Falcon 9 rises from Vandenberg

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER

NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 soared Friday from Vandenberg Space Force Base, carrying 51 more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit.

The first stage booster supporting this mission has previously launched Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART and six Starlink missions.

A small crowd along Harris Grade Road in Lompoc watched as the rocket took off at 11:12 a.m. on a clear day from Space Complex Launch Complex-4.

At one minute and six seconds after the launch, Falcon 9 exceeded the speed of sound. At 1:12, MAX Q occurred. MAX Q is the most amount of external stresses experienced by the vehicle while ascending through Earth’s atmosphere.

MECO or first-stage main engine cutoff occurred at 2:33 into the mission. This is where all nine of the merlin 1D engines on the first stage shut down. Stage separation of the first and second stages occurred at 2:35. SES-1 or second stage engine start-up occurred at 2:42.

The separation of the two fairing halves was confirmed at 2:50.

Stage one entry burn startup occurred at 6 minutes, 46 seconds. Engines one, five, and nine were ignited to slow down for re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere. Stage one entry burn completed at 7:04. Stage one reached transonic (traveling near the speed of sound) at 7:50.

Stage one landing burn started at 8:19. Stage one landing legs deployed at 8:38.

Falcon 9 successfully landed on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You at eight minutes and 45 seconds after takeoff, with cheers and applause from the control room.

This marks the 172nd overall landing of an orbital-class rocket. Nine minutes after take off, nominal orbital insertion of Starlink satellites occurred.

The Starlink mission is to provide internet access to 48 countries. email: kzehnder@newspress.com