Edhat StaffSpaceX, the aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company, is set to have a busy week at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Several satellite missions are scheduled to launch, marking a significant period for both commercial and governmental satellite deployments.
Key Missions on the Calendar
Transporter-11 Mission
The week’s activities are set to commence with the Transporter-11 mission. Scheduled for no earlier than July 10, this Falcon 9 rocket will carry an array of satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit under SpaceX’s rideshare program. Noteworthy payloads include the European Space Agency’s Arctic Weather Satellite, which will join other satellites such as Surrey Satellites’ Tyche for the UK Space Command, iQPS’s QPS-SAR No. 8 from Japan, and Planet Labs’ Tanager-1 from the U.S. Specific launch times are still to be determined and enthusiasts are advised to stay tuned for updates.
Starlink 9-3 Launch
Following closely, the Starlink 9-3 mission is expected between July 10 and 11. This mission will focus on deploying a batch of Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit, enhancing SpaceX’s extensive satellite internet constellation. The launch window opens at 7:00 p.m. PDT on July 10. In a spectacular display of technology and precision, the Falcon 9’s first stage booster is set to return to Earth, landing on the droneship ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ approximately eight minutes post-liftoff.
Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM)
Slated for mid-July, the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission will see another Falcon 9 lift off from the same launch complex. This mission involves launching a duo of satellites built by Northrop Grumman for Space Norway. These satellites are designed to orbit in a highly elliptical path over the Arctic region, carrying communications payloads crucial for the Norwegian Ministry of Defense, the U.S. Space Force, and Inmarsat. The exact timing of this launch remains under wraps.
Implications and Expectations
These launches from Vandenberg are a part of a broader strategy by SpaceX to accommodate a wide range of satellite-based services – from broadband internet expansions and military communications to weather monitoring and earth observation. Each launch not only demonstrates SpaceX’s growing capabilities in payload delivery but also underscores the increasing collaboration between nongovernmental space entities, national defense sectors, and international space agencies.
Observers and space enthusiasts can watch these launches via live streams offered by SpaceX, ensuring global access to these exciting and critical advancements in aerospace technology. As always, all scheduled launch dates are subject to change based on weather conditions and technical reviews.
Stay tuned to local announcements and SpaceX’s social media channels for real-time updates on these missions from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Ouch! “SpaceX suffered its first in-flight failure of a Falcon 9 rocket since 2015, leaving 20 Starlink satellites in a perilously low orbit.”
https://spaceflightnow.com/2024/07/11/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-20-starlink-satellites-on-falcon-9-rocket-from-vandenberg-space-force-base/
…watching the spaceflightnow.com YouTube live coverage it was pretty strange watching all the ice coming off and bouncing off the engine. (around T+00:07:00 or 36:48 of the 48:54 min. {ish}).
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They are also de-orbiting about 150 of their Starlink satellites launched last year, because they contain chips that have been found to fail early, and could otherwise leave them stranded in orbit, but useless. So, if you see a nice fireball, it may be one of them.
In addition, a recent blast of solar wind caused heating in our upper atmosphere, increasing drag on satellites, and prompting 1000 or so Starlinks to maneuver to raise their orbits. Traffic control nightmare, anyone?
Hope we don’t end up with a tinfoil halo around earth. :/
We certainly seem to be heading in that direction, unfortunately!