SpaceX appears to be targeting the launch of two separate Falcon 9 rockets less than 11 hours later after the pad sensor canceled the company’s recent Starlink-12 launch attempt.
Starlink’s twelfth operational launch for SpaceX and the thirteenth overall, the mission now reaches its fourth aborted launch attempt after a weather delay on September 17, an unspecified delay on September 27, a weather delay on September 29, and a delay of ground systems on October 1. . The Starlink-12 launch from the Kennedy Space Center 39A (KSC Pad 39A) launch complex is now scheduled no later than (NET) 8:34 a.m. EST (12:34 UTC) on Saturday October 3.
In the first place, though, the launch of the updated GPS III satellite from SpaceX (Spacecraft 04) for the US military – was already ready for launch a few days ago after the Falcon 9 static rocket launch on September 25. Postponed from September 29-30 due to United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy NROL-44 launch delays, SpaceX has confirmed that Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch for GPS III SV04 NET launch 9:43 PM EST (1:43 PM ET) Global) on Friday, October 2.
The only reason SpaceX would be able to consider trying to launch the East Coast Falcon 9 by hours is because of the activation of a second unmanned vessel (formerly based in California) earlier this year. Known as Just Read The Instructions (JRTI), the drone ship has been upgraded with expanded energy production and stronger motives and joined Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) in Port Canaveral, Florida. JRTI completed its first enhanced East Coast Falcon landing in June 2020 and both vessels have more or less recovery attempts in the months that followed.
While SpaceX can technically launch East Coast missions almost simultaneously by landing one booster at sea and the other on land, the required performance of the Falcon 9 for GPS III SV04 and Starlink-12 necessitates landing unmanned ships for both missions. Coincidentally, the mission launch paths are very similar, which means that the JRTI (GPS III SV04) and OCISLY (Starlink-12) UAV are stationed approximately 50 km (~ 30 mi) in the Atlantic Ocean.
The twin rescue vessels GO Ms. Tree and GO Ms. Chief – equipped with giant grilles – is at least one of the two missions, with each attempting to capture one of the Falcon 9 payload halves.
If both missions launch on schedule and the Falcon 9 B1062 (GPS III SV04) and B1058 booster successfully aboard their drone ships, SpaceX could end up with two drone ships – both carrying Falcon boosters – to return to Port Canaveral in the same Around time, it might have created the first Falcon Booster traffic jam.
The weather is currently 70% and 60% going to launch SpaceX’s GPS III SV04 and Starlink-12. Listen at around 9:25 PM EST (01:25 UTC) to capture the first two online broadcasts of the SpaceX launch.
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