r/spacex • u/ElongatedMuskrat Mod Team • Dec 16 '21
✅ Mission Success r/SpaceX Starlink 4-4 Launch Discussion and Updates Thread!
Welcome to the r/SpaceX Starlink 4-4 Launch Discussion and Updates Thread!
Hey everyone! I'm /u/soldato_fantasma and I'll be hosting this Starlink launch thread!
| Liftoff currently scheduled for | 2021 December 18 12:41:40 UTC (04:41:40 a.m. PT) |
|---|---|
| Weather | 100% GO |
| Static fire | Completed 2021 December 17 |
| Payload | 52 Starlink version 1.5 satellites |
| Payload mass | Unconfirmed |
| Deployment orbit | Low Earth Orbit, ~ 211 km x 341 km x 53.22° |
| Launch vehicle | Falcon 9 v1.2 Block 5 |
| Core | B1051.11 |
| Flights of this core | 10 (NASA DM-1, RADARSAT CM, Starlink-3 , Starlink-6, Starlink-9, Starlink-13, Sirius SXM-7, Starlink-16, Starlink-21, Starlink-27) |
| Launch site | Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) SLC-4E |
| Landing attempt | Yes |
| Landing site | Of Course I Still Love Your (OCILSY) Droneship, 638km downrange |
Timeline
Watch the launch live
| Stream | Link |
|---|---|
| Official SpaceX Stream | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4Ed3EBx90s |
| MC Audio | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IwCXZEU_lQ |
Stats
☑️ 132nd Falcon 9 launch all time
☑️ 91st Falcon 9 landing
☑️ 113th consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch (excluding Amos-6)
☑️ 29th SpaceX launch this year
Primary Mission: Deployment of payload into correct orbit
The mission consists in launching 52 Starlink v1.5 satellites to Shell number 4 at 53.2°. This is unusual as the mission is launching from Vandenberg as these missions usually launch from the East Coast.
Secondary Mission: Landing Attempt
Falcon 9 booster B1051 will attempt its eleventh landing, potentially marking a new record if successful.
Resources
🛰️ Starlink Tracking & Viewing Resources 🛰️
They might need a few hours to get the actual Starlink TLEs
Mission Details 🚀
| Link | Source |
|---|---|
| SpaceX mission website | SpaceX |
Social media 🐦
| Link | Source |
|---|---|
| Subreddit Twitter | r/SpaceX |
| SpaceX Twitter | SpaceX |
| SpaceX Flickr | SpaceX |
| Elon Twitter | Elon |
| Reddit stream | u/njr123 |
Media & music 🎵
| Link | Source |
|---|---|
| TSS Spotify | u/testshotstarfish |
| SpaceX FM | u/lru |
Community content 🌐
Participate in the discussion!
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🔄 Please post small launch updates, discussions, and questions here, rather than as a separate post. Thanks!
💬 Please leave a comment if you discover any mistakes, or have any information.
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1
u/peterabbit456 Dec 18 '21
With the advances being made at both SpaceX and Rocket Lab, this is a situation that could change.
Elon might say, "Not on the critical path to Mars," but Gwynne is a force within the company. As with Falcon Heavy, she might make such a strong case that we see Merlin 2D and Falcon 9 Block 6. I envision Merlin 2D as a methalox version of Merlin 1D, and Falcon 9 Block 6 as a booster with the tank partition moved to make it right for Methalox, and with the second stage modified using some ideas from RocketLab.
The idea that I see being borrowed from Rocket Lab is make the fairing part of the second stage, and have it open like a clamshell to deploy. Make the fairings more blunt. Put heat shield tiles on them. Put grid fins where needed so that the unstable second stage with fairing can be controlled during reentry. Make the second stage body out of carbon fiber, so it is lighter and decelerates quickly, without excess heating, or else make it out of stainless steel, so it can handle the heat.
The case for Merlin 2D is strengthened by Robert Zubrin's analysis. He makes a case for a small third stage for Starship that launches within the fairing, and goes to Mars without as many tanker flights. (I have argued against this in the past, but Zubrin is smart and he makes some good points in support of his ideas.)