SpaceX launches West Coast Falcon 9 rocket on Starlink 13-4 mission – Spaceflight Now

Some categorised satellites may need hitched a experience with 19 Starlink satellites launched by SpaceX from the corporate’s West Coast launch web site on Thursday.

Liftoff from a fog-shrouded pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California occurred at 11:32:09 a.m. PDT (2:35:09 p.m. EDT / 18:35:09 UTC).

SpaceX didn’t present views in its webcast from the second stage of the Falcon 9, which often consists of video of the separation of the payload fairing. Previously, this has been a sign that further categorised satellites, doubtless based mostly on the corporate’s Starshield platform, have been aboard. SpaceX had mentioned there have been 19 Starlink satellites nestled contained in the rocket’s payload fairing, which is a less-than-usual quantity.

Based on pre-launch info, the mission’s payloads have been destined for a polar orbit of 202×193 miles (325×311 km), inclined at 97.6 levels to the equator. An hour after launch SpaceX confirmed the profitable deployment of 19 Starlink satellites. The precise variety of satellites aboard shall be disclosed when monitoring knowledge is launched.

The Starlink 13-4 mission used one in every of SpaceX’s fleet-leading Falcon 9 boosters. First stage B1071, which entered service in February 2022, made its twenty seventh flight. Only booster 1067 has extra flights, with 29 missions completed thus far.