On 16th August at 11:36 p.m. EDT SpaceX launched its latest Falcon 9 rocket with 22 Starlink satellites. These 22 satellites are going to be used for providing internet connectivity all over the globe.
The launch took place from Launch Complex 40 that is located at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The Space Force weather forecasters predicted lastly the weather to be 20% “go” from the starting of the launch and shall improve to 65% at the end.
Falcon 9 after liftoff would take a flight southeastward. Then fly along the southeastern trajectory landing in the Just Read drone ship in the Atlantic ocean. If the schedule is successful then this would be the 42nd launch of this year by the Space Coast. Updates from the launch are given below.
At 11:36 p.m. EDT Falcon 9 lifted off with 22 Starlink internet satellites and after 8 minutes successfully landed on the Shortfall of Gravitas drone ship.
The post-launch timeline has been given below. T-plus:
| • 00:01:12 Max Q (Moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket) • 00:02:26 1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO) • 00:02:29 1st and 2nd stages separate • 00:02:35 2nd stage engine starts (SES-1) • 00:03:07 Fairing deployment • 00:06:09 1st stage entry burn begins • 00:06:32 1st stage entry burn ends • 00:07:59 1st stage landing burn begins • 00:08:27 1st stage landing • 00:08:38 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1) • 00:53:57 2nd stage engine starts (SES-2) • 00:54:00 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2) • 01:05:07 Starlink satellites deploy |
SpaceX continued to push towards its specific liftoff time of 11:36 p.m. EDT at 10 minutes prior to their launch time. The milestones are listed below which they had to go through during the countdown before the launch.
T-minus:
| • 00:07:00 minutes Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch • 00:01:00 minute Command flight computer to begin final pre-launch checks • 00:01:00 minute Propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins • 00:00:45 seconds SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch • 00:00:03 seconds Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start • 00:00:00 seconds Falcon 9 liftoff |
At 11: 05 p.m. EDT SpaceX started the fueling process in the first stage of the launch with loading oxygen and kerosene into the Falcon 9 rocket at Launch Complex 40.
At 11:36 p.m. the liftoff finally happened.
And at 11:45 p.m. EDT, Falcon 9 landed aboard the Gravitas drone ship, leading to completing its 13th mission.
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