Edhat Staff
Update by the edhat staff
November 14, 2024
On Wednesday, November 13 at 9:23 p.m., Falcon 9 launched 20 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
This was the eighth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Oneweb 4, USSF-62, and now six Starlink missions.
The reports of a sonic booms were minimal this time around, compared to last week’s.
The launch can be viewed below:
Watch Falcon 9 launch 24 @Starlink satellites to orbit from Florida https://t.co/kwBsAASJpI
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 14, 2024
SpaceX Launch Scheduled for Wednesday Evening
By the edhat staff
November 12, 2024
SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, November 13 for a Falcon 9 launch of 20 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Liftoff is targeted for 8:21 p.m. Additional launch opportunities are also available on Thursday, November 14 starting at 7:57 p.m.
This is the eighth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Oneweb 4, USSF-62, and five Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
At this point it’s unclear if sonic booms will take place as they did during last Friday’s launch. Previously the company has stated that there is the possibility that residents of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the landing, but what residents experience will depend on weather and other conditions.
I’m tired of hearing these launches
Me too. Plenty more where that came from! Soon it’ll be up to 2 a week.
I live about 20 miles from Vandenberg and get a kick out of watching the launches. Last week, we had our 1.5-year-old nephew here for a visit, and it would have been really cool if he and his parents could have witnessed the launch that occurred the night before their arrival.
Regarding sonic booms, the only time I have heard them is when the boosters return to Vandenberg, and that was not the case with this last launch.
I watched the launch from Moorpark with a couple of neighbors who had never seen it. They were quite in awe of the bright orange flame as it arched above us from west to east until it disappeared into the sky as a tiny dot about 4 minutes later.
The sonic boom reached us about 8 and a half minutes after launch as it takes that long for sound to travel 100+ miles. Are the booms annoying? A little. But my pets don’t even flinch anymore as they know what it is. I am sure the whales in the channel could care less as they are more concerned about dodging the cargo ships churning up and down the Channel.