Orbital Focus - International Spaceflight Facts and Figures
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Launches and Orbital Operations


Tyneside, UK
2024 Nov 4
Monday, Day 309

Curated by:







Mission Events 2022:












Mission Events 2021:




























Mission Events 2020:



Flashback:








Timelines:




2022 Jan 31 Falcon 9

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Background

2022 Jan 31 at 23:11:50 UTC SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It placed an Italian CosmoSkyMed satellite into polar orbit.

Details are available in the zarya launch list for 2022.


Sequence of Events

During the Falcon 9 ascent, the rocket took a course in a slightly more easterly direction than was needed for its sun-synchronous orbit in order to avoid flying too close to the Florida coast. It executed a slow right-hand turn to achieve the desired inclination. This is why the ground track does not lead directly back to Cape Canaveral.


Manouvres

Within ten minutes of lift-off, Falcon 9 was in orbit.

About 56 minutes after launch, the upper stage performed a short firing to circularise the orbit and then released the satellite Feb 1 at 00:11 UTC.

After the satellite departed, the stage performed a 180° rotation and, at about 00:30 UTC it fired again to initiate re-entry. The impact zone for any surviving debris was near 14° south, 114° west.


Observations

As it headed southwards above the western United States, illuminated by the Sun, it was observed against the night sky and photographed from a number of locations.

Ron Lee in Falcon, Colorado posted an observation to Seesat-L and timed it as first seen at 00:49 UTC. He then followed the expanding cloud of vented propellant to his southern horizon.

Cees Bass posted a collated list of Twitter messages with photographic/video observations to Seesat-L They are worth a look, there are some beautiful images:

https://twitter.com/itssswinston/status/1488317376147902466
https://twitter.com/opedaily/status/1488317317515784192
https://twitter.com/spacedliv/status/1488315603173658626
https://twitter.com/MikeCollierWX/status/1488317901019000833
https://twitter.com/willycardin/status/1488316020083339268
https://twitter.com/BraxBanksOKWX/status/1488320417660030979


Navigation Warning - Re-entry

Navigation warnings for air and maritime traffic were issued for the re-entry zone. Here is one of the marine versions:

HYDROPAC 190/2022 (22) EASTERN SOUTH PACIFIC. DNC 06.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
280041Z TO 280119Z JAN, ALTERNATE
0041Z TO 0119Z DAILY 28 JAN THRU 01 FEB
IN AREA BOUND BY
39-10S 119-01W, 28-43S 117-27W,
16-15S 114-20W, 03-31S 110-37W,
03-57S 108-14W, 14-34S 108-52W,
27-04S 111-28W, 39-42S 115-56W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 010219Z FEB 22.

220733Z JAN 2022 EASTERN RANGE 171746Z JAN 22.

Page Date - 2022 Feb 1

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