SpaceX kicks off 2023 with the launch of over a hundred satellites.

'Transporter 6' is the first launch of 2023, Falcon 9 B1060.15 launched from Cape Canaveral with one hundred and fourteen satellites.

Rocket took off from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral

SpaceX launched 114 payloads into space at 09:56 ET (14:55:55.990 UTC) today, Tuesday, January 3, 2023, as the Falcon 9 Block carrier rocket lifts off 5 v1.2 FT No. B1060. 15 in the Transporter-6 mission. The 568-ton rocket was launched from the SLC-40 Complex at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. After separation, the 'core' B1060 landed in Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1), on the ground, near to the launch site in the Cape Canaveral.

Landing of B1060-15 at LZ-1 photo Credit: SpaceX

The initial target orbit had a perigee of 229 km, circularized in two second-stage engine burns to 525 +/- 25 km, inclined at 97.5 +/- 0.1 degrees to the equator.

Recovery of the fairing shells was to take place approximately 600 km downrange of the launch site, in the ocean off the Bahamas, by the support vessel Bob. The second stage is to re-enter over the Indian Ocean near Madagascar, midway through its third orbit.

First stage descends for landing powered by its central Merlin 1D Plus engine. This 'core' stage previously launched GPS satellites III-3, Turksat 5A, Flight Transporter-2, Intelsat G-33/G-34 and ten Starlink launch.

Transporter 6 is a dedicated satellite-sharing mission in SpaceX's SmallSat Rideshare Program that offers small satellite operators regularly scheduled sharing missions to Sun-Synchronous Orbits, or SSO, for ESPA-class payloads for $275,000 per mission, including up to 50 kg of individual payload mass. There are at least 114 payloads on this flight, including cubesats, microsats, picosats and orbital transfer vehicles that will carry spacecraft for later release.

Payloads in the mission

The list of customers for this mission includes companies such as Spaceflight a provider of launch and mission management services that promise routine and cost-effective access to space; the ISL, the Launcher with an Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) to place small satellites into orbit via dedicated and shared launch; Momentus Inc. US commercial space company that provides transportation and other space infrastructure services, Orbit D and SpaceX itself.

Payloads (satellites, embedded equipment, exposed experiments, OTV's, ejectors, etc.) to be carried on a mission of this type must, at SpaceX's request, meet requirements such as:

Payloads must be cleaned in accordance with VCHS standards in accordance with the NASA standard SNC005D before integration.

Image of one of the second stage's two on-board cameras showing the mounting bracket and satellites mounted on individual ejectors and one of the ExoPod tandem dispensers, just after entry into initial orbit

Non-metallic materials used in the construction of the satellite, which will be exposed to vacuum, must not exceed a total mass loss of 1.0% and volatile condensable matter must be less than 0.1% when tested to ASTM E595. This includes avoiding the use of markers, pens, and ink pens to mark the payload. A complete list of non-metallic materials exposed to vacuum, including quantities (surface area or mass) must be submitted to SpaceX for analysis. Any excess will be evaluated and approved on a case-by-case basis.

Metallic Materials – Customer selection of metallic materials includes consideration of corrosion, product wear, shedding, and flaking in order to reduce particulate contamination. 'Exotic' metals are avoided unless they are adequately protected against galvanic corrosion.

The satellite will not create particles during the vibroacoustic ascent environment – ​​that is, the spacecraft must not release fragments or particles if subjected to vibration at launch, so as not to contaminate the interior of the hood. Engaging any separation mechanism close to any other satellite or rocket mechanism must not create a mess.

Payload Release: The ejection system will not include the use of unrestrained pyrotechnics (eg frangible bolts). The satellite propulsion systems will not be operated in the vicinity (within 1 km) of other passenger aircraft.

Among the materials that should not be used: are cadmium parts, cadmium-plated parts, zinc plating, mercury, compounds containing mercury, pure tin or electroplating (except when alloyed with lead, antimony, or bismuth); As for silicone sensitivity, all silicone rubbers or RTV silicones likely to transfer to the other satellites or to the second stage of the Falcon rocket require SpaceX approval, coordination, and notification prior to use.

LAUNCH TIMELINE

All approximate times

hh:min:ss Evento

00:00:00 Lift off

00:01:12 Max Q (moment of maximum stress on the rocket)

00:02:17 Cutting of the first stage main engines (MECO)

00:02:20 separate first and second stages

00:02:28 Second stage engine ignition

00:02:33 First stage boostback ignition starts

00:03:20 End of first stage boostback ignition

00:03:46 Head fairing release

00:06:44 First stage re-entry ignition starts

00:07:07 End of first stage re-entry ignition

00:07:58 First stage landing ignition begins

00:08:23 Second stage engine cut (SECO)

00:08:30 First stage core landing

00:55:20 Second stage engine restart (SES-2)

00:55:22 2nd stage engine shutdown (SECO-2)

00:58:24 KuwaitSat-1 released

00:58:34 BDSat-2 ejection

00:58:35 SharedSat Release 2211

00:58:44 Release of LEMUR 2 EMMACULATE

00:58:55 LEMUR 2 FUENTETAJA-01 is released

00:59:51 Connecta T1.2 is released

01:00:00 GAMA Alpha released

01:00:01 BRO-8 is released

01:00:12 Menut is released

01:00:18 Huygens is released

01:00:24 LEMUR 2 DISCLAIMER is released

01:00:35 STAR VIBE release

01:00:55 Release of the LEMUR 2 STEVEALBERS

01:01:11 ISILAUNCH Kleos KSF3-A is released

01:02:02 Birkeland is released

01:02:07 SPACEBEE-156/167 are released

01:02:47 Ejection of the LEMUR 2 MMOLO

01:02:54 ISILAUNCH Kleos KSF3-B is released

01:03:25 ISILAUNCH Kleos KSF3-C is released

01:04:47 LEMUR 2 PHILARY is released

01:05:02 ISILAUNCH Kleos KSF3-D is released

01:05:03 Release of the first Flock 4Y

01:05:11 EWS RROCI Eject

01:05:12 SpaceBD ISILAUNCH PolyItan from Kiev is released

01:05:14 Ejection of the second Flock 4Y

01:05:23 Guardian-alpha release

01:05:25 Release of Third Flock 4Y

01:05:36 Release of fourth Flock 4Y

01:05:40 Release of SpaceBD Sony Sphere-1

01:05:50 ISILAUNCH ClydeSpace NSLSat-2 is released

01:06:30 ISILAUNCH Sternula-1 is released

01:06:35 Release of the fifth Flock 4Y

01:06:45 Release of the sixth Flock 4Y

01:06:58 Release of the seventh Flock 4Y

01:07:50 Release of the eighth Flock 4Y

01:08:33 Release of the ninth Flock 4Y

01:08:45 Release of the 10th Flock 4Y

01:09:17 Release of the 11th Flock 4Y

01:09:28 Release of the 12th Flock 4Y

01:09:38 Release of the 13th Flock 4Y

01:10:24 Release of the 14th Flock 4Y

01:10:42 Release of the 15th Flock 4Y

01:10:55 Release of the 16th Flock 4Y

01:11:21 Release of the 17th Flock 4Y

01:11:32 Release of the 18th Flock 4Y

01:11:43 Release of the 19th Flock 4Y

01:12:30 Ejection of the 20th Flock 4Y

01:12:41 Ejection of the 21st Flock 4Y

01:12:53 Ejection of the 22nd Flock 4Y

01:13:26 Release of the 23rd Flock 4Y

01:13:36 Release of the 24th Flock 4Y

01:13:54 Release of the 25th Flock 4Y

01:14:40 Release of the 26th Flock 4Y

01:14:50 Release of the 27th Flock 4Y

01:15:40 Release of the 28th Flock 4Y

01:15:52 Release of the 29th Flock 4Y

01:16:38 Ejection of the 30th Flock 4Y

01:16:49 Release of the 31st Flock 4Y

01:17:40 Ejection of the 32nd Flock 4Y

01:17:50 Release of the 33rd Flock 4Y

01:18:41 Release of the 34th Flock 4Y

01:18:52 Release of the 35th Flock 4Y

01:19:42 Release of the 36th Flock 4Y

01:19:46 Lynk Tower 3 release

01:20:00 Albania 1 is released

01:20:02 Lync Tower 4 release

01:20:42 YAM-5 ejection

01:21:48 Release of NewSat 34

01:22:03 Albania 2 is released

01:22:58 Ejection of X22

01:23:04 Ejection of X21

01:23:46 Release of the first Umbra

01:23:50 Release of the second Umbra

01:24:47 Release of NewSat 35

01:24:59 Release from ION SCV-007 “GLORIOUS GRATIA”

01:26:05 Release from ION SCV-008 “FIERCE FRANCIS”

01:26:11 Orbiter SN1 release

01:27:31 Ejection of X27

01:27:34 Skykraft 1 released

01:28:10 Release of Vigoride 5

01:28:54 CHIMERA LEO 1 released

01:31:10 EOS SAT-1 ejection