SpaceX sent up another batch of its Starlink Internet satellites on Friday (August 12).
SpaceX launched Group 3-3 of the Starlink constellation into orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 5:40 p.m. EDT (2140 GMT; 2:40 p.m. local time).
A Falcon 9 rocket launched the Starlink 46 spacecraft into space. About nine minutes after launch, the rocket’s first stage landed on top of an unmanned ship in the Pacific Ocean just under nine minutes after liftoff. The second stage was expected to deploy the satellites 63 minutes after launch, after the live transmission was complete.
Related: SpaceX’s Starlink megaconstellation launches in photos
SpaceX landed its Falcon 9 rocket successfully atop an unmanned spacecraft following an orbital deployment of Starlink on August 12, 2022 (Image: SpaceX)
The new group of satellites are part of Cluster 3, which orbits in an envelope that may be susceptible to “surges” of debris from a Russian anti-satellite test conducted in November 2021, according to a recent SpaceNews report (opens in new tab).
SpaceNews reported that space tracking company COMSPOC recently revealed an event called a “coupling flurry” during which 6,000 close approaches affected 841 Starlink satellites, representing about 30 percent of the SpaceX constellation.
Coincidence, according to COMSPOC standards, is defined as two orbiting objects coming within 6 miles (10 kilometers) of each other. SpaceX has not commented on whether any Starlinks have been affected, but in past discussions about space debris the company has emphasized that its satellites can maneuver to avoid nearby spacecraft or debris.
The Group 3 spacecraft (of SpaceX’s five layers of satellites) are in an orbit similar to other sun-synchronous satellites that have approached the Russian ASAT debris before, the COMSPOC report said.
Group 3 has an inclination of 97.6 degrees and an altitude of 347 miles (560 kilometers), according to Teslarati (opens in new tab). SpaceX has already sent two other Group 3 collections into orbit, on July 10 and July 22, both from Vandenberg.
SpaceX’s 36th launch of 2022 added to the ever-growing record for launches in a single year. The company also completed its 62nd consecutive first stage landing and 34th booster reflight in 2022.
Friday’s flight was the 10th for this particular Falcon 9 first stage, according to SpaceX’s mission statement (opens in new section).
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