Space X launches Falcon 9 with 52 Starlink satellites for low-Earth orbit

hello everyone my name is Jonathan dweck and I'm an operations engineer here at SpaceX I'll be your host for today's starlink Mission which marks spacex's 18th launch of the year and 217th overall mission to date and today we're sending another 52 Starling satellites to orbit currently weather and range are both looking good and we're proceeding with a t-0 time of 12 26 PM Pacific time from Vandenberg space Force Base at pad 4 East the teams are currently tracking no issues with the vehicle or spacecraft we should start to see the clamp arms start to open up around the payload fairing just at the top of your screen there and there you have it those clamp arms have started to open in preparation for launch now those clamp arms are connected to our transporter erector also known as the te and this is that large truss structure next to the rocket that's used for rollout and to route propellants and electrical power to the vehicle in preparation for launch foreign has also started to retract away from the vehicle as we gear up for launch here it's a gorgeous day up in Vandenberg you see the Pacific Ocean just behind the falcon 9. next Milestone that we're tracking is stage one locks load complete we expect that to occur in around 15 seconds from now stage one lock float complete and there you heard that call out T minus three minutes the Falcon 9 first stage has completed its locked loading next we're waiting the completion of locks load on our second stage in around 45 seconds from now and once that's complete this will conclude propellant loading on the entire vehicle those white clouds that you're seeing around Falcon 9 are completely normal during propellant loading we vent cold gas that forms above the Lox tank surface and what you're seeing is the result of that cold gas coming in contact with the warmer California air and condensing again if you're in the Vandenberg area should be some beautiful views today just expecting to hear that call out first second stage locks the complete any moment now stage two locks load complete and there you heard it as well Falcon 9 is now fully loaded with one million pounds of fuel and liquid oxygen and we're getting some venting there from our transporter erector as we just prepare for launch booster that you see on your screen is flying for its eighth time today having previously supported sorrow one SWAT NRL 85 and 87 and three starlink missions coming up next Falcon 9 will enter its startup phase Falcon 9 is in startup you heard that call it as well Falcon 9 is now on internal power now we're just waiting to hear from the launch director with our final go no go for launch today LDS go for lunch the launch director has given the final one to proceed for launch now let's sit back and watch as the Falcon 9 takes our 52 Starling satellites into space T-minus 30 seconds 15 seconds 2 minus ten nine eight seven six five four three two one engine Soul Tower hamlets off darling 2-8 go falcon go starling vehicles t plus 30 seconds Falcon 9 has successfully lifted off from vandenberg's space launch complex four East at 12 26 PM Pacific time this is our fifth launch from Vandenberg just this year power and Telemetry nominal Pelican 9 is supersonic with that call out Falcon 9 is now traveling faster than the speed of sound Q and there you heard that call out for Max Q this means that the vehicle is currently experiencing the greatest amount of external stresses as it ascends through Earth's atmosphere on its way to space foreign we're just about one minute away from a series of events Mikko stageep ses1 and fairing separation Mikko or main engine cutoff is where all nine of the Merlin 1D engines on the first stage shut down stage separation is when the first and second stages separate ses1 or second engine start one is where we light the single Merlin vacuum engine on the second stage and fairing separation is when those two fairing halves separate and fall away from the second stage keep an eye out for those events going to be happening in rather quick succession Mikko stage separation confirmed [Applause] and back ignition bearing separation confirmed and there you have those vents again that was Mikko stage step ses1 and as you saw fairing separation we'll be attempting to recover both fairing halves using our recovery vessel NRC quests both of the fairing halves flying on today's missions are flight proven and are flying for the fifth time and just a reminder on the left hand side of your screen is the Falcon 9 first stage making its way back down to earth on the right is the second stage carrying our Starling satellites into orbit currently the first stage is on its way back to Earth towards our drone ship of course I still love you which is positioned in the Pacific Ocean and a reminder our first stage is on the left hand side of your screen if successful was today's Landing attempt this will Mark our 179th overall Landing of an orbital class rocket and the mvac engine on the right hand side of your screen attached to our second stage is continuing its burn this should last for another several minutes here as I mentioned earlier today's Starling Mission Mark spacex's 217th Mission overall an 18th Mission just this year both vehicles continue to follow nominal trajectories and there you heard that stage one and stage two are both following nominal trajectories as a reminder starlink is a satellite internet constellation designed and manufactured by SpaceX to provide high-speed low latency internet to people living in remote and Rural locations around the globe coming up in about a minute or so we expect stage one entry burn this is the point at which the first stage will re-light three of its Merlin 1D engines in preparation for landing and we expect that entry burn to begin in just around 40 seconds from now getting some really spectacular views of the earth behind both our mvac on the right hand side of your screen and through those two grid friends on our first stage on the left hand side stage one entry burn startup there's that call out for stage one entry burn stage one which we also refer to as the booster has ignited engines one five and nine just load down for atmospheric re-entry the first stage used to launch our 52 Starling satellites into space today is flying for its eighth time stage one entry burn shutdown having previously supported sorrow one SWAT nrol85 and 87 and three previous starlink missions and as you saw we had stage one entry burn shutdown stage one FTS has saved coming up next will be our stage one Landing burn this will be the final burn on our first stage and this is H2 FTS has saved the point this would be in preparation for landing on our drone ship stage one transonic and there's that call out that our first stage is transonic which means it's traveling near the speed of sound terminal guidance stage one Landing burn and there's that confirmation that the stage one Landing run has begun in preparation for touchdown on our drone ship of course I still love you just coming into frame now on the left-hand side of your screen Stage One Lending leg deploy stage one Landing confirmed Falcon 9 has successfully landed on our drone ship of course I still love you in the Pacific Ocean this marks our 179th overall Landing of an orbital class rocket including F9 and Falcon heavy missions nominal orbit insertion and we just heard that call it as well for nominal orbital insertion of our second stage and our Starling satellites and with confirmation of successful first stage Landing in good orbit from our second stage that wraps up our coverage for now

Channel: Sky News

Views: 26,794

Keywords:

Id: 0qiAEsx2_HQ

Length: 14min 33sec (873 seconds)

Published: Fri Mar 17 2023