Another 53 Starlinks prepped
June 12, 2023
By Chris Forrester
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SpaceX is targeting today (June 12th) to launch an additional 53 Starlink satellites into orbit, subject to the usual weather considerations.
The launch, at 3.10pm (Florida time) continues the near-nonstop cadence of SpaceX overall activity. On the West Coast SpaceX is also targeting June 12th for a Falcon’s launch of the Transporter-8 mission to low-Earth orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The 57-minute launch window opens at 2:19 p.m. PT. If needed, there is a backup opportunity on June 13th with the same window.
The first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, and four Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the Falcon 9 booster will land on Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) at Vandenberg.
Transporter-8 is SpaceX’s eighth dedicated smallsat rideshare mission. There will be 72 payloads on this flight, including CubeSats, MicroSats, a re-entry capsule, and orbital transfer vehicles carrying spacecraft to be deployed at a later time.
As for the Starlink missions, the first stage booster supporting this flight previously launched SES-22, ispace’s HAKUTO-R Mission 1, Hispasat Amazonas Nexus, CRS-27, and four Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.