SpaceX Completes Successful Falcon 9 Static Fire Test, Targets Starlink 1 Nighttime Launch May 15

SpaceX conducts successful nighttime static fire test of Falcon 9 first stage engines at approximately 10:15 p.m. EDT on May 13 with exhaust spewing out left from the flame trench at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, for Starlink-1 mission targeted for launch May 15, 2019 at 1030 p.m. EDT.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com 

Ken Kremer -- SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM – 13 May 2019

TITUSVILLE, FL- SpaceX completed a late night static fire test of their Falcon 9 rocket Monday, May 13 on Cape Canaveral during a brief break from day long rains and is now targeting Wednesday evening May 15 for launch of the first batch of Starlink broadband satellites to LEO – manufactured by SpaceX as well.  

The brief hold down hotfire test of the SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage rocket and engines raised vertical took place this evening at approximately 10:15 p.m. EDT on Space Launch Complex-40 (SLC-40) on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL.

Enjoy our photos of the test witnessed by Space UpClose from across the Indian River in Titusville, FL.

Liftoff of the Starlink 1 mission is targeted for 10:30 p.m. EST Wednesday, May 15 (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 80% favorable.  

“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.

BOOSTER RAISED- SpaceX technicians rolled out and raised the Falcon 9 rocket vertical late Wednesday morning, May 13 in order to conduct successful nighttime static fire test of first stage engines at approximately 10:15 p.m. EDT May 13 at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, for Starlink-1 mission targeted for launch May 15, 2019 at 10:30 p.m. EDT.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Viewing was extremely difficult being at night and was barely visible with significant residual haze, limited pad illumination and drenching rainstorms and thundershowers which inundated the Florida Space Coast region all day and into the evening - including during tonight’s test.  

The Falcon 9 rocket was only rolled out and raised at pad 40 around lunchtime Monday during a brief break in the rain. It had not been raised by 10 a.m. as I observed first hand from a distance of more than 12 miles.

The test was conducted on the entire Falcon 9 rocket stack including the first batch of 60 SpaceX-built Starlink satellites housed inside the payload fairing bolted on top of the vehicle.

That’s a stark contrast to virtually all SpaceX static fire tests where its conducted minus the expensive payload to keep it safe in case of an explosion like happened with the AMOS-6 payload back in 2016. 

However by carrying out the hotfire test with the payload attached, the team can turn around the rocket more quickly for flight and enable the launch in two days time or less - as engineers evaluate and verify the rockets systems. 

Confirmation of a good test came about an hour later from SpaceX.

“Static fire test of Falcon 9 complete—targeting May 15 for launch of 60 Starlink satellites from Pad 40 in Florida,” SpaceX tweeted late Monday evening. 

SpaceX conducts successful nighttime static fire test of Falcon 9 first stage engines at approximately 10:15 p.m. EDT on May 13 with exhaust spewing out left from the flame trench at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, for Starlink-1 mission targeted for launch May 15, 2019 at 10:30 p.m. EDT.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com 

In the minutes leading up to the test I observed vigorous venting around 9:57 p.m. at the T Minus 20 minute mark and additional periods of venting in the final few minutes. 

The hold down static fire test is routinely carried by SpaceX engineers to ensure all is ready with the rocket.

During the engine test all nine Merlin 1D first stage engines are briefly ignited for several seconds.

The two stage Falcon 9 rocket which stands 229 feet (70 meters) tall. 

During Monday night’s hold down static fire test, the rocket’s first and second stages are fueled with liquid oxygen and RP-1 propellants just like an actual launch, and a simulated countdown was carried out to the point of a brief engine ignition lasting around 3 seconds or so.  

With the dark nighttime and hazy pad conditions I was barely able to observe the exhaust plume emitted from the Falcon 9 first stage in the moments after ignition.  I did not hear the rockets engines ruble several seconds later as the vapor cloud dissipated.   

The hold down engine test with the erected Falcon 9 rocket involved the ignition of all nine Merlin 1D first stage engines generating some 1.7 million pounds of thrust at pad 40 while the two stage rocket was restrained on the pad – including the Starlink-1 payload. 

1^st 60 SpaceX Starlink satellites loaded inside payload fairing for launch on Falcon 9 rocket on Starlink-1 mission targeted for launch May 15, 2019 at 10:30 p.m. EDT.  Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX CEO and billionaire founder Elon Musk had announced the hotfire test target of Monday May 13 and launch target of Wed May 15 last week.

He also confirmed the payload fairing was loaded to the gills with the first 60 Starlink satellites by releasing a photo – comparing that to the relatively empty fairing holding his Red Tesla from the maiden Falcon Heavy launch inside the same sized fairing. 

“First 60 @SpaceX Starlink satellites loaded into Falcon fairing. Tight fit,” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted May 11. 

Musk also confirmed these are production design satellites - unlike the demonstration unit “TinTin” satellites as were launched by SpaceX previously last year. 

“More details on day of launch, currently tracking to Wednesday," Musk elaborated. 

"These are production design, unlike our earlier Tintin demo sats.”

Nevertheless they are still experimental units with much to learn and likely improve upon in future manufacturing models. 

“Much will likely go wrong on 1st mission. Also, 6 more launches of 60 sats needed for minor coverage, 12 for moderate.”

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 

Currently the weather outlook for Wednesday evening is rather favorable - currently forecast as 80% GO !!

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.

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May 14-16: 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