Mission:  Starlink 4-2

1) Background info: Source

"A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch with another batch of 34 Starlink internet satellites. The BlueWalker 3 test satellite for AST SpaceMobile’s planned space-based cellular broadband network is a rideshare payload on this mission. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. "  

2) Launch window:    9:10 PM EDT  (10 September 2022).

3) Launch Site:   LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

4) Launch direction:  Northeast

5) Webcast viewing options:

a. SpaceX webcast (Starts about 5 minutes before liftoff)

b.  You Tube



6)   Observation Comments:

Sunset at the launch site is 7:34 PM EDT on the 10th.  Civil twilight is at 7:58 PM.   Astronautical twilight is 8:54 PM EDT.

It will be dark on the ground but I don't know at what altitude the rocket will encounter sunlight.  I will be observing for the jellyfish effect from Colorado.

7) Launch preparations:

a.  Boats heading out.


Gav Cornwell@SpaceOffshore.     Departure! Bob and ASOG head out for Starlink 4-2



b.  Ready for launch.


Source: SpaceFlightNow

Bluewalker 3 satellite stowed:



Bluewalker 3 satellite in on-orbit configuration:


Source:  AST SpaceMobile

c.  Navigation warning:



8) First stage return/ocean recovery/disposal:  Drone ship ASOG recovery.  Booster 1058.14.   Fourteenth launch.

9) Launch to deployment events/timeline:      

Hours:Minutes:Seconds after lift-off.  Times approximate.  

00:02:32 1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
00:02:35 1st and 2nd stages separate
00:02:42 2nd stage engine starts
00:03:16 Fairing deployment
00:06:17 1st stage entry burn start
00:06:37 1st stage entry burn complete
00:08:09 1st stage landing burn start
00:08:28 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)
00:08:31 1st stage landing
00:47:16 2nd stage engine starts (SES-2)
00:47:20 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2)
00:49:51 AST SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker 3 satellite deploys
01:07:36 2nd stage engine starts (SES-3)
01:07:38 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-3)
01:53:56 2nd stage engine starts (SES-4)
01:54:05 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-4)
02:03:49 Starlink satellites deploy

10)  Orbit destination:  

a.  BlueWalker 3:  Inserted into a 513 kilometer orbit at 53 degree inclination.
b.  Starlinks:    

this should be a good one to view on the East Coast

The launch the next day will be nine minutes later (unless it changes) so that can only help.

Update:  I just found a reliable source that has the current lift-off time as 10:53 PM EDT on 11 September 2022 for Starlink 4-34.

Targeting Saturday, September 10 for a Falcon 9 launch of 34 Starlink satellites and AST SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker 3 satellite to low-Earth orbit from LC-39A in Florida ? https://t.co/YeJhboz76P

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) September 9, 2022

One of our most complex missions

Elon Musk  (@elonmusk) September 9, 2022

If they would put out the flight profile we might understand that.  I check and there it is!!!!

Four second stage burns plus a fifth to deorbit the second stage if sufficient fuel remains.

Only 34 Starlink satellites so they left off about nineteen to have the fuel needed to make all those burns.

Webcast has begun

Launch at 920 PM EDT

14th!

Obligatory crappy cell phone pic from 60 miles away:

Attached File

Have you seen this?

https://twitter.com/i/status/1566961113530613760

The landing looks much more dramatic and impressive than the usual view of the landing. It also looks a lot bigger.

Mission:  Starlink 4-34

1) Background info: Source

"A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch with another batch of Starlink internet satellites. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean."  Booster B1067-6

2) Launch window:    8:18 PM EDT  (18 September 2022).

3) Launch Site:   SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida

4) Launch direction:  Northeast

5) Webcast viewing options:

a. SpaceX webcast (Starts about 5 minutes before liftoff)

b.  You Tube



6)  Observation comments:    Sunset at the launch site on 18 September is at 7:25 PM EDT.  Civil twilight is 7:48 PM, Nautical twilight is at 8:16 PM EDT and astronomical twilight is 8:44 PM EDT.  The launch is at nautical twilight so I am cautiously optimistic that the lighting may be good for a jellyfish event but people along the US eastern seaboard and some distance inland should consider going out to look for it.  In addition,  they should have an easier opportunity to see the flame of the booster.

Since the booster re-entry burn can be seen from the launch site, people along the east coast up to perhaps Virginia should as well.  Look at the recovery area and estimate the look angle (south, southeast, east, etc) from your location.

On the 15th, in Colorado I have a nearly overhead pass from the northwest to southeast at 5:17 AM MDT.  Based upon two other launches, this may be a great pass with the satellites in a short line easily visible.  No guarantee but I will get up to look.   This website has the prediction option for this launch.  

Be sure to set the location at the upper right to one reasonably close to you.

7) Launch preparations:

a.  Boats heading out.


Gav Cornwell@SpaceOffshore.      Departure! Just Read the Instructions droneship got underway from Port Canaveral at 2:30am for Starlink 4-34.     That's just 9 hours after delivering B1052 from the previous mission.     http://NASASpaceflight.com/fleetcam


Gav Cornwell@SpaceOffshore.     Starlink 4-34 (Sun): JRTI droneship is hauling downrange, under the tow of tug Kurt J Crosby.

b.  Ready for launch.  


Source:  Stephan Marr, NASASpaceFlight.com

c.  Navigation warning:


Raul@Raul74Cz.     LHA map for #Starlink Group 4-34 from CCSFS SLC-40 NET 14 Sep 02:10 UTC, altern. 15 to 19 Sep based on NOTMAR/NOTAMs. B1067.6 planned landing with roughly estimated fairing recovery approx. 666km downrange. Stage2 debris reentry in eastern Pacific. http://bit.do/LHA20

8) First stage return/ocean recovery/disposal:  Drone ship JRTI recovery

9) Launch to deployment events/timeline:      

Hours:Minutes:Seconds after lift-off.  Times approximate.  

00:02:27   1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
00:02:31   1st and 2nd stages separate
00:02:36   2nd stage engine starts
00:02:42   Fairing deployment
00:06:48   1st stage entry burn start
00:07:07   1st stage entry burn complete
00:08:26   1st stage landing burn start
00:08:40   2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)
00:08:47   1st stage landing
00:15:21   Starlink satellites deploy

10)  Orbit destination:  Starlink Shell 4; 540 km circular low-Earth orbit (LEO); initial orbit: 336 x 232 km low-Earth orbit at 53.22 degrees

Due to unfavorable weather, now targeting Wednesday, September 14 at 9:48 p.m. ET for launch of 54 Starlink satellites from SLC-40

Chain lightning hanging around from the storm(s) earlier. It's been a weather pattern that's been kind of hanging around for about 2 weeks.

Standing down from tonight's Starlink mission due to unfavorable weather, now targeting Thursday, September 15 at 9:27 p.m. ET for launch of 54 Starlink satellites from SLC-40.

Closer to possible jellyfish sighting.

T-30 minutes until launch of Starlink; team is keeping an eye on weather, which is currently 10% favorable for liftoff ? https://t.co/n8l1G1mFQH

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) September 16, 2022

Stream's up.

WX Scrub

scrubbed due to weather

dammit!

Interesting story about the small tug Braveheart at the Port. Captain was interviewed the other day:

"Braveheart has a history that not many people know about. She was orginally a PCF boat for the US Navy and served in the Vietnam war. After the war the Navy decomissioned most PCF vessels."
"They left two for CIA and they used them in Cuba. One of those vessels was Braveheart. After her service in the military she served in Key West as a pilot boat."
"After her life as a pilot boat ended she was bought by a capt. and came here to Canaveral."

Braveheart is the small blue and white boat in the right 3rd of the pic. That boat is ever present and actively working when the barges are brought in with boosters.
It's got some history !

Attached File

That's pretty interesting.

Now targeting 9:01 p.m. ET for Falcon 9's launch of Starlink; team continues to watch the weather which is currently 40% favorable for liftoff

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) September 16, 2022

New T-0 is 9:15 p.m. ET; weather remains 40% favorable for liftoff

I cannot tell if the You Tube link changed.

New stream link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3TWiIjDVSs

^^^

Thank you

Stream intro is up.

Talking heads should start in a couple of minutes.

Currently No-Go for WX (60% violation), but proceeding to T-0:30

One minute until Letdown!

scrub

Boooooooo

Officially scrubbed...

Try again tomorrow @ 20:43

4 scrubs. Wow.

Gets closer to a jellyfish ascent

I agree. Those launches are an amazing treat to the eyes and senses.

And don't let the 4 scrubs get to you, Sept and Oct is wet season here, along with spectacular lightning shows.

Now targeting Sunday, September 18 at 8:18 p.m. ET for Falcon 9’s launch of Starlink

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) September 17, 2022

Not a surprise. Weather has been a thing all day.
Supposed to dry out in the next few days and those boys out there know it, may as well take a break and wait for things to shape up.

Jellyfish events

1)  A famous one was the 22 December 2017 Iridium launch from Vandenberg observed in Los Angeles, CA and other locations.

Launch time:   5:27 PM PST

Sunset:  4:48 PM PST

Civil twilight:   5:16 PM PST

Nautical twilight:  5:47 PM PST

Astronautical twilight:  6:17 PM PST





2)  6 May 2022, Florida.

Launch time:   5:42 AM EDT

Sunrise:    6:38 AM EDT

Civil twilight:   6:13 AM EDT

Nautical twilight:  5:43 AM EDT

Astronautical twilight:  5:12 AM EDT

This is from South Carolina by Johnny Caldwell:



Central Florida (by Sam Wakim).  Go to 2:30.




3)   24 September 2022.  7:32 PM EDT launch from Florida on a northeasterly ascent.      Civil twilight is 7:41 PM.

Staging 1-2. And.......Jellyfish time! pic.twitter.com/JeVFPDMztd

Chris Bergin - NSF  (@NASASpaceflight) September 24, 2022

Analysis:  Based upon a small sample size of two it appears that for a launch up to around nautical twilight a jellyfish event is possible.   Later is better in that it makes the sky darker.  In the two cases above the rocket is heading towards orbital daylight.  On 18 September from Florida and a post-sunset launch, the rocket may be heading towards Earth's shadow.

It would be better if I had ascent trajectory data (longitude, latitude, altitude as a function of time)

is this launching northeasterly?

Yes and weather is looking good for Sunday.

Webcast is starting

Will the link from 9/16 work?

I'm never going to get tired of these launches.

ETA: And it's always going to seem surreal watching SpaceX launch Starlink sats into orbit via a live stream on my Starlink service. The future is amazing.

No jellyfish 😔

nailed it