Glorious Sunrise Port Arrival for 5x Flown Falcon 9 Booster on Dramatic Day of Action for SpaceX Fleet: Photos

Glorious sunrise arrival of 5x launched/landed SpaceX Falcon 9 1st stage booster atop the OCISLY droneship towed by tug Finn Falgout and SpaceX fleet past Jetty Park Pier into Port Canaveral channel at 7 a.m. ET on Aug. 10, 2020 – as beachcomers stroll. From 10th Starlink launch Aug. 7 2020 on Launch Complex 39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

PORT CANAVERAL, FL –  A gloriously colorful Space Coast sunrise greeted Monday’s, Aug. 10, arrival of the 5x flown and landed SpaceX Falcon 9 1st stage booster atop the veteran OCISLY droneship into Port Canaveral on a ‘Dramatic Day of Action’ also involving simultaneous payload fairing processing from this mission for the SpaceX Naval Fleet – barely 3 days after Fridays beautiful post-midnight blastoff of the 10th batch of their Starlink broadband internet satellites to orbit from the Sunshine State.

The ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ droneship and the 5x recovered launched/landed booster B1051.5 at last began her final approach to Jetty Park at 7 a.m. ET towed by tugboat Finn Falgout and welcomed by a small crowd of my media colleagues and th usual mostly clueless beach goers.

The boosters dawn arrival was accompanied by a beautiful hued sky with broken clouds and fantastic Space Coast weather – warm, dry and calm compared to the torrential downpours inundating the region most of the past week.

Dramatic Day of Action with virtually the entire SpaceX fleet of ships in motion as 5x launched/landed Falcon 9 1st stage from SpaceX 10th Starlink launch arrives atop OCISLY droneship towed by tug Finn Falgout to berthing port as fairing catcher ships Go Ms. Tree and Go Ms. Chief also maneuver in channel to sequentially off load both recovered nose cone halves with hoisting cranes on Aug. 10, 2020. From 10th Starlink launch Aug. 7 2020 LC-39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

But the entire morning was wonderfully action packed with virtually the entire SpaceX fleet of ships in motion to simultaneously handle the offloading of both nose cone halves from their fairing catcher boats that also arrived into Port Canaveral over the weekend.

Glorious sunrise arrival of 5x launched/landed SpaceX Falcon 9 1st stage booster atop the OCISLY droneship towed by tug Finn Falgout and SpaceX fleet past Jetty Park Pier into Port Canaveral channel at 7 a.m. ET on Aug. 10, 2020. From 10th Starlink launch Aug. 7 2020 on Launch Complex 39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Both fairing catchers Go Ms.Tree  and Go Ms. Chief had to be docked and undocked due to limited berthing space at the North Cargo pier after another giant cargo ship.

Dream Booster vs. Dream Boat ! Droneship laden dreamy 5x launched/landed SpaceX Falcon 9 Booster B1051.5 atop OCISLY with dramatic flare & glare drives past Disney Dream Cruise Ship this morning, Aug 19, 2020. I’ll prefer a ride on a SpaceX Crew DRAGON to ISS vs Disney any day !!! Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Enjoy our Space UpClose photo gallery focusing on the arrival and docking of the rather sooty Falcon 9 booster B1051.1 at the droneships normal northside berthing port at North Cargo Pier 6.

Booster & Birds at the Beach: 5x launched/landed Falcon 9 1st stage from SpaceX 10th Starlink launch arrives for glorious hued sunrise atop the OCISLY droneship towed by tug Finn Falgout and SpaceX fleet past Jetty Park Pier into Port Canaveral channel at 7 a.m. ET on Aug. 10, 2020. From 10th Starlink launch Aug. 7 2020 LC-39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Check back as the gallery grows.

I’ll post a separate gallery dealing with the fairing hoisting’s

The 16-story tall booster standing firmly upright on OCISLY sailed swiftly past the Pier and reached the northside berthing port as usual some 45 minutes after arrival.

5x launched/landed Falcon 9 1st stage from SpaceX 10th Starlink launch towed by tug Finn Falgout into Port Canaveral channel atop the OCISLY droneship at 7 a.m. ET on Aug. 10, 2020. From 10th Starlink launch Aug. 7, 2020, LC-39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The SpaceX team then focused on the nose cone halves.

They alternately moved Go Ms. Tree and Go Ms. Chief in and out of the lone berthing port available.

5x launched/landed Falcon 9 1st stage from SpaceX 10th Starlink launch towed by tug Finn Falgout into Port Canaveral channel atop the OCISLY droneship at 7 a.m. ET on Aug. 10, 2020. From 10th Starlink launch Aug. 7, 2020, LC-39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Meanwhile Crew Dragon recovery vessels Go Searcher and Go Navigator were also moving around the channel for some unknown reason.

Crew Dragon recovery vessels Go Searcher and Go Navigator maneuver in port in front of just arrived 5x launched/landed Falcon 9 1st stage from SpaceX 10th Starlink launch towed by tug Finn Falgout into Port Canaveral channel atop the OCISLY droneship on Aug. 10, 2020. From launch Aug. 7, 2020, LC-39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

After completing the fairing hoisting the next steps were for the SpaceX booster processing and crane crews to attach the hoisting cap to the top of the booster – which the crew tried twice and almost succeeded.

Overhead view of Crane crew attempts to attached hoisting cap to top of 5x launched/landed Falcon 9 1st stage atop the OCISLY droneship on Aug. 10, 2020 after being towed back into Port Canaveral. From 10th Starlink launch Aug. 7, 2020, LC-39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Fairing catcher Go Ms. Tree and Crew Dragon recovery ships Go Searcher and Go Navigator in view. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

But apparently something was amiss and the cap attachment was unsatisfactory so moments later they craned the hoisting cap back off and back to the ground so the team could check out whatever was not functioning properly.

UpClose look at 4 landing legs and booster hoisting cap lower back to ground after failing to attach properly to the top of 5x launched/landed Falcon 9 1st stage atop the OCISLY droneship on Aug. 10, 2020 after being towed back into Port Canaveral. Cap was attached on 3rd try. From 10th Starlink launch Aug. 7, 2020, LC-39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

At that point at about 2 pm ET poor weather rolled in.

Finally the team succeeded after the skies cleared and attached the cap late afternoon.

Thereafter the 156-foot-tall booster was hoisted off OCISLY onto the ground work pedestal.

Recovered Payload fairing half hoisted off Go Ms. Chief fairing catcher as recovered 5x launched/landed Falcon 9 1st stage from SpaceX 10th Starlink launch berths at Port Canaveral north pier atop the OCISLY droneship on Aug. 10, 2020. From launch Aug. 7, 2020, LC-39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

After some prep work for retractions the team concluded their work for the day

Booster & Birds at the Beach: 5x launched/landed Falcon 9 1st stage from SpaceX 10th Starlink launch arrives for glorious hued sunrise atop the OCISLY droneship towed by tug Finn Falgout and SpaceX fleet past Jetty Park Pier into Port Canaveral channel at 7 a.m. ET on Aug. 10, 2020. From 10th Starlink launch Aug. 7 2020 LC-39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The mission began with the nighttime liftoff of the oft delayed 10th SpaceX Starlink mission took place at last Friday, August 7 at 1:12 a.m. EDT, 512 GMT from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida – heading on a trajectory northeast.

The Falcon 9 1st stage separated as planned two and a half minutes into flight. See our streak shot  image.

Fisheye Launch Streak Shot: 10th batch of SpaceX Starlink broadband internet satellites streak to orbit after multiple delays from Launch Complex 39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida, in this fisheye view under beautiful and somewhat hazy conditions overnight at 1:12 a.m. ET Aug. 7 2020. Spectacular sky show includes stage separation near top of arc in this long duration single image streak shot from turn basin at KSC Press Site. Moon upper right, pad 39B left of center, pad 41 right of center where Mars Perseverance rover launched July 30, and Pegasus barge dock left where SLS component LVSA just arrived this week. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Originally this Starlink mission was to blastoff on June 26, but it was called off because SpaceX needed to conduct additional unspecified checks on the launch vehicle- possibly related to the second stage as was the case with a different Falcon 9.

Overnight beautiful blastoff oft delayed 10th set of SpaceX Starlink broadband internet satellites and 2 BlackSky Earth observation sats as now 5x launched Falcon 9 leaps off Launch Complex 39A overnight at 1:12 a.m. ET Aug. 7, 2020 on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Crawlerway view my remote camera at pad 39A. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The 15 story tall stage then carried out a precision guided propulsive descent by reigniting a subset of the Merlin’s and successfully landed on the “Of Course I Still Love You” (OCISLY) droneship for the fifth time about eight minutes after launch.

Droneship OCISLY was waiting at its stationing position some 400 mi (640 km) north east of KSC off the coast of the Carolina’s with a football field sized platform.

The two stage Falcon 9 rocket stands 229 feet (70 meters) tall.

Enjoy our Space UpClose gallery of photos of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch here and earlier prelaunch photos from pad 39A.

Watch this landing video courtesy of SpaceX that set the stage for the booster return to Port Canaveral.

“Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship,” SpaceX tweeted.

The mission designated Starlink 9 is comprised of 57 Starlink satellites as well as a pair of commercial Earth observation satellites for Seattle-based BlackSky Global for what counts as SpaceX’s second rideshare mission.

Rideshares are a very low cost alternative for small satellite payload launches that don’t need the full rocket to get to space.

Altogether the Starlink constellation now totals 595 satellites since May 2019.

SpaceX is thus the top satellite operator in the world.

The Starlink satellites will now gradually raise their orbits over the next few week to about 340 miles (550 km) altitude via the krypton ion propulsion system.

The flat panel satellites weigh about 500 pounds each and are manufactured by SpaceX in Redmond, Washington.

SpaceX plans to debut a new sunshade structure on its future Starlink satellites. Credit: SpaceX

Falcon 9’s first stage previously supported Crew Dragon’s first demonstration mission to the International Space Station on March 2, 2019, launch of the RADARSAT Constellation Mission on June 12, 2019, and the fourth and seventh Starlink missions on Jan. 29 and April 22 respectively this year.

Overall the Starlink constellation could eventually number over 12,000 satellites.

SpaceX plans to launch 1 or 2 Starlink missions per month for the foreseeable future.

The goal according to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is to provide cost competitive internet services around the globe – especially for remote and underserved areas

Initial beta test service in North America is expected later this year.

The pricing information for the Starlink service or terminal has not been announced.

Musk has said previously that the pizza-sized receiver dishes will be simple to operate – basically just point to the sky.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has made rocket recycling a top priority in order to slash launch costs.

Musk says that the fairings cost approximately $6 million or roughly 10% of the approximate cost of $60 million for a new Falcon 9 rocket.

Overall this counts as the 90th flight of a Falcon 9 rocket since 2010 and the 13th Falcon 9 launch of 2020.

To date SpaceX has recovered the Falcon 9 first stage booster 57 times by land and by sea.

 

Watch my Aug 3 interview at ‘Stay Curious’ show American Space Museum about successful Mars Perseverance launch, successful splashdown SpaceX Crew Dragon on Demo-2 1st commercial mission, Artemis Moon mission and more:

https://www.facebook.com/SpaceWalkOfFame/videos/594560917928307/

Watch my commentary about the 1st SpaceX Starlink launch attempt for this mission at WFTV ABC 9 Orlando TV News on Jun 25

https://www.wftv.com/news/local/brevard-county/spacex-launch-another-round-starlink-satellites-friday/4WKS5J4QDBA7TJ2E4SPI5UJQRI/

 

 

Watch Ken’s continuing reports about Commercial Crew and Artemis and onsite for live reporting of upcoming and recent SpaceX and ULA launches including Demo-2, Starlink, X-37B, Solar Orbiter, Mars 2020 and more at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Stay tuned here for Ken’s continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer – email: ken at kenkremer.com

Dr. Kremer is a research scientist and journalist based in the KSC area, active in outreach and interviewed regularly on TV and radio about space topics.
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Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events

 

Jogger and Birds at the Beach: 5x launched/landed Falcon 9 1st stage from SpaceX 10th Starlink launch arrives for glorious hued sunrise atop the OCISLY droneship towed by tug Finn Falgout and SpaceX fleet past Jetty Park Pier into Port Canaveral channel at 7 a.m. ET on Aug. 10, 2020. From 10th Starlink launch Aug. 7 2020 LC-39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
5x launched/landed Falcon 9 1st stage from SpaceX 10th Starlink launch towed by tug Finn Falgout into Port Canaveral channel atop the OCISLY droneship at 7 a.m. ET on Aug. 10, 2020. From 10th Starlink launch Aug. 7, 2020, LC-39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

 

 

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Ken Kremer

Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and more space and mission reports direct from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news. Dr. Kremer is a research scientist and journalist based in the KSC area, active in outreach and interviewed regularly on TV and radio about space topics. Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events.

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