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Starlink 4-12Launches of the year: 30 total, 18 from US

Vyacheslav Yermolin, March 19, 2022

Falcon 9 / Starlink 4-12 mission:

Starlink 4-12 - launch of 53 communications satellites into orbital shell #4. 43rd Starlink mission. For SpaceX's Starlink low-orbit commercial internet system.

Link to image Falcon 9/Starlink 4-12

Motto:

"Internet from orbit for the whole Earth - money for Mars."

There is no official motto.

Start time and place:

March 19, 2022 at 04:42 UTC

Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40), Space Force base at Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA

Launch vehicle:

Falcon 9 (Block 5). F9-145 Serial number B1051-12 (twelfth flight). Partially reusable two-stage launch vehicle of the medium (reusable version) class. Payload weight up to 15,600 kg. SpaceX main launch vehicle.

Payload: 53 Starlink v1.5 satellites.

The mass of the satellite is 295 kg. Total weight PN 15,635 kg. Compact design. One solar battery. 4 FAR antennas. Krypton ion thrusters. Navigation sensors Star Tracker. Waste avoidance system. Intersatellite laser communication system.

Formation of the fourth Starlink orbital shell (1,584 vehicles are planned, about 30 launches) of the first stage of the system deployment (4,408 satellites). Satellites in a circular orbit 540 km high with an inclination of 53.2 degrees. Work in Ka-/Ku-bands. Laser communication between satellites (4 directions on each satellite).

Orbit:

Final LEO orbit: 550 x 550 km x 53.22°.

Initial LEO orbit: 303 x 317 km x 53.22°.

Interesting:

- 30th orbital launch attempt in 2022. One accident.

- 11th SpaceX launch in 2022.

- 1st 12th flight of the first stage of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle

- The maximum payload weight for the Falcon 9 into orbit is 16,250 kg.

- 145th Falcon 9 launch. One emergency launch. One accident on the ground (AMOC-6).

- The total number of Starlink satellites launched into orbit is 2,335.

- There are about 1,576 working satellites in target orbits.

Link to image Falcon 9/Starlink 4-12

Information from Everyday Astronaut

Article from the NSF portal

Personal opinion:

Starlink satellites of various modifications and versions were launched into orbit 2,335 (with the current mission). 1576 satellites are in their working orbits. The rest are in orbit recovery, drifting or out of order (249 satellites out of order or deorbited). The first orbital shell (1584) of the first deployment phase (4408) is practically formed.

The 12th flight of the first stage is an achievement of the concept of reusable use. Initially, Elon Musk marked the limit of 10 stage launches before the overhaul. There is no information about the "overhaul" of the stage. As there is no confirmed information about the volume and composition of "inter-flight service". Space for speculation - from "brushed off the dust and flew" to "prepare for launch almost like making a new one."

Again, an ambiguous figure was heard from Elon Musk (everything he likes) - "the heaviest Falcon 9 payload" - 16,250 kg. Those. the weight of the Starlink v1.5 satellite has increased from 295 kg (as previously assumed) to 306 kg (consider it now). The uncertainty is that there is no unequivocal answer - what goes into this mass (only satellites, satellites with a mounting system ...).

Links to the current status of the Starlink constellation

Wiki

CelesTrak

Starlink Statistics. Jonathan's Space Report

Starlink 4-12Launches of the year: 30 total, 18 from US