Thursday, May 16, 2019

SpaceX Starlink 1 Launch Reset to May 16 After Hi Altitude Winds Force Scrub: Watch Live/Pad Photos


SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket raised vertical and poised for liftoff at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL on Starlink-1 mission targeted for launch May 16, 2019 at 10:30 p.m. EDT.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
Ken Kremer -- SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM – 16 May 2019

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, FL –  SpaceX’s maiden launch of the first batch of Starlink broadband internet satellites is now targeted for Thursday evening May 16 after excessively high upper altitude winds forced the team to scrub the liftoff in the final minutes of the countdown on Wednesday evening, May 15. 
Note: Launch scrubbed by SpaceX due to software issue with sats. New Target TBD

The launch was scrubbed at about 10:52 p.m. EDT some eight minutes of so before the already delayed liftoff time of 11 a.m. EDT.
Vigorous venting of LOX from SpaceX Falcon 9 just minutes before Starlink 1 launch scrub on May 15, 2019. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com 
Liftoff of the Starlink 1 mission is targeted for 10:30 p.m. EDT Thursday, May 16 (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 90% favorable and the upper level winds are lower.  

Enjoy our Space UpClose photos from pad 40. 
UpClose look at payload fairing housing 60 Starlink-1 satellites for launch on SpaceX Falcon 9 reset to May 16, 2019 at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com


SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket raised vertical and poised for liftoff at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL on Starlink-1 mission targeted for launch May 16, 2019 at 10:30 p.m. EDT.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
The Falcon 9 will launch the first batch of 60 Starlink broadband internet satellites to LEO on a recycled, twice flown Falcon 9 rocket. 

This also counts as the heaviest payload to date ever to launch on a Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy, said SpaceX CEO during our prelaunch media telecon.\\Over the 60 Starlink 1 satellites weigh 18.5 tons. 

UpClose look at landing legs and booster core on twice flown Falcon 9 rocket for 60 Starlink-1 satellites for launch by SpaceX reset to May 16, 2019 at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

UpClose look at landing legs on twice flown Falcon 9 rocket for 60 Starlink-1 satellites for launch by SpaceX reset to May 16, 2019 at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com



The Starlink constellation will eventually number in the thousands. The payload fairings are new said Elon Musk in a media telecon

Watch for our upcoming detailed story about Starlink

The launch window opens at 10:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday, May 16, or 2:30 UTC on May 17, and closes at 12:00 a.m. on May 17, or 4:00 UTC. A backup launch window opens on Friday, May 17 at 10:30 p.m. EDT, or 2:30 UTC on May 18, and closes at 12:00 a.m. on May 18, or 4:00 UTC.


SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket raised vertical and poised for liftoff at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL on Starlink-1 mission targeted for launch May 16, 2019 at 10:30 p.m. EDT.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
Falcon 9’s first stage for this mission previously supported the Telstar 18 VANTAGE mission in September 2018 and the Iridium-8 mission in January 2019. 

“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.

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

Watch my SpaceX launch commentary and rocket photos at this Fox 35 Orlando report from May 16 launch attempt:

http://www.fox35orlando.com/home/spacex-trying-again-for-launch-of-falcon-9-rocket
Dr. Ken Kremer/Space UpClose commentary about SpaceX Starlink-1 launch with Fox 35 WOFL Orlando TV News 
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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Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events


Ken’s upcoming outreach events:

May 16-17: 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

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