SpaceX initially planned to launch this batch of Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral last week on October 8, but wind conditions forced the company to stand down and reschedule.

The launch was pushed back to this week, and as SpaceX waited for favorable conditions, it pushed today’s launch back from 5:20 P.M. EDT to 7:52 P.M. without giving an explanation.

The launch was pushed back once again and scheduled for 8:39 P.M. EDT.

Less than 30 minutes until Falcon 9’s launch of 22 @Starlink satellites from Florida. Weather is looking good for liftoff→ https://t.co/bJFjLCiTbK

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 18, 2023

SpaceX broadcasted the launch live on X, formerly known as Twitter, this evening, and all went according to plan.

Falcon 9 launched following a smooth countdown at 8:39 P.M. EDT.

Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/WK5xe5EgSL

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 18, 2023

Following stage separation at roughly 8:41 P.M. EDT, the first stage landed on the “Just Read the Instructions” droneship, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship pic.twitter.com/uBrRt1Elwg

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 18, 2023

This was the 16th launch for the B1062 booster, with its past efforts including. GPS III Space Vehicle 04, GPS III Space Vehicle 05, Inspiration4, Ax-1, Nilesat 301, OneWeb Launch 17, ARABSAT BADR-8, and eight previous Starlink missions.

SpaceX has over 5,000 Starlink satellites in orbit now, providing high-speed internet with speeds of over 200 Mbps to various regions around the world.

We continue our live streaming to X… Tonight SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Starlink 6-23 Mission. https://t.co/gTFnGnEFCy

— Chris Bergin – NSF (@NASASpaceflight) October 18, 2023

SpaceX has also signed several contracts with companies that have opted to use the Starlink service to provide stable and effective internet service in various parts of the world.

Last week, Maersk agreed to terms with SpaceX to equip Starlink on 330 own-operated container vessels, providing high-speed internet to crew for things like entertainment, video calls, and cloud-based data tracking.

Next, SpaceX will look to secure a launch license for the IFT-2 mission from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which will be the second test flight of Super Heavy and Starship.

SpaceX will use Starship to launch V2 and hopefully V3 Starlink Satellites “roughly a year from now,” CEO Elon Musk said, according to Space Flight Now.

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Set for launch on October 8, SpaceX was forced to scrub the mission as upper-level winds proved to be too much of a risk for what was supposed to be the first of two launches for the evening.

The other launch, which set 21 Starlink satellites into orbit from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base at 3:23 A.M. EDT on Monday morning.

SpaceX planned to launch Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral on Monday, October 9 and had additional slots on Tuesday morning, October 10, but the launch ultimately never took place.

However, SpaceX is in line to launch Falcon 9 this evening at 7:52 P.M. EDT from Cape Canaveral. Initially, the launch was scheduled to take place at 5:20 P.M. EDT, but SpaceX shifted the launch time to 7:52 P.M. and did not give any reason for the shift in time.

Targeting Tuesday, October 17 for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 @Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Florida → https://t.co/bJFjLCiTbK

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 16, 2023

There are also six other opportunities available for SpaceX tomorrow, Wednesday, October 18, starting at 4:55 P.M. EDT until 8:23 P.M.

SpaceX wrote regarding the mission:

“This is the 16th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched GPS III Space Vehicle 04, GPS III Space Vehicle 05, Inspiration4, Ax-1, Nilesat 301, OneWeb Launch 17, ARABSAT BADR-8, and eight Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.”

There are over 5,000 Starlink satellites in orbit currently, offering high-speed internet to those who have paid for SpaceX’s offering. Last week, Maersk, a worldwide logistics company, announced that it had come to terms with SpaceX to enable internet access on 330 own-operated container vessels, giving the crew the ability to use speeds of over 200 Mbps.

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Liftoff officially happened at 10:19 A.M. EDT, as Falcon Heavy’s 27 first-stage Merlin engines launched NASA’s Psyche probe toward an asteroid under the same name. Psyche won’t reach the asteroid until July 2029, according to Space.com.

Liftoff of Falcon Heavy!

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 13, 2023

“This is the beginning of a suite of amazing science missions we have coming up on Falcon Heavy,” Julianna Scheiman, Director of Civil Satellite Missions at SpaceX, said during a post-launch briefing.

The probe will travel 2.2 billion miles over its six-year journey.

The spacecraft will now travel six years and ~2.2 billion miles to the asteroid Psyche, currently orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter https://t.co/29bfT6fod2

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 13, 2023

The Launch

About 150 seconds after launch, Falcon Heavy’s side boosters cut their engines off, detached from the central core stage, and made their way back to Florida.

Four minutes after liftoff, the core booster shut down and separated from the Falcon Heavy’s second stage. This was responsible for carrying Psyche the rest of the way to orbital escape velocity, Space.com said.

The core booster was not saved as others have been in the past. Instead, SpaceX allotted maximum fuel as Psyche’s trajectory needed to be ensured. The core was destroyed and is in the sea.

By the eighth minute post-liftoff, Falcon Heavy’s side boosters activated their landing burns and touched down a few seconds later at SpaceX’s Landing Zones 1 and 2, which are “several miles downrange from Pad 39A.”

Falcon Heavy’s side boosters have landed pic.twitter.com/2yn0lpEkHt

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 13, 2023

It took just over 62 minutes for Psyche to be deployed from Falcon Heavy’s upper stage.

Psyche Asteroid

The Psyche Asteroid is one of the most metal-rich in our solar system, and NASA Science Mission Directorate Nicola Fox talked about the agency’s mission recently:

“Psyche is by far the largest, and that’s why we want to go to it because the smaller ones are more likely to have been changed by things impacting them, whereas the big one, we think, is going to be completely unchanged.”

The Psyche Asteroid measures 173 miles across and 144 miles long. Its exact appearance is unknown, but scientists know it’s covered in nickel and iron.

Once NASA’s Psyche probe reaches the asteroid, it will be responsible for 21 months of mapping and analyzing the surface.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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Maersk announced this morning that more than 330 own-operated container vessels will now have Starlink installed, enabling the fleet to access high-speed internet with speeds at over 200 Mbps.

The logistics company said the deal with SpaceX’s Starlink service “is a leap forward in terms of internet speed and latency, which will bring significant benefits in terms of both crew welfare and business impact.”

Maersk signs deal with Starlink for its Ocean fleet – bringing high speed satellite internet connectivity developed by @SpaceX.
Learn more here: https://t.co/j89Y82IXwA#Maersk #starlink #digitisation #data #connectivity pic.twitter.com/PN8UjJHlIa

— Maersk (@Maersk) October 12, 2023

The deal will not only improve internet service for Maersk employees on board any of their ships, but it will also provide cost-saving measure by giving cloud-based business applications to a more reliable and strengthened ISP. This gives stronger remote support and will improve inspections of the vessels.

Maersk’s Head of Fleet Management and Tech, Leonardo Sonzio, said:

“We are excited to announce our journey with Starlink to provide state-of-the-art connectivity to our sea-going colleagues. The highspeed connectivity will enable our seagoing colleagues to stay connected with their loved ones while at sea. It will also propel the expansion of seamless cloud solutions, enabling our vision to digitalize our vessel operations.”

Starlink has landed several deals with large-scale companies and provides internet access from many areas where service is not quite as strong and robust as some companies want or need.

Crew members will also be able to hold video calls for professional and personal reasons and will have access to more stable and higher-quality connections, allowing for high-definition video.

“Maersk’s vessels are key to global trade, and Starlink’s high-speed broadband through the world’s most advanced satellite internet constellation will help boost efficiency through seamless connectivity no matter where in the world they are,” Starlink’s VP of Commercial Sales, Jonathan Hofeller, said.

SpaceX launched 21 additional Starlink satellites from the Vandenburg Space Force Base at 3:23 A.M. EDT on Monday morning.

SpaceX reschedules Starlink launch for 22 more satellites

The launch of 22 satellites from Cape Canaveral in Florida was delayed due to upper-level winds. There are over 5,000 Starlink satellites in orbit currently.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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On Sunday night, high winds caused a 24-hour delay in the launch, which was set to be the first of two back-to-back Starlink launches for SpaceX.

Standing down from tonight’s Falcon 9 launch attempt due to upper level winds, teams are assessing the next available opportunity

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 9, 2023

This launch was set to take place from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Sunday night, with the second launch set to be from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base at 3:23 A.M. EDT on Monday morning.

The California launch from a different Falcon 9 spacecraft launched 21 Starlink satellites earlier today. The launch from California was the 71st orbital launch of the year. When the launch from Cape Canaveral takes flight, it will be the 72nd.

Falcon 9 launches 21 @Starlink satellites to orbit from California pic.twitter.com/4gEHa07JPJ

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 9, 2023

SpaceX is prepared for potential delays in this evening’s launch, as it has also announced four additional backup opportunities that span from 9:32 p.m. EDT until 12:10 a.m. EDT, the latter time taking place early Tuesday morning, October 10.

After the launch, Falcon 9’s first stage will return for a vertical landing at sea on A Shortfall of Gravitas about 8 and a half minutes after launch, according to Space.com.

There were no issues with the launch from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base this morning, and the launch went according to plan.

Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/dhvM12Z1nQ

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 9, 2023

The first stage landed on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship after a successful launch.

SpaceX will broadcast the launch from Cape Canaveral this evening on X, formerly known as Twitter.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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SpaceX is no longer absorbing the cost of the antennas, which is a result of scaling production and expanding its service, which was activated in 2019 when the first 60 satellites were launched.

Hofeller called the mass production of the terminals “one of our keys to success.”

“We were subsidizing terminals, but we’ve been iterating on our terminal production so much that we’re no longer subsidizing terminals, which is a good place to be,” Hofeller said at the World Satellite Business Week conference, according to a report from CNBC.

Starlink satellite manufacturing was initially at a cost of about $3,000 for each antenna unit. By early 2021, SpaceX had decreased that number to about $1,300 per unit. This is still more than double what a terminal costs for a consumer, which is $599.

It appears that now, SpaceX has either matched or beaten that $599 price with its cost of manufacturing a single unit based on Hofeller’s comments. Scalability has been the name of the game with several of Elon Musk’s companies. While most people think of Tesla as a company that had to scale to reach breakeven and then profitability, SpaceX is on the same ship.

As a whole, SpaceX has turned a profit in the past, and it took place in Q1 2023.

Starlink has been one of the biggest expenditures for SpaceX, and in 2021, Musk said that the program had a long way to go before it would become “financially viable.”

Starlink launches are now happening several times per month, and Hofeller commented that the influx of satellite orbits per month “is insane.”

Over 5,000 Starlink satellites have been launched so far, and over 4,500 are still in orbit, giving people all across the world access to high-speed internet.

SpaceX launches 22 Starlink satellites, brings total launched over 5,000

Starlink has also been used to help those involved in natural disasters, like the recent wildfires in Hawaii.

SpaceX shipped more than 650 Starlink kits to more than 40 organizations to help support recovery efforts for those who lost their homes due to the fires.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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The mission, Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer, launched back in September 2016 atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V to begin its journey to the near-Earth asteroid and after a 2-year trip through space arrived in orbit around Bennu in December 2018.

The orbiter proceeded to study the asteroid for nearly 2 more years, searching for a proper site to conduct its touch-and-go landing in order to collect a viable sample of the asteroid. After a thorough scan of the celestial body, sometimes orbiting less than a mile above the surface, NASA selected its location and commanded the orbiter to lower itself to the surface for the sample.

Well, I definitely touched down on Bennu!

Preliminary data show the sampling head touched Bennu’s surface for approximately 6 seconds, within 3 feet (1 meter) of the targeted location. #ToBennuAndBack

More details: https://t.co/4rBrB27FEZ pic.twitter.com/LjDQICmxJM

— NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (@OSIRISREx) October 21, 2020

The goal of the mission was to collect 2.1 ounces of regolith. After the maneuver was completed, the orbiter backed away from Bennu with its sample. It wasn’t smooth sailing, though, as the lid for the sample tube did not have a perfect seal and was leaking back out into space. When mission controllers saw this, they commanded the spacecraft to store the tube in the Sample Return Capsule.

At first, the teams did not know if they managed to get the 2.1-ounce sample, but after measurements, they determined they had at least 8.1 ounces of regolith from Bennu, according to Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator from the University of Arizona, Tucson.

Once the sample was confirmed to be secured in the capsule, OSIRIS-REx left the orbit of Bennu in May 2021 for its trip back to Earth.

Back on the ground in Utah, recovery teams have now run multiple test runs of recovery day, including multiple drop simulations from an aircraft and practicing to make sure the sample is handled carefully and not contaminated after landing.

Teams will conduct a go/no go poll prior to the Sample Return Capsules release from the orbiter, and if for some reason a no is given, they won’t have a chance to recover the sample until 2025 after a risky trip near the Sun.

Once a go is given, the capsule will be released from the orbiter 4 hours before the scheduled re-entry. The capsule will hit the atmosphere at 27,000 miles per hour, followed by a parachute being deployed and a soft touchdown at 10 miles per hour. The orbiter will perform a maneuver after release so it doesn’t enter the atmosphere and will undertake a brand new mission to study the asteroid Apophis.

Scientists hope to get a better understanding of how the Earth and Solar System formed, and a successful sample return will produce a ton of exciting discoveries.

Questions or comments? Shoot me an email at rangle@teslarati.com, or Tweet me @RDAnglePhoto.

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SpaceX launched missile warning satellites – After a few technical delays, SpaceX launched 13 military communications for the Space Development Agency, including a couple that could have been built by SpaceX that is based on the Starlink satellite bus. Due to the national security element of this mission, that has yet to be confirmed.

Falcon 9 launches @SemperCitiusSDA’s second Tranche 0 mission and the first stage returns to Earth, completing SpaceX’s 61st mission of 2023 and matching our total number of launches last year pic.twitter.com/VHFamcuIpH

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 2, 2023

Firefly ready for Victus Nox mission – Firefly Aerospace announced they have entered the “hot standby phase” of the Victus Nox mission. Both the launch provider and payload provider, Millenium Space Systems, are now at the ready, waiting for word from the United States Space Force to execute a launch within 24 hours of notice.

SpaceX launches 9 times in 1 month – SpaceX launched Starlink mission 6-13, capping off 9 launches in 1 month. SpaceX launched the Crew 7 mission to the ISS, 146 Starlink satellites, and a communication satellite in August. All while conducting extensive testing on Starship in Texas.

SpaceX breaks their record, launches for 62nd time – SpaceX kicked September off with their 62nd launch of the year, breaking their company record set last year. SpaceX has 4 more months of launches left and could see the total rise close to 100 launches. Elon Musk had stated they wanted 100 launches in 2023, and it is looking very likely that they could.

Crew 6 returns from ISS – After a 6-month stay at the International Space Station, Crew 6 returned home for a smooth splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean off of the coast of Jacksonville, Florida. The capsule left a trail of plasma over the Central Florida skies as it re-entered the atmosphere, putting on an amazing show for those on the ground.

Crew 6 streaks through the skies ahead of splashdown (Credit Richard Angle)

What was your favorite story from last week? Do you think SpaceX will hit 100 launches or get close to it?

Thanks for reading the Weekly Space Recap!

Questions or comments? Shoot me an email at rangle@teslarati.com, or Tweet me @RDAnglePhoto.

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After undocking from the International Space Station at 7:05 a.m. ET (11:05 UTC) Sunday, September 3rd, the capsule began firing its Draco thrusters in small bursts to move safely away. Crew Dragon performed a series of small departure burns to leave the “keep out sphere” that is around the Space Station.

Undocking confirmed! Now in orbital nighttime, #Crew6 are on the way home in their @SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft.

Reentry and splashdown coverage begins at 11pm ET tonight (0300 UTC Sept. 3)—tune in to watch here and at https://t.co/z1RgZwQkWS. pic.twitter.com/pS6fRu687a

— NASA (@NASA) September 3, 2023

Over the next few hours after leaving the Space Station, Crew 6 began preparing for the fiery re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere. The trunk, which provides power to the Capsule, was jettisoned shortly, followed by the de-orbit burn. This burn lasted 16 minutes and slowed the capsule down from its orbital velocity, allowing the spacecraft to begin its journey home.

The entry interface began while traveling over Southern Mexico, with plasma building around the capsule from the friction created during entry. Endeavour continued on, passing over the West coast of Florida and crossing over the state near Jacksonville. The splashdown site was a couple of hundred miles off of the coast where the drogue chutes deployed, followed by the four main parachutes, which slowed the capsule down to ~15 miles per hour.

Splashdown of Dragon confirmed – welcome back to Earth, Steve, @Astro_Woody, Andrey, and @Astro_Alneyadi! pic.twitter.com/ph27m0wP30

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 4, 2023

SpaceX’s fast boats then moved in to clear the parachutes, check for any leaks from the Draco fuel system, and attach the recovery harness that is used to hoist the capsule out of the water. It took approximately an hour from splashdown to crew exit from Endeavour. Crew 6 was then given a quick medical check before they boarded a helicopter for a ride back to Jacksonville and then a short flight to Houston.

Crew 6 consisted of NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, United Arab Emirates astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. They completed 2,976 orbits around Earth, accumulating over 78 million miles during their 185 days in space.

Crew Dragon Endeavour completed its 4th flight to the ISS, and it will now be brought back to Port Canaveral ahead of refurbishment and assignment of its next mission to the Space Station. Crew Dragon capsules are currently rated for five missions, but SpaceX and NASA are looking at extending those to 15. The next mission for Endeavour will be Crew 8 in 2024.

Questions or comments? Shoot me an email at rangle@teslarati.com, or Tweet me @RDAnglePhoto.

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The 62nd launch comes with four months still remaining in the year and plenty of launches still left on the schedule. SpaceX could approach the low 90s by year’s end. SpaceX is far ahead of any other launch provider when it comes to mass to orbit, mostly due to numerous Starlink launches.

Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/p7oPfd3eMW

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 4, 2023

Elon Musk has stated they want to launch 100 in a year, and the only thing that seems to stand in the way of that goal is vehicle and payload availability. SpaceX currently has 17 flight-proven Falcon 9 first-stage rockets in various stages of readiness. A few of those are assigned as Falcon Heavy side boosters.

Along with the 17 Falcon 9 rockets at the ready, there are multiple new Falcon 9s and Falcon Heavy center cores in progress as well, so vehicle availability should not pose a problem for the company.

As for the 21 Starlink satellites launched last night, they separated from the 2nd stage an hour and five minutes after lift-off, and they were inserted into a 43-degree orbital inclination.

This mission kicked off what could be another busy month for SpaceX, having just come off a nine-launch campaign in August. September could see up to eight launches, including the possibility of a Starship test launch. Starship still has work to do, but there are notices for a mid to late-month launch of the massive rocket.

Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship pic.twitter.com/oLysbrAl9e

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 4, 2023

After launching from Launch Complex 39A, Booster 1073 landed on the droneship “Just Read the Instructions,” completing its 10th mission to space and back. It was also the 149th successful Falcon recovery in a row.

The next launch for SpaceX will be another Starlink mission from Florida, currently scheduled for NET September 8th.

With SpaceX breaking their launch record and four more months left in the year, how many do you think they could achieve for 2023? The sky isn’t the limit anymore.

Questions or comments? Shoot me an email at rangle@teslarati.com, or Tweet me @RDAnglePhoto.

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