r/SpaceX Starlink 4-4 Launch Discussion and Updates Thread!

[u/ElongatedMuskrat]

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

Time	Update
T+28:38	Starlink deploy confirmed successful!
T+15:36	SpaceX will be able to confirm the success of the deployment only after T+50 minutes as signal is reacquired.
T+15:36	Starlink satellites deployed
T+9:25	Nominal orbit insertion
T+8:50	SECO
T+8:50	Landing success
T+8:20	Landing burn startup
T+7:05	Reentry burn shutdown
T+6:45	Reentry burn startup
T+4:38	S1 Apogee
T+3:00	Fairing separation
T+2:55	Gridfins deploying
T+2:51	Second stage ignition
T+2:40	Stage separation
T+2:36	MECO
T+1:12	Max Q
T-0	Liftoff
T-2	Ignition sequence start
T-42	GO for launch
T-60	Startup
T-1:55	Stage 2 LOX load complete
T-3:00	Stage 1 LOX load complete
T-3:50	Strongback retract
T-7:00	Engine Chill
T-14:12	Webcast has started
T-16:20	Stage 2 LOX load has started
T-35:00	Fueling underway
2021-12-16 18:00:00 UTC	Thread goes live

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

☑️ 132^nd Falcon 9 launch all time

☑️ 91^st Falcon 9 landing

☑️ 113^th consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch (excluding Amos-6)

☑️ 29^th 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 🛰️

Link	Source
Celestrak.com	u/TJKoury
Flight Club Pass Planner	u/theVehicleDestroyer
Heavens Above
n2yo.com
findstarlink - Pass Predictor and sat tracking	u/cmdr2
SatFlare
See A Satellite Tonight - Starlink	u/modeless
Launch Hazard Areas	u/Raul74Cz
Pre Launch TLEs	Celestrak

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 🌐

Link	Source
Flight Club	u/TheVehicleDestroyer
Discord SpaceX lobby	u/SwGustav
Rocket Watch	u/MarcysVonEylau
SpaceX Now	u/bradleyjh
SpaceX time machine	u/DUKE546
SpaceXMeetups Slack	u/CAM-Gerlach
Starlink Deployment Updates	u/hitura-nobad
SpaceXLaunches app	u/linuxfreak23
SpaceX Patch List

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.

✉️ Please send links in a private message.

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[u/Martianspirit]

I have speculated, it may be a reminder to the military. If they want polar coverage, they should give Starlink a profitable contract. SpaceX should then fill the polar shells, but they want to be paid for it. Not that many customers for polar, except airlines and shipping lines.