This batch of satellites will populate what the SDA calls the Tracking Layer of its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) constellation in low Earth orbit. The work will be divided evenly, with each company building 18 spacecraft.
The Falcon 9 rocket launching the Starlink 15-13 mission will fly on a south-easterly trajectory upon leaving pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Liftoff is for 7:27 a.m. PST (10:27 a.m. EST / 1527 UTC).
The Starlink 6-99 mission represents SpaceX’s 125th launch to date from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff is scheduled for 8:42 a.m. EST (1342 UTC).
The ‘Bridging the Swarm’ mission comes two days after the company launched its ‘RAISE and Shine’ flight for JAXA. Liftoff is scheduled for 1:55 p.m. NZDT / 0055 UTC on Dec. 16 (7:45 p.m. EST on Dec. 15).
Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station occurred at 3:28 a.m. EST (0828 UTC), as the RD-180 engine on the booster roared to lift alongside five solid rocket boosters.
SpaceX put on hold its plan to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and rescheduled it for no earlier than Wednesday. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:19 a.m. EST (1219 UTC) at the earliest.
The Starlink 6-82 represents SpaceX’s 580th launch of a Falcon 9 rocket to date. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened Monday, Dec. 15, at 12:25 a.m. EST (0525 UTC).