SpaceX is gearing up to launch Starlink with an impressive pillow-to-pad spinning record – Mercato

This week, SpaceX will break its records by launching two new Starlink clusters into space. Depending on a 20% chance of good weather, the first launch, Starlink Group 5-4, will depart from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Sunday, February 12 at 12:10 a.m. EST. US East (05:10 UTC). If successful, the mission will break previous records for SLC-40 and the entire network of the three Falcon 9 launch sites. The second mission, Starlink Group 2-5, is scheduled to launch from Space Launch Complex 4 East of Vandenberg Space Force Base California (SLC-4E) on February 15 at 16:32 UTC.
By deploying 61 missions into orbit in 2022, SpaceX broke its previous record, which it had set in 2021 with 31 missions. The business is on track to break its record again so far in 2023. SpaceX will likely hit the 80-launch threshold this year based on its launch cadence in January and the first few days of February. Elon Musk, the company’s CEO, said the company was “aspiring to have as many as 100 flights” in 2023. However, that goal is currently problematic due to factors including the launch pad and drone ship. However, by 2024, SpaceX may be more likely to launch more than 100 missions in one year because the spacecraft will attempt its first orbital launch in the following months.
The demand for this kind of launch frequency is being driven by the SpaceX Starlink broadband satellite constellation, which is being powered by Falcon 9 deployments this week. Future spacecraft launches will likely be used for orbital renewal missions, which also require a frequent launch cadence. It will also likely be used to deploy updated Starlink satellites and gather flight experience ahead of NASA’s Artemis program. The 55 Starlink satellites to be launched as part of the Group 5-4 mission are believed to be version 1.5 of the spacecraft, and their initial deployment orbit is assumed to be 298 x 339 kilometers with an inclination of 43 degrees. The initial deployment orbit of the 60 Starlink satellites aboard the Group 2-5 mission is expected to be 402 x 413 kilometers with an inclination of 53 degrees.
SpaceX’s frequent launches are a testament to its ingenuity and unwavering commitment to technological advancement. The launch of the two Starlink clusters this week marks an important turning point in the company’s history and the beginning of what will undoubtedly be a very transformative year for SpaceX. With SpaceX’s leadership, there are no limits to what we can do in the areas of space exploration and satellite technology.