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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket raised vertical and poised for liftoff
at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL on Starlink-1 mission targeted for launch May 16, 2019 at 10:30 p.m. EDT. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com |
Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com &
RocketSTEM – 16 May 2019
CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, FL – SpaceX’s maiden launch of the
first batch of Starlink broadband internet satellites is now targeted for Thursday
evening May 16 after excessively high upper altitude winds forced the team to
scrub the liftoff in the final minutes of the countdown on Wednesday evening,
May 15.
Note: Launch scrubbed by SpaceX due to software issue with sats. New Target TBD
The
launch was scrubbed at about 10:52 p.m. EDT some eight minutes of so before the
already delayed liftoff time of 11 a.m. EDT.
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Vigorous venting of LOX from SpaceX Falcon 9 just
minutes before Starlink 1 launch scrub on May 15, 2019. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com |
Liftoff
of the Starlink 1 mission is targeted for 10:30 p.m. EDT Thursday, May 16 (0230 GMT Thursday) from Space Launch Complex-40 (SLC-40) on Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station, FL.
The 90-minute
launch window extends to midnight 12 a.m. and the weather looks promising at 90%
favorable and the upper level winds are lower.
Enjoy
our Space UpClose photos from pad 40.
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UpClose look at payload fairing housing 60 Starlink-1
satellites for launch on SpaceX Falcon 9 reset to May 16, 2019 at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com |
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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket raised vertical and poised for liftoff
at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL on Starlink-1 mission targeted for launch May 16, 2019 at 10:30 p.m. EDT. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com |
The
Falcon 9 will launch the first batch of 60 Starlink broadband internet satellites
to LEO on a recycled, twice flown Falcon 9 rocket.
This
also counts as the heaviest payload to date ever to launch on a Falcon 9 or
Falcon Heavy, said SpaceX CEO during our prelaunch media telecon.Over the 60
Starlink 1 satellites weigh 18.5 tons.
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UpClose look at landing legs and booster core on twice flown Falcon 9 rocket
for 60 Starlink-1 satellites for launch by SpaceX reset to May 16, 2019 at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com |
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UpClose look at landing legs on twice flown Falcon 9 rocket
for 60 Starlink-1 satellites for launch by SpaceX reset to May 16, 2019 at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com |
constellation will eventually number in the thousands. The payload fairings are
new said Elon Musk in a media telecon
our upcoming detailed story about Starlink
at 10:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday, May 16, or 2:30 UTC on May 17, and closes at
12:00 a.m. on May 17, or 4:00 UTC. A backup launch window opens on Friday, May
17 at 10:30 p.m. EDT, or 2:30 UTC on May 18, and closes at 12:00 a.m. on May 18,
or 4:00 UTC.
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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket raised vertical and poised for liftoff
at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL on Starlink-1 mission targeted for launch May 16, 2019 at 10:30 p.m. EDT. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com |
Falcon 9’s first stage
for this mission previously supported the Telstar 18 VANTAGE mission in
September 2018 and the Iridium-8 mission in January 2019.
“Starlink is a
next-generation satellite network capable of connecting the globe, especially
reaching those who are not yet connected, with reliable and affordable
broadband internet services,” says SpaceX.
Overall
the Starlink constellation of low earth orbiting broadband satellites will
number in the thousands.
You can watch the launch on a SpaceX dedicated
webcast that starts about 15 minutes prior to the opening of the nominal
launch window:
www.spacex.com/webcast
Watch my SpaceX launch commentary and rocket photos at this Fox 35
Orlando report from May 16 launch attempt:
http://www.fox35orlando.com/home/spacex-trying-again-for-launch-of-falcon-9-rocket
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Dr. Ken Kremer/Space UpClose commentary about SpaceX
Starlink-1 launch with Fox 35 WOFL Orlando TV News |
Watch for Ken’s continuing
onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman
and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center, Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida and Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia.
Stay tuned here for Ken’s continuing Earth and
Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer
– email: ken at kenkremer.com
Dr. Kremer is a research scientist and journalist based in the
KSC area, active in outreach and interviewed regularly on TV and radio about
space topics.
Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events
Ken’s upcoming outreach events:
May 16-17: Quality Inn Kennedy Space Center, Titusville,
FL, evenings. Learn more about the upcoming/recent NASA
2024 Moon landing goal, SpaceX Starlink-1, SpaceX Falcon 9/CRS-17 launch to ISS, Falcon Heavy, SpaceX Demo-1
launch/test failure, SpaceX Beresheet launch, NASA missions, ULA Atlas & Delta launches, Northrop Grumman Antares,
SpySats and more
