BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A 230-foot SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket delivered dozens of Starlink internet satellites into orbit Friday, just hours after astronauts returned from the International Space Station.
The 5:42 a.m. ET launch from Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center marked the 45th dedicated flight for Starlink, a SpaceX-built satellite network that provides internet connectivity to users on the ground. The rocket’s first stage, performing its 12th mission, was recovered by the Shortfall of Gravitas drone shortly after liftoff.
SpaceX has launched some 2,500 satellites for Starlink. However, due to declining orbits and malfunctions, the constellation has about 2,000 satellites.
A post-launch “jellyfish effect”, caused by the illumination of the rocket’s exhaust plume high in the atmosphere, formed as expected but was not visible from some popular viewing locations due to thin layers of scattered clouds.
The return of the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule
Five hours before Falcon 9, meanwhile, four astronauts who launched from the same exact pad late last year returned safely to Earth in their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.
NASA’s Kayla Barron, Raja Chari, Thomas Marshburn and Matthias Maurer of the European Space Agency touched down in the Gulf of Mexico at 12:43 p.m. ET after six months aboard the International Space Station. Their Crew-3 mission was the fourth crewed flight for SpaceX under contract with NASA.
After teams recovered the Crew Dragon capsule named “Endurance”, the four astronauts were transported to the mainland by helicopter. Barron, Chari and Marshburn hopped on a NASA jet bound for Houston, while Maurer flew back to Europe.
The capsule fell into calm waters just off Tampa.
NASA eyes June for SLS test
NASA officials confirmed on Thursday that repair work on the Space Launch System’s lunar rocket was proceeding as planned at KSC’s Vehicle Assembly Building.
If schedules hold, SLS could be rolled out to pad 39B a second time sometime in mid to late May, followed by more testing in early June. This timeline hinges on determining two issues that have impacted four previous attempts to fuel the rocket during the “wetsuit rehearsal.”
The WDR is essentially a fictional countdown that includes all hands practicing roles and ensuring the rocket can handle refueling. Early attempts to complete the test were halted due to a second-stage valve problem and problems getting enough nitrogen from Air Liquide, an industrial gas producer that operates a plant just south from KSC.
After previous tests, NASA officials decided to bring SLS back to VAB on April 26. The faulty helium valve was replaced, although officials noted that a piece of rubber debris was found inside; teams are investigating its source.
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In the meantime, Air Liquide is strengthening its ability to supply nitrogen to pad 39B, a critical gas used to purge other gases from a specific area. To complicate the job, the company is supplying nitrogen to the entire center as well as the nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
“Our system has a higher demand because of the size of the vehicle,” Jim Free, NASA associate administrator for exploration systems, told reporters on a conference call. “I would say it’s high on their priority list.”
“They’ve never done anything to affect a launch since Apollo. I’m sure no group feels more responsible than that for them and the people at Kennedy who work with them,” Free said.
If progress continues at its current rate, SLS could launch its first mission – Artemis I – during a window that spans August 23-29. Artemis I’s Orion capsule will fly unmanned as it orbits the moon and returns to Earth. All subsequent missions will include astronauts.
NASA’s Artemis program aims to put astronauts back on the Moon by 2025.
Follow Emre Kelly on Twitter @EmreKelly.