https://bsky.app/profile/rykllan.bsky.social/post/3m3tfmsjezc2y

#Falcon9 fairing halves of #Starlink 11-5

Nominal launch, booster landing, and Starlink deployment: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1981017614119035186

Deployment of 28 @Starlink satellites confirmed

https://x.com/Alexphysics13/status/1981002706027458953

This launch has broken the launch pad turnaround record for SLC-4E.

Previous turnaround record: 2d 21h 38min 21s
New turnaround record: 2d 18h 52min 20s

I wonder when we’ll see the first sub-2-day turnaround for SLC-4E?

Starbase activities (2025-10-22):

• Build site: The final B18 barrel section (F3:4) moves from Starfactory to Megabay 1. (TrackingTheSB, wvmattz)
• Gigabay construction continues. (Sorensen, Anderson)
• RGV Aerial post a flyover photo inside Megabay 2 from last week.
• Launch site: Pad 1 berm removal continues. (Sorensen, FelixSchlang)
• RGV Aerial post flyover photos of Pad 2. Scaffolding is being removed, and cladding installation is nearing completion. (RGV Aerial 1, RGV Aerial 2, Killip)
• It will likely be possible to purge the Pad 2 launch mount bunker with nitrogen during propellant load. (Killip)

Florida:

• Raising of the second level of the Gigabay begins. (Anderson)

https://bsky.app/profile/rykllan.bsky.social/post/3m3qwfs6pdk2d

#Falcon9 fairing halves of #Starlink 11-19

https://bsky.app/profile/rykllan.bsky.social/post/3m3ots4p3z22v

#Falcon9 fairing halves of #Starlink 10-17

Starbase activities (2025-10-21):

• Build site: More columns for Gigabay are erected. (Anderson)
• N4035S, a SIKORSKY S-64E skycrane helicopter is spotted. (j_styer)
• Pad 1: Berm removal continues. (Golden, cnunez, Anderson)
• Dismantling of the LOX subcoolers begins. (TrackingTheSB)
• Golden posts an annotated aerial photo of which hardware will likely be removed or relocated.
• Beach is closed, not sure why. (starbase.texas.gov, archive, screenshot)

McGregor:

• R3.21 leaves the McGregor testing area after its testing campaign. (Rhin0)

Falcon 9 go BRRR, indeed. Onwards to 30k?

Update: It wasn’t space debris that struck a United Airlines plane—it was a weather balloon

Starbase activities (2025-10-20):

• Pad 1: Overnight, the left chopstick pusher is removed, both ship lift pins are removed, as is the left chopstick rear pusher. Right chopstick rear pusher remains. (ViX)
• It seem likely that chopstick modifications will be done in place, rather than removing them from the tower. (Killip, TrackingTheSB, Anderson)
• Berm removal begins. (ViX, TrackingTheSB, Anderson 1, Anderson 2)
• Build site: Tower crane assembly continues. (ViX)
• S39 nosecone and payload section (N:3) moves to the right side of Megabay 2. (TrackingTheSB)
• S39 forward dome section (FX:4) moves from Starfactory to Megabay 2. (TrackingTheSB)
• S39 payload section (N:3) is stacked onto the forward section (FX:4). (Beyer, wvmattz / NSF, Golden, Sorensen 1, Sorensen 2, Sorensen 3, TrackingTheSB)
• Other: Starbase photographer Starship Gazer is in need of replacement front wheel struts. (GoFundMe)

Happy cake day!

“It seems to be the fourth stage of a Jielong rocket,” Gorman, a Flinders University associate professor and author of Dr Space Junk vs the Universe, said.

“There was one launched in late September. If it is the one from the 25th, that means it’s been orbiting the Earth for a bit and then came out of the blue.

There was no Jielong launch on the 25th, so I assume they are referring to the Jielong-3 launch on the 24th: https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7956

As usual, I shall await confirmation from Jonathan McDowell.

It seems confirmation of orbit insertion and payload deployment were a little delayed for this launch:

20:10 UTC: https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3m3l4aqxtmc2f

LAUNCH at 1924 UTC Oct 19 of Starlink 11-19 from Vandenberg. Orbit insertion has not been confirmed at this writing.

20:44 UTC: https://x.com/jeff_foust/status/1980012105945231849

No updates from SpaceX, now 20 minutes after the scheduled Starlink deployment time.

20:46 UTC: https://x.com/SciGuySpace/status/1980012611736420483

Two sources indicate the Starlink satellites were successfully deployed.

20:48 UTC: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1980013254555365618

Falcon 9 completes a double-header launch day, taking 56 @Starlink satellites to orbit from Florida and California

20:55 UTC: https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3m3l6smbvds2f

SpaceX report (or at least imply) that the Starlink 11-19 launch successfully reached orbit, despite the early data cutoff on the webcast.

I wonder if someone on SpaceX’s social media team saw Eric’s tweet and went “oops, yeah, we forgot to post the status of 11-19”.

Starbase activities (2025-10-19):

• Pad 1: Workers struggle to free the pusher at the end of the right chopstick. (ViX)
• RGV Aerial post photos from before and after Flight 11. (RGV Aerial 1, RGV Aerial 2)
• The sacrificial burn plates on top of the launch mount have exhibited significant ablation, and one the plugs which hold the plates was found 200 m from the pad. (Killip, RGV Aerial, r3a9an_k_ 1, r3a9an_k_ 2)

Stage 1 landing confirmed!

MECO, stage separation, M-vac ignition, and fairing separation.

https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1979982664380956852

Deployment of 28 @Starlink satellites confirmed

Liftoff!

Stage 1 landing confirmed! B1067 becomes the first booster to launch and land 31 times!

M-vac shutdown, nominal orbit insertion.

MECO, stage separation, M-vac ignition, and fairing separation.

Lftoff!