現場報導：SpaceX 試圖透過 Falcon 9 Starlink 任務創造現代發射週轉記錄

File photo a a Falcon 9 prior to a Starlink satellite delivery mission. Image: SpaceX.

在執行 Starlink 衛星發射任務之前拍攝一張獵鷹 9 號的照片。圖：SpaceX。

SpaceX is going for a double header as the end of the year approaches. A Falcon 9 rocket is set to launch the Starlink 6-36 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 11:01 p.m. EST (0401 UTC) on Thursday.

隨著年底的臨近，SpaceX 將進行雙頭活動。獵鷹 9 號火箭將於晚上 11 點 01 分從卡納維拉爾角太空部隊站發射星鏈 6-36 任務。美國東部時間 (0401 UTC) 週四。

There are backup launch opportunities through 2:59 a.m. EST (0759 UTC) on Friday. This mission is also set to come on the heels of the Falcon Heavy launch, sending the X-37B military spaceplane to orbit.

美國東部時間週五凌晨 2:59（世界標準時間 0759）之前還有備份發射機會。這項任務也將在獵鷹重型發射之後進行，將 X-37B 軍用太空梭送入軌道。

If both missions stick to their planned launch times, the two launches will occur 2 hours 48 minutes and 40 seconds apart. That would mark the fastest turnaround between orbital launches from Florida since the launches of the Agena Target Vehicle and Gemini 8 on March 16, 1966, which were 1 hour 40 minutes and 59 seconds apart.

如果兩次任務均按照計畫的發射時間進行，則兩次發射將相隔 2 小時 48 分 40 秒。這將標誌著自 1966 年 3 月 16 日阿吉納目標飛行器和雙子座 8 號發射以來，佛羅裡達州軌道發射之間最快的周轉時間，兩者相隔 1 小時 40 分 59 秒。

Spaceflight Now will have live coverage starting an hour before liftoff.

Spaceflight Now 將在升空前一小時開始進行現場報道。

Weather for the Starlink flight has a fairly positive outlook. The 45th Weather Squadron forecast shows 90 percent chance of favorable weather for liftoff with cumulus clouds being the main concern. Meteorologists are also watching upper-level wind shear.

星鏈航班的天氣前景相當樂觀。第 45 氣像中隊的預報顯示，有 90% 的機會出現有利於升空的天氣，其中積雲是主要問題。氣象學家也在觀察高空風切變。

If needed, the launch weather in a 24-hour launch delay improves to 95 percent favorable with liftoff winds being a watch item along with upper-level wind shear. The backup window opens at 11 p.m. EST.

如果需要，24 小時發射延遲後的發射天氣狀況可改善至 95%，其中起飛風和高空風切都是觀察項目。備份視窗於晚上 11 點開啟。美東時間。

The booster supporting this mission is tail number B1069, which is set to make its 12th flight. This will be the ninth time the booster lifts off from Space Launch Complex-40 (SLC-40). It’s other three launches were from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

支援此任務的助推器尾號為B1069，預計將進行第12次飛行。這將是助推器第九次從 Space Launch Complex-40 (SLC-40) 升空。其他三次發射均在 NASA 甘迺迪太空中心歷史悠久的 39A 發射場進行。

It first launched SpaceX’s 24th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-24) mission and would go on to launch seven Starlink missions as well.

它首先發射了 SpaceX 的第 24 次商業補給服務 (CRS-24) 任務，隨後還將發射七次星鏈任務。

About 8.5 minutes after liftoff B1069 will land back on the droneship, ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas,’ which is stationed near the Bahamas in the Atlantic Ocean.

升空後約 8.5 分鐘，B1069 將降落在位於大西洋巴哈馬群島附近的無人機「A Shortfall of Gravitas」上。

The mission will be the first flight of a Falcon 9 rocket since the return of the destroyed first stage booster, tail number B1058, earlier this week. Following the first flight of B1069 two years ago, SpaceX’s Kiko Dontchev said they started introducing self-leveling landing legs to help protect booster on their return to port.

此次任務將是獵鷹 9 號火箭自本週早些時候被摧毀的第一級助推器（尾號 B1058）返回以來的首次飛行。兩年前 B1069 首次飛行後，SpaceX 的 Kiko Dontchev 表示，他們開始引入自動平整著陸腿，以幫助保護助推器返回港口。