At 13:45 Beijing time on July 27, 2024 (01:45 EDT on July 27), the "Falcon 9" carrier rocket carried 10 groups of 9 batches (G10-9) 23 small second-generation "Starlink" satellites were launched at the LC-39A station at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and the satellites were successfully put into initial orbit.
The StarlinkG9-3 mission is the 50th batch launch of the Starlink low-orbit communication satellite constellation in 2024, and the 180th batch launch in total and the 93rd batch launch of the second-generation Starlink satellite (Starlink v2.0 mini). So far, the total number of "Starlink" satellites has reached 6,766, of which 1,116 will be launched in 2024.
The Falcon 9 rocket used the 17th flight of the first stage B1069.17, using the under-course recovery (ASDS), 8 minutes and 13 seconds after ignition and launch, the first stage landed on the JRTI automatic recovery ship located in the Atlantic Ocean, which is the 330th recovery landing of the first stage module of the "Falcon" rocket core (including return recovery). On the morning of June 8, Beijing time, the first-class B1069.16 carried out the Starlink G10-1 mission, 49 days after the launch mission.
This launch is the first launch of the Falcon series of rockets since the launch of the Starlink G9-3 mission failed on the morning of July 12, Beijing time. During the Starlink G9-3 mission, a leak of liquid oxygen at the end of the rocket prevented the Merlin engine from burning a second time to round the orbit, and 20 Starlink satellites were sent into orbit too low to maintain operation.
On July 25, Eastern time, SpaceX announced that it had identified the leak as a crack in the sensing circuit of the final (secondary) pressure sensor. The crack was caused by material fatigue caused by engine vibration and the failure of the clamp used to secure the wiring. The leak caused "excessive cooling" of engine components, which prevented the engine's TEA/TEB ignition fluid from being delivered properly, causing the temperature of the liquid oxygen and kerosene mixture to be too low, causing damage to some parts of the engine, and the engine underwent a "hard start" and finally failed to complete the second ignition.
SpaceX said that since data from the sensor is not needed, the line will be dismantled and software modifications will be made in a short-term solution. Next, there will be an investigation report on the upper-level (second-level) anomaly, which may reveal a long-term solution to the failure.
This launch is the 70th space launch of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle in orbit in 2024, the 14th launch from the Kennedy Space Center, the 83rd launch by the United States and the 134th launch in the world.
Author: Mulan Xingzhou