"SpaceX is preparing its Falcon 9 to launch the Starlink V1.0 L5 mission, although the launch date has been moved to Sunday. This mission will be the first Starlink launch from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center, and the first from the pad since the Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test in January 2020. The first stage is B1048.5 – marking the first time a Falcon 9 core flies for the fifth time. The launch is now scheduled for 9:22 AM Eastern on March 15.
Starlink launch:
This mission will launch the 5th batch of 60 fully-operational Starlink satellites – the sixth batch overall – to a Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This will also be the first Starlink launch from the historic Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center. Previous Starlink missions launched from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40), just over three miles south of LC-39A.
Now, as SpaceX starts ramping up the Starlink launch frequency, there may be a new bottleneck – launch pad availability.
LC-39A has been the sole starting point for Falcon Heavy and Crew Dragon missions. Those two capabilities make it unique among SpaceX’s launch pads, as the other two can only support uncrewed Falcon 9 rockets.
However, SpaceX is now starting to use LC-39A for commercial launches during downtime between Falcon Heavy and Crew Dragon launches. This will help relieve the new strain on SLC-40 from the increased Starlink launches, allowing for more time for refurbishment and launch preparations. NASA
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I know. The astronomers are unhappy. But life is tough all over and Space X is trying hard to make itself harmless for them.
Download speeds from Musk's orbiting circus are said to approach one gigabyte. Service will begin to be offered in Canada and the Northern US this year. The issue of price will be critical to success. Universal high speed internet access! Is this not a marvelous prospect for mankind? pl
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/03/spacex-sixth-starlink-fifth-booster-reflight/
One of the greatest innovators of our era!
Nikola Tesla,Ford Edison.
Amazing how much the man is vilified by some people.
Five launches out of the same rocket? Lots of cost avoidance translating into lower prices and big problems for SpaceX competitors. Low cost high speed internet just in time for homeschooling for all. I’m sure colleges and universities and public school teacher’s unions won’t like that at all.
Fred
Self driving vehicles or something very close benefit greatly from massively redundant and interconnected network.
Amazing vertical integration.
Sbin,
Orbital communications satellites providing high speed internet don’t need the software autonomous vehicles would. Should the later happen a lot of truck drivers will be out of work.
All,
how long will the satellites in LOW orbit last?
IIRC they don’t last long and fall down. That will mean constant re-plenishing them in the exact positions. A huge task.
And the comparison of Musk to Tesla is far too long a stretch for my liking. Musk did not invent anything, he just uses inventions of others and sells as his own.