftoff would be no earlier than Tuesday. It was originally expected for Sunday night.

Liftoff is now scheduled on Tuesday between 10:00 p.m. and 11:07 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Florida's 40th launch this year will carry another batch of the company's Starlink satellites to orbit to join the more than 3,200 already in service. It will be the 61st dedicated mission of the internet-beaming satellites to date.

The first stage of the Falcon 9 is expected to land on a drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean and be towed back into Port Canaveral a few days later.

Weather forecasters with the U.S. Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45 on Sunday predicted a 70% chance of "go" conditions during Tuesday's window.

Late-afternoon developing thunderstorms and clouds that could linger into the evening are the primary concern but, "activity will likely be winding down by the start of the primary launch window Tuesday evening," forecasters said on Sunday.

Should it be needed, SpaceX has a backup launch opportunity 24 hours later on Wednesday, Sept. 14, but the weather outlook deteriorates slightly to 60%.

Quelle: Florida Today

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Update: 14.09.2022

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Poor weather scrubbed SpaceX Starlink mission Tuesday night; will try again Wednesday

Poor weather around Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Tuesday evening forced SpaceX to stand down from its Falcon 9 launch attempt targeted for 10:10 p.m. EDT.

Tuesday morning, forecasters with the U.S. Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45 gave the launch attempt only a 50% chance for "go" weather conditions at the time of liftoff. Rain and lightning were present around the spaceport during Tuesday's countdown.

SpaceX must now wait 24 hours before trying again. Its next opportunity for launch is Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 9:48 p.m. EDT from pad 40 at the Space Force station. 

When it launches the Falcon 9 will send another batch of 54 internet-beaming Starlink satellites to join the more than 3,200 already in orbit. It will be the 61st dedicated launch of the satellites and the 40th rocket launch from Florida this year. 

Rocket launch on Wednesday, Sept. 14

• Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9
• Mission: Starlink
• Launch Time: 9:48 p.m. EDT
• Trajectory: Northeast
• Landing: Drone ship
• Weather: TBD

Quelle: Florida Today

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Update: 19.09.2022

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