SpaceX launched 51 Starlink satellites on Tuesday, 14 September at 0355 GMT from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. This was the tenth launch and landing of this Falcon 9 first stage booster (B1049). The first stage then successfully landed on the drone barge “Of Course I Still Love You” which was stationed down range in the Pacific Ocean. This was the first time OCISLY drone barge has supported a West coast mission. This first stage booster had previously been used for launching TELSTAR 18 VANTAGE/APSTAR 5C in September 2018, IRIDIUM NEXT-167 to 180 on 11 January 2019, along with seven additional Starlink missions. All 51 Starlink satellites on this mission were successfully deployed. These Starlinks are SpaceX’s first dedicated polar mission satellites and the first to adopt the new V1.5 platform design that includes inter-satellite laser links which will help boost performance, coverage and reliability.
Fairing separation – Courtesy: SpaceX
NRC Quest, the SpaceX Pacific Ocean Support ship was tasked with the recovery of the re-usable fairing halves from the water. This was the third launch for one half of the carbon fibre monocoque fairing and the second launch for the other half.
