Standing down from today’s launch of 51 Starlink satellites from California due to unfavorable weather conditions. There is another opportunity tomorrow and the team is keeping an eye on weather

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) February 27, 2023

Crew-6 also has priority, so if weather and all systems are go for that mission, we’ll stand down from Tuesday's launch of Starlink

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) February 27, 2023

Due to a space weather concern, now targeting no earlier than 6:13 p.m. ET for today’s launch of 21 second-generation Starlink satellites from Florida

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) February 27, 2023

"SWPC issued a G3 (Strong) geomagnetic storm watch for Feb 27 in anticipation of the arrival of 2 coronal mass ejections"

May have something to do with it.

Next Crew-6 attempt on 3/2 at 00:33

Chokey was right...I was wrong about a Starlink delay.

I did see on a website that the OneWeb launch may now be on 9 March 2023.  That should resolve the drone ship availability issue unless there are additional delays with Starlink 6-1 and Crew-6.

Delays are always good if they contribute to mission success.  Get-there-itis is often bad.

Starlink 6-1 liftoff around 6:14:06 PM EST on 27 February 2023.

Hopefully you were able to watch this one about 15 minutes ago

Looks like another successful mission for Starlink.  The video has also improved.

Nope, decided to go over to the eastern part of the state to see the Salvador Dali museum.

Where I found the place blocked by a literal concrete wall. It seems there’s either some big car race happening in St. Petersburg. Or something is trying to send me a message in very unsubtle ways.

Probably both.

interesting way to release the satellites

First Starlink v2 satellites reach orbit pic.twitter.com/0l08568mJ9

Elon Musk  (@elonmusk) February 28, 2023

Interesting.   I looked for them just after sunset but it was too light outside.   I won't have a good pass for about ten days and they should be well separated by then.

The best part is no part.

Team is resetting the next Starlink mission from California for no earlier than Wednesday, March 1 ? https://t.co/bJFjLCiTbK

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) February 28, 2023

If all systems and weather are looking good for Thursday’s targeted launch of Crew-6, we’ll adjust the Starlink mission accordingly

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) February 28, 2023

Very much so.  The signal from the drone ship didn't even cut out when the booster landed.

All @SpaceX launches from Cape Canaveral in 13 years.
Video by @Hazegrayart (youtube)

pic.twitter.com/TpIzs2RMk6

— STEM (@stem_feed) March 1, 2023

All systems are looking good for launch of Crew-6 on Thursday, March 2 at 12:34 a.m. ? https://t.co/bJFjLCiTbK pic.twitter.com/WSXATymyoZ

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) March 1, 2023

Weather is 95% favorable for liftoff, but teams are keeping an eye on weather along Dragon’s ascent corridor

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) March 1, 2023

#Crew6 crewmates have arrived at Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A, where @SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, is ready for them to climb in for launch.

Liftoff is slated for 12:34am EST. Follow along with the launch broadcast streaming on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/TXYt64wT0J

— NASA Commercial Crew (@Commercial_Crew) March 2, 2023

Live linkNASA

NSF


Tim will go live at midnight

SpaceX is live

All go so far.

Great launch, great landing.

Glad we stayed up for it. That was great

Starlink 2-7 is now set for a 2:50 PM PST launch today.

Due to unfavorable recovery weather conditions today, team is resetting Falcon 9’s launch of Starlink from California for Friday, March 3 at 10:38 a.m. PT https://t.co/Wy2uOHdez4

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) March 2, 2023

Four years of manned launches for spacex and no crewed launch yet from the Starliner.  Thats absolutely nuts.

Booster showed up today from the Starlink launch Tuesday. Good excuse to take a ride over and get a pic.

Attached File

It’s actually very sane if you have context.

In the book In Spite of the Gods it’s mentioned that India’s space agency is one of the least corrupt entities in the entire country. When people ask why this is the answer is very straightforward. If you have corruption, you aren’t going to get to space. It is an incredibly unforgiving environment.

Starliner is one of many symbols of how corrupt Boeing has become. Clearly they used to be able to do better but that was then. Now it’s all about pumping up the stock price at any cost.

Starliner is such an apt metaphor for where the US military-industrial complex is right now that I couldn’t imagine something better.

The @SpaceX #Crew6 mission is ahead of schedule today. The foursome aboard the Crew Dragon Endeavour is now due to dock at 12:43am ET on Friday with live @NASA TV coverage starting at 11pm today. https://t.co/Xv8uyL4MQy

— International Space Station (@Space_Station) March 3, 2023

Crew-6 Dragon docked at the ISS

https://twitter.com/i/status/1631548562415960064

webcast has started

I'm on.

I really appreciate this living thread.

ETA it's unlikely I will be able to see anything from San Diego in spite of the clear blue sky, but I will try.  Canon camera with 300 mm f/4 lens deployed.

Cool view of the coast

176th recovery of a first stage/booster.  Imagine how much SpaceX saves doing that.

Kind of a chicken or the egg argument, but I would say the booster availability that reuse provides is just as important as the cost savings.  
Either way, I don't think it is hyperbole to say that their ability to recover and reuse boosters has a very good chance of altering the course of mankind by giving them the ability to fund/deploy starlink and eventually, but most importantly, starship.

Good points.  To the cost itself - I bet it’s not a fixed number, and the refurb cost has likely gone down as they learn what needs to be checked/fixed/cleaned/replaced, along with likely incremental improvements on various subcomponents.

The US Space Force and @SLDelta45 have newly allocated three launch pads to four companies:

SLC-15 (former Titan pad) to ABL Space Systems.

SLC-14 (former Atlas pad) to Stoke Space.

SLC-13 to Phantom Space and Vaya Space.

Interestingly, SLC-13 is currently LZ-1 and 2. \uD83E\uDD14

Thomas Burghardt  (@TGMetsFan98) March 7, 2023

hmmm, I wonder what's gonna happen with the LZ's

Not a SpaceX launch. But Relativity might be launching today.



I do hope this works. This is the 3D printed rocket company. Their tech is really neat to me.

Mission:  Falcon 9, OneWeb 17

1) Background info: Source

"A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch 40 satellites into orbit for OneWeb, which is developing and deploying a constellation of hundreds of satellites in low Earth orbit for low-latency broadband communications. This will be the third launch of OneWeb satellites with SpaceX, and OneWeb’s 17th launch overall. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will return to Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station."

2) Launch window:    2:13 PM EST (9 March 2023)

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

4) Launch direction:  South

5) Webcast viewing options:

a. SpaceX webcast (Starts about 15 minutes before liftoff)

b.  YouTube:



6)  Observation comments:    None

7) Launch preparations:

a.  Boats heading out.


Gav Cornwell@SpaceOffshore.   SpaceX recovery ship Bob has departed Port Canaveral and is heading south down the polar corridor to position itself to recover the fairing for the upcoming OneWeb #17 mission.

The booster will RTLS to LZ-1, CCSFS.

b.   Satellites:  (Note:  These were used for the OneWeb 15 launch)


Artist depiction of a OneWeb satellite (Credit: TechCrunch)


Forty OneWeb satellites mounted on a dispenser before encapsulation inside a SpaceX payload fairing. Credit: OneWeb

c.  Ready for launch:  



d.  Navigation warning:


Raul@Raul74Cz.    Launch Hazard Areas for #OneWeb-L17 mission from SLC-40 NET 09 Mar 19:13 UTC, alternatively 10-15 Mar. LZ1 landing for B1073.7. Drop areas in case of stage2/boostback failure. Fairing recovery north of Cuba ~602km downrange. S2 reentry in Indian Ocean.

8) First stage return/ocean recovery/disposal:  Return to launch area Landing Zone 1

9) Launch to deployment events/timeline:    

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

00:02:17 1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
00:02:20 1st and 2nd stages separate
00:02:28 2nd stage engine starts
00:02:34 1st stage boostback burn starts
00:03:22 1st stage boostback burn ends
00:03:33 Fairing deployment
00:06:10 1st stage entry burn starts
00:06:28 1st stage entry burn ends
00:07:23 1st stage landing burn start
00:07:50 1st stage landing
00:08:34 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)
00:55:17 2nd stage engine starts (SES-2)
00:55:20 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2)
00:58:50 Deployment of first and second OneWeb satellites
00:59:14 Deployment of third and fourth OneWeb satellites
01:00:14 Deployment of fifth and sixth OneWeb satellites
01:00:35 Deployment of seventh and eighth OneWeb satellites
01:01:07 Deployment of ninth and 10th OneWeb satellites
01:02:42 Deployment of 11th and 12th OneWeb satellites
01:04:28 Deployment of 13th and 14th OneWeb satellites
01:14:22 Deployment of 15th and 16th OneWeb satellites
01:14:39 Deployment of 17th OneWeb satellite
01:15:42 Deployment of 18th and 19th OneWeb satellites
01:17:30 Deployment of 20th and 21st OneWeb satellites
01:18:02 Deployment of 22nd and 23rd OneWeb satellites
01:19:14 Deployment of 24th and 25th OneWeb satellites
01:19:53 Deployment of 26th and 27th OneWeb satellites
01:29:40 Deployment of 28th and 29th OneWeb satellites
01:30:42 Deployment of 30th OneWeb satellite
01:31:07 Deployment of 31st and 32nd OneWeb satellites
01:32:12 Deployment of 33rd OneWeb satellite
01:32:20 Deployment of 34th OneWeb satellite
01:33:14 Deployment of 35th and 36th OneWeb satellites
01:34:39 Deployment of 37th and 38th OneWeb satellites
01:35:18 Deployment of 39th and 40th OneWeb satellites

10)  Orbit destination:  ~86.9 degree inclination.  Operational altitude 1200 kilometers.  Insertion altitude mentioned as 600 kilometers in one source.

Webcast is starting.

Never. Gets. Old.

I feel the same way about it.  I grew up in the 1960s, and my stepfather was an aerospace electronics design engineer.  He worked on Atlas and the Mercury manned space flight program, on launch control systems.  I miss him a lot, but I always think about it when I see a rocket launch.

All 40 satellites deployed.

Mission:  Falcon 9, CRS-27

1) Background info: Source

"A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Dragon 2 spacecraft on a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The flight is the 27th mission by SpaceX conducted under a Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA."

2) Launch window:    8:30 PM EDT (14 March 2023)

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

4) Launch direction:  Northeast

5) Webcast viewing options:

a. SpaceX webcast (Starts about 15 minutes before liftoff)

b.  YouTube:




6)  Observation comments:   Sunset is at 7:30 PM with civil twilight at 7:53 PM.  The launch may be too late for great jellyfish sightings but I would look anyway.  It could be better than usual.  There is an unusual partial boostback burn soon after stage separation.  People along the southeast Georgia and Carolina coasts may be in for added viewing events.

7) Launch preparations:

a.  Boats heading out.


Gav Cornwell@SpaceOffshore.   Departure! Doug and A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship are outbound to support the CRS-27 mission!

b.   Capsule:


SpaceX’s Cargo Dragon spacecraft on top of a Falcon 9 rocket, awaiting liftoff Tuesday from pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Credit: SpaceX

c.  Ready for launch:  

1)  Rolling out to the launch pad:



2)  At the launch pad:



d.  Navigation warning:  


Raul@Raul74Cz.  LHA map for #CRS-27 Dragon2 mission from LC-39A NET 15 Mar 00:30 UTC, alternatively 16 to 17 Mar based on issued NOTMAR/NOTAM. B1073.7 landing 300km downrange including partial boostback burn. Stage2 debris reentry south of Australia on the first orbit.

8) First stage return/ocean recovery/disposal:    Recovery on drone ship ASOG

9) Launch to deployment events/timeline:  

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

00:02:24  1st Stage Main Engine Cutoff (MECO)
00:02:28  1st and 2nd Stages Separate
00:02:35  2nd Stage Engine Starts
00:02:38  1st Stage Boostback Burn Begins.  
00:03:12  1st Stage Boostback Burn Complete
00:05:44  1st Stage Entry Burn Begins
00:06:01  1st Stage Entry Burn Ends
00:07:07  1st Stage Landing Burn Begins
00:07:36  1st Stage Landing
00:08:38  2nd Stage Engine Cutoff (SECO-1)
00:11:34  Dragon Separates from 2nd Stage
00:12:22  Dragon Nosecone Open Sequence Begins

10)  Orbit destination:  ISS rendezvous.   Dragon will autonomously dock with the space station on Thursday, March 16 at approximately 7:52 AM EDT (11:52 UTC).

SpaceX@SpaceX.   All systems and weather are looking good for tonight's Falcon 9 launch of Dragon’s 27th commercial resupply mission to the @Space_Station

Watching now, with my cat watching over my shoulder.

This stuff never gets old for me.  I think people of younger generations react differently.

Today's recovery operations are being managed by an all-female crew pic.twitter.com/ljuzkxiWGg

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) March 15, 2023

In fact, we believe it to be the first all-female crew for any kind of operation such as this

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) March 15, 2023