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Starlink Group 15-25

SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5 · Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

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Where it was visible

Daytime launch: visible as an exhaust trail near the pad.

  • San Antonio, TX2,159 kmWSW, up to 4° from T+8:00Twilight plume (jellyfish)
  • Corpus Christi, TX2,328 kmWSW, up to 4° from T+9:00Twilight plume (jellyfish)
  • McAllen, TX2,335 kmW, up to 5° from T+8:00Twilight plume (jellyfish)
  • Brownsville, TX2,415 kmW, up to 4° from T+9:00Twilight plume (jellyfish)
  • South Padre Island, TX2,433 kmW, up to 4° from T+9:00Twilight plume (jellyfish)
  • Santa Barbara, CA87 kmSW, up to 60° from T+1:00Exhaust trail in daylight
  • Los Angeles, CA227 kmSSW, up to 51° from T+1:00Exhaust trail in daylight
  • Fresno, CA246 kmSSE, up to 17° from T+1:30Exhaust trail in daylight
  • San Jose, CA322 kmSSE, up to 12° from T+1:30Exhaust trail in daylight
  • San Diego, CA384 kmSSW, up to 66° from T+1:30Exhaust trail in daylight

Estimates from a typical ascent toward the likely orbit. Real trajectories, cloud and haze vary; the farther away, the lower and shorter the view.

Mission

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.

Launch time (UTC)
Oct 13, 00:28 UTC
Precision
Second
Window
Oct 12, 23:00 UTC – Oct 13, 03:00 UTC
Orbit
LEO
Mission type
Communications
Pad
Space Launch Complex 4E

Rocket · Falcon 9 Block 5

Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit. The Block 5 variant is the fifth major interval aimed at improving upon the ability for rapid reusability.

Height
70 m
Diameter
3.65 m
Liftoff mass
549 t
Liftoff thrust
7,607 kN
To LEO
22,800 kg
To GTO
8,300 kg
Track record
639 / 640 successful
Success streak
342
First flight
2018-05-11
Reusable
Yes

Booster

  • B1088 — 20th flight. Landing (ASDS) on Of Course I Still Love You: landed.

Mission timeline

  1. T−38:00GO for Prop Load
  2. T−35:00Stage 1 LOX Load
  3. T−35:00Prop Load
  4. T−16:00Stage 2 LOX Load
  5. T−07:00Engine Chill
  6. T−01:00Tank Press
  7. T−01:00Startup
  8. T−00:45GO for Launch
  9. T−00:03Ignition
  10. T−0Liftoff
  11. T+01:08Max-Q
  12. T+02:26MECO
  13. T+02:29Stage 2 Separation
  14. T+02:36SES-1
  15. T+02:58Fairing Separation
  16. T+06:01Entry Burn Startup
  17. T+06:24Entry Burn Shutdown
  18. T+08:00Stage 1 Landing Burn
  19. T+08:23Stage 1 Landing
  20. T+08:39SECO-1
  21. T+53:05SES-2
  22. T+53:06SECO-2
  23. T+1:01:57Starlink Deployment

This is the 240th orbital launch attempt worldwide this year, SpaceX's 118th launch this year, the 302nd launch from Space Launch Complex 4E.

Launch time changes · 5

  1. Oct 12, 22:11 UTC Slipped +16.4m to Oct 13, 00:28 UTC
  2. Oct 12, 00:30 UTC Slipped +1.2h to Oct 13, 00:11 UTC
  3. Oct 8, 14:16 UTC Slipped +1d to Oct 12, 23:00 UTC
  4. Oct 7, 21:06 UTC Slipped +1d to Oct 11, 23:00 UTC
  5. Sep 30, 23:25 UTC Slipped +7h to Oct 10, 23:00 UTC

Next from Vandenberg

  • Go for Launch
    Starlink Group 15-15

    SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5 · Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

  • Go for Launch
    Starlink Group 15-16

    SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5 · Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Full Vandenberg schedule →