Cape Canaveral, Florida – Prof. SpaceX A Falcon 9 rocket launched a new batch of 60 Starlink internet satellites into orbit late Monday (Feb.15), but failed to land on a floating platform at sea.
The two stages Falcon Booster 9, At the helm of 60 broadband spacecraft, I launched from the Space Launch 40 complex here At the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 10:59 PM EST (0359 GMT on February 16). After about nine minutes, the first stage of the missile returned to Earth for the sixth attempt to land on the SpaceX drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Atlantic, but missed its target.
“Looks like we didn’t take our booster down on Of Course I Still Love You tonight,” said Jessica Anderson, a manufacturing engineer at SpaceX, during a comment on the live launch. “It is a pity that we have not recovered this booster, but the second stage is still on my nominal path.”
SpaceX prefers to restore Falcon 9 rocket stages for reuse, but the company has also said time and time again that delivering the flight payload into orbit is always the primary task.
Video: Watch SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch 60 Starlink satellites
Related: SpaceX’s huge satellite starlink in the pictures
Space.com Group: $ 26.99 at Magazines Direct
Get ready to explore the wonders of our amazing universe! The “Space.com Collection” is filled with amazing astronomy, breakthrough discoveries and the latest missions from space agencies around the world. From distant galaxies to planets, moons and asteroids in our solar system, you will discover a wealth of facts about the universe, learn about new technologies, telescopes and rockets in development that will reveal more of its secrets. View the deal
One of SpaceX’s frequent posts supported the recent Starlink mission into orbit. The booster, called the B1059, previously transported two different aircraft from SpaceX Dragon cargo resupply missions To the International Space Station – CRS-19 in December 2019 and CRS-20 in March of 2020 – last June’s Starlink mission, an Earth observation satellite for Argentina (SAOCOM-1B In August 2020), and a spy satellite for the United States government as part of NROL-108 Mission in December.
Tonight’s launch was the first of two planned Starlink takeoffs in a week; Another 60 satellites are scheduled to make an early flight on Wednesday (17 February) aboard a different Falcon 9. The quick relay is due to the fact that SpaceX recently had to change its planned missions at Starlink where both weather and hardware issues were presented a bit of a challenge.
This mission, dubbed Starlink 19, then progressed SpaceX’s 18th Starlink mission took off on February 4. Both flights jumped on Starlink 17, which was scheduled to launch on February 1. It is scheduled to fly one of two iterators that set the record, the B1049, the mission has been delayed several times and is now expected to take off shortly after midnight. February 17.
During initial mission planning, SpaceX targeted two Starlink missions just hours apart – the first for the Space Coast since 1966 when the Gemini rocket followed the Atlas Agena after just 99 minutes. Ultimately, the dual missions didn’t happen, but in an unprecedented step for the era of commercial spaceflight, the Eastern Range (the agency that oversees launches along the East Coast) Agreed Two missions to launch in quick succession.
This is an accomplishment that we may see happening at a later time, particularly with more launch provider activity and more and more launches from Florida. Last year, there were 31 record launches this year, and 2023 could be a lot busier as the 45th Space Wing prepares for at least 40 missions.
Related: Watch the evolution of SpaceX rockets in pictures
Double launches
It was scheduled to be released Sunday night, SpaceX was forced to halt due to bad weather At the launch site. Thunderstorms swept across Florida last weekend, preventing the flight from taking off.
Conditions improved on Monday and Falcon 9 was able to fly, marking the fifth launch of this year for SpaceX and enabling the company to look forward to its next mission. Another group of Starlink satellites are scheduled to take off from SpaceX’s other launch site in Florida at Pad 39A from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center here.
The mission was also Flight 108 overall for the SpaceX Falcon 9. It would have represented the 75th landing of the missile for the company if the Falcon 9 had suspended its landing.
To restore returning reinforcements, SpaceX uses two massive floating landing platforms – “Of Course I Still Love You” and “Just Read the Instructions” – as well as its own landing pads, which allow the company to launch (and land) more missiles. Drone ships typically see the most events because they require more fuel reserves to return to land than to land at sea.
The Falcon 9 version that we see today is an upgraded version of its predecessors, able to fly multiple times with only minor renovations in between. This is due to a series of upgrades that the Falcon 9 received in 2018 – including a more robust thermal protection system, titanium mesh fins, and more durable stages – making it easier to reuse.
As such, this fleet of more capable rockets allowed SpaceX to fly more missions. The company launched a record 26 times in 2020, 22 of those flights on outdated missiles.
The company aims to surpass that record in 2023, as it hopes to launch at least 40 missiles between launch facilities in California and Florida.
Build a huge building
With a successful launch tonight, SpaceX now has more than 1,000 Starlink satellites in orbit. There are several upcoming launches; SpaceX’s initial Starlink constellation will consist of 1,440 satellites, and the company has requested approval Tens of thousands More.
The company launched its massive cluster, which outnumbers any other constellation currently in orbit, with the overall goal of connecting the Earth.
To this end, SpaceX has designed a fleet of flat-panel broadband satellites that will fly over the Earth, providing users around the world with internet coverage.
Tonight’s flight comes just days after SpaceX started making pre-orders to the public. Last week, the company opened its website to potential clients on a first come, first served basis, while the company is conducting a large-scale international and domestic pilot testing phase.
Potential users can order equipment and subscribe to the service, which could take six months or more to become available, depending on the site.
SpaceX began its “better than nothing” beta testing phase in 2020, as the company allowed its employees to put a thriving satellite service through its paces.
Company founder and CEO Elon Musk He said there must be between 500-800 Starlink satellites in orbit before coverage begins to spread. Once this milestone was achieved, the company began testing its new service.
Early reports from employees indicated that the service was working and had even managed to broadcast multiple high-res programs simultaneously. Soon after, SpaceX invited users to start testing its service, while continuing to launch more and more satellites.
The company was given permission to start rolling out its service to users in the UK earlier this year, and it even blocked its first Canadian customer last December.
Pikangikum First Nation has been able to use the service to connect its members, providing access to education programs as well as telemedicine and more.
SpaceX’s very big year: Astronaut launches, spacecraft tests, and more
Smooth landing
GO Ms. Tree and GO, Miss Main, the two networked boats from SpaceX are also based in the Atlantic. The dynamic duo will restore the missile nose cone (also known as payload aerodynamics), after the two pieces return to the ground.
Equipped with a navigation program and special umbrellas, the two halves of the protective cover will guide themselves to the ground, and will most likely be removed from the water after spraying.
Every once in a while, SpaceX picks up drifts in mid-air, but that depends on wind and weather. Recovery efforts are usually announced by SpaceX 45 minutes after takeoff.
Follow Amy Thompson on Twitter @ astrogingersnap. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook.
