{"id":24757,"date":"2021-12-17T17:34:29","date_gmt":"2021-12-17T09:34:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/spacex-falcon-9-completes-rare-53-degree-inclination-launch-from-vandenberg\/"},"modified":"2021-12-17T17:34:29","modified_gmt":"2021-12-17T09:34:29","slug":"spacex-falcon-9-completes-rare-53-degree-inclination-launch-from-vandenberg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/spacex-falcon-9-completes-rare-53-degree-inclination-launch-from-vandenberg\/","title":{"rendered":"SpaceX Falcon 9 completes rare 53 degree inclination launch from Vandenberg"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the company\u2019s third-to-last launch of 2021, SpaceX deployed another group of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit early on Saturday morning. The Starlink Group 4-4 mission launched 52 Starlink satellites into a 53.22\u00b0 inclination orbit at 4:41 AM PST (12:41 UTC) Saturday morning. <\/p>\n

The mission lifted off from SLC-4E (Space Launch Complex 4 East) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. But despite launching from the west coast, the mission targeted the 53.2\u00b0 shell \u2013 SpaceX\u2019s first launch to a non-polar orbit from Vandenberg.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The Starlink Group X-Y nomenclature was introduced after SpaceX completed their first Starlink shell, where the X represents the shell number (1-5) and the Y represents the mission number to that shell. <\/p>\n

Like previous Starlink missions and many Space Shuttle missions, the mission number does not represent the chronological launch order; in this case, Starlink Group 4-4 is launching ahead of Starlink Group 4-2, making this launch the third to the fourth shell. <\/p>\n

Starlink phase one is split into five different orbital shells:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nInclination (\u00b0)<\/td>\nOrbital Altitude (km)<\/td>\nPlanes<\/td>\nSatellites per Plane<\/td>\nNumber of Satellites<\/td>\nCurrently Working Satellites<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Shell 1<\/td>\n53.0<\/td>\n550<\/td>\n72<\/td>\n22<\/td>\n1,584<\/td>\n1,567<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Shell 2<\/td>\n70.0<\/td>\n570<\/td>\n36<\/td>\n20<\/td>\n720<\/td>\n51<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Shell 3<\/td>\n97.6<\/td>\n560<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n58<\/td>\n348<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Shell 4<\/td>\n53.2<\/td>\n540<\/td>\n77<\/td>\n22<\/td>\n1,584<\/td>\n100<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Shell 5<\/td>\n97.6<\/td>\n560<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n43<\/td>\n172<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

(Working satellite information from Jonathan McDowell\u2019s space report.)<\/em><\/p>\n

Starlink shell 4 is composed entirely of Starlink v1.5 satellites, which, unlike the v1.0 satellites in shell 1, feature inter-satellite laser communication that allows the satellites to communicate directly with each other and removes the need for ground stations over areas such as the poles. <\/p>\n

SpaceX<\/path>Space Shuttle<\/path>Aerospace industry analysis<\/path>\n

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See Also<\/h4>\n
    \n
  • Starlink 4-4 Updates<\/li>\n
  • SpaceX Missions Section<\/li>\n
  • L2 SpaceX Section<\/li>\n
  • Click here to Join L2<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    These satellite upgrades have increased the mass of each satellite, which is one of the reasons why only 52 are being launched on this mission as opposed to 60 satellites on most Starlink v1.0 missions. <\/p>\n

    The dogleg maneuver the second stage performed to get into the proper orbit further reduces the performance of the Falcon 9 and therefore the number of satellites that can be taken to this orbit from Vandenberg.<\/p>\n

    Launch<\/p>\n

    The Falcon 9 first stage supporting this mission is B1051-11, which marks the first 11th flight of a Falcon 9 booster. This surpasses the goal laid out by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk that a Falcon 9 Block 5 would be capable of 10 flights without major refurbishment and then continue to fly beyond that. <\/p>\n

    B1051-11 successfully conducted a static fire early on Friday morning UTC.<\/p>\n

    B1051 first flew on Dragon 2\u2019s first mission to orbit, SpX DM-1 (SpaceX Demonstration Mission 1), and has since flew 10 times prior to Saturday: <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    B1051 Mission<\/b><\/td>\nLaunch Date (UTC)<\/b><\/td>\nTurnaround Time (Days)<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SpaceX Demonstration Mission-1<\/td>\nMarch 2, 2019<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    RADARSAT Constellation<\/td>\nJune 12, 2019<\/td>\n102<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Starlink v1.0 L3<\/td>\nJanuary 29, 2020<\/td>\n231<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Starlink v1.0 L6<\/td>\nApril 22, 2020<\/td>\n84<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Starlink v1.0 L9<\/td>\nAugust 7, 2020<\/td>\n107<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Starlink v1.0 L13<\/td>\nOctober 18, 2020<\/td>\n72<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SXM-7<\/td>\nDecember 13, 2020<\/td>\n56<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Starlink v1.0 L16<\/td>\nJanuary 20, 2021<\/td>\n38<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Starlink v1.0 L21<\/td>\nMarch 14, 2021<\/td>\n53<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Starlink v1.0 L27<\/td>\nMay 9, 2021<\/td>\n56<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Starlink Group 4-4<\/td>\nDecember 18, 2021<\/td>\n223<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    At approximately T-2.8 seconds, the Falcon 9 commanded the ignition of its nine Merlin 1D engines. The engines ignite in pairs, with approximately 100 ms between each pair\u2019s ignition, to reduce loads on the vehicle during startup.<\/p>\n

    Once the Falcon 9 detected that all engines are running nominally, the vehicle commanded the hydraulic clamps at the base of the vehicle to release, letting the vehicle lift off from the pad at T-0.<\/p>\n