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Starlink Group 15-27

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.

  • Phoenix, AZ798 kmSW, up to 20° from T+2:30Twilight plume (jellyfish)
  • Tucson, AZ934 kmSW, up to 21° from T+3:00Twilight plume (jellyfish)
  • Salt Lake City, UT1,025 kmSSW, up to 4° from T+4:00Twilight plume (jellyfish)
  • San Antonio, TX2,159 kmWSW, up to 4° from T+8:00Twilight plume (jellyfish)
  • Monterrey, Mexico2,184 kmW, up to 8° 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

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)
Sep 20, 01:47 UTC
Precision
Second
Window
Sep 20, 01:47 UTC – Sep 20, 05:47 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
635 / 636 successful
Success streak
338
First flight
2018-05-11
Reusable
Yes

Booster

  • B1093 — 17th flight. Landing (ASDS) on Of Course I Still Love You: landed.

Mission timeline

  1. T−38:00GO for Prop Load
  2. T−35:00Prop Load
  3. T−35:00Stage 1 LOX 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+08:01Stage 1 Landing Burn
  19. T+08:23Stage 1 Landing
  20. T+08:39SECO-1
  21. T+53:03SES-2
  22. T+53:04SECO-2
  23. T+1:01:55Starlink Deployment

This is the 227th orbital launch attempt worldwide this year, SpaceX's 111th launch this year, the 298th launch from Space Launch Complex 4E.

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 →