12.02.2023
Space Force: Poor weather for SpaceX's late-night weekend launch from Cape Canaveral
Weather conditions look mostly unfavorable for SpaceX's next launch of Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral, according to the latest Space Force forecasts.
A Falcon 9 rocket, targeting liftoff during a more than four-hour window that opens at 11:42 p.m. EST Saturday, Feb. 11, will likely have to contend with only 20% "go" conditions. The window at Launch Complex 40 runs until 4:02 a.m. EST Sunday.
Space Force forecasters on Friday said a low pressure system "will lift north into Georgia Saturday night and unfortunately swing the cold front through the spaceport near or during the launch window. The primary concerns during the launch window will be liftoff winds, the thick cloud layer rule, and the cumulus cloud rule."
In the event of a delay to Sunday night, conditions look better: 60% "go" with the primary concerns being liftoff and high-altitude winds.
This 69th mission for the Starlink internet constellation will include a drone ship landing in the Atlantic. Spectators should note that this flight includes a southerly trajectory, meaning Falcon 9 will lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and fly south, hugging the state's east coast.
Quelle: Florida Today
+++
Watch SpaceX launch 55 Starlink satellites early Sunday morning
Liftoff is scheduled for 12:10 a.m. ET, but the weather may not cooperate.
SpaceX plans to launch 55 of its Starlink internet satellites to orbit early Sunday morning (Feb. 12), and you can watch it live — provided the weather cooperates.
A Falcon 9 rocket topped with 55 Starlink craft is scheduled to lift off Sunday at 12:10 a.m. EST (0510 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. But don't get your hopes up; there's just a 20% chance of good weather at launch time, SpaceX said via Twitter(opens in new tab) on Friday (Feb. 10). There are backup opportunities available late Sunday night and early Monday morning (Feb. 13).
Whenever the mission flies, you can watch it live here at Space.com, courtesy of SpaceX, or directly via the company(opens in new tab). Coverage is expected to begin about five minutes before launch.
If all goes according to plan, the Falcon 9's first stage will land 8.5 minutes after liftoff on the SpaceX droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean off the Florida coast.
It will be the 12th launch and landing for this particular booster, according to a SpaceX mission description(opens in new tab). Among its previous flights are six other Starlink missions and two landmark private astronaut flights, the Ax-1 journey to the International Space Station and the free-flying Inspiration4 jaunt to Earth orbit.
The Falcon 9 upper stage, meanwhile, will continue hauling the Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, deploying all 55 of them about 63 minutes after liftoff.
Sunday morning's launch will continue building out the Starlink megaconstellation, which already consists of more than 3,500 operational satellites(opens in new tab). It's bound to get far bigger still: SpaceX has permission to deploy 12,000 Starlink craft and has applied for approval for an additional 30,000.
The coming Starlink launch will be SpaceX's 10th orbital mission of the year and the ninth for the workhorse Falcon 9. The company's other flight in 2023 was made by its powerful Falcon Heavy rocket.
Quelle: SC
+++
SpaceX launch 55 Starlink satellites
Quelle: SpaceX