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SpaceXFalcon 9 Block 5Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Starlink Group 2-8

Launched

March 17, 2023 · 19:26 UTC

Launch Successful
Space X Starlink Mission Patch

Image: SpaceX

Summary

Starlink Group 2-8 launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 from Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on March 17, 2023 at 19:26 UTC. The launch window ran from 19:26 to 23:24 UTC. It was SpaceX's 231st launch, 18th this year and humanity's 6,409th orbital launch attempt. It was the 155th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight and the 17th this year. Booster B1071 flew for the 8th time and landed at Of Course I Still Love You. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). The tracked orbit of Starlink 5856, one of 56 catalogued objects, from March 22, 2023, was 269 × 323 km inclined 70.0°. 56 objects from this launch are catalogued, 52 of them payloads.

Watch
Vehicle
Falcon 9 Block 5 · SpaceXStarlink
Booster
  • B1071 · flight 8 · Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship at Of Course I Still Love You · landed209/217 landed here · 45 days after its previous flight, Starlink Group 2-6 & ION SCV009 · 660 km downrange
Mission
Communications · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
Milestone
155th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight · 17th this yearSpaceX's 231st launch18th this yearhumanity's 6,409th orbital launch attempt41st orbital launch attempt this year

Webcast

Replay
Watch on YouTube

Flight preview

Simulate in Flight Club

Orbit: as tracked

70.0°Inclination
269 × 323 kmPerigee × apogeefrom mean elements
90.3 minPeriodfrom mean elements
167.8°Ascending node
1303 d agoElement epoch2023-03-22 18:00 UTC · stale

Starlink 5856 · NORAD 55914 · 2023-037 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 56 objects

Show the numbers for orbit elements
Object
TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
Object ID
2023-037A
Epoch
2023-03-22 18:00:00 UTC
Mean motion
15.94816871 rev/day
Eccentricity
0.0040201
Inclination
69.9998°
Ascending node
167.7507°
Arg. of perigee
162.4491°
Mean anomaly
296.2239°
Element set
999
Rev at epoch
130
B*
-0.0023391

Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO.

Catalogued objects

56 catalogued: 52 payloads, 4 components; 48 still in orbit

  • Starlink 5856 · NORAD 55914 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5859 · NORAD 55915 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5796 · NORAD 55916 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5855 · NORAD 55917 · re-entered November 23, 2025
  • Starlink 5867 · NORAD 55918 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5871 · NORAD 55919 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5862 · NORAD 55920 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5861 · NORAD 55921 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5863 · NORAD 55922 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5854 · NORAD 55923 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5849 · NORAD 55924 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5922 · NORAD 55925 · in orbit
Show 40 more payloads
  • Starlink 5921 · NORAD 55926 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5919 · NORAD 55927 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5930 · NORAD 55928 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5898 · NORAD 55929 · re-entered March 11, 2025
  • Starlink 5896 · NORAD 55930 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5897 · NORAD 55931 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5848 · NORAD 55932 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5852 · NORAD 55933 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5927 · NORAD 55934 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5920 · NORAD 55935 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5882 · NORAD 55936 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5913 · NORAD 55937 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5909 · NORAD 55938 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5918 · NORAD 55939 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5864 · NORAD 55940 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5914 · NORAD 55941 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5917 · NORAD 55942 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5932 · NORAD 55943 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5926 · NORAD 55944 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5925 · NORAD 55945 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5857 · NORAD 55946 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5851 · NORAD 55947 · re-entered May 6, 2026
  • Starlink 5900 · NORAD 55948 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5899 · NORAD 55949 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5911 · NORAD 55950 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5908 · NORAD 55951 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5893 · NORAD 55952 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5889 · NORAD 55953 · re-entered March 31, 2025
  • Starlink 5892 · NORAD 55954 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5878 · NORAD 55955 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5883 · NORAD 55956 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5884 · NORAD 55957 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5928 · NORAD 55958 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5929 · NORAD 55959 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5938 · NORAD 55960 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5933 · NORAD 55961 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5906 · NORAD 55962 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5924 · NORAD 55963 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5895 · NORAD 55964 · in orbit
  • Starlink 5894 · NORAD 55965 · in orbit

Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org

About this launch

A batch of 52 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.

Related page: SpaceX

Pad

Map of Space Launch Complex 4E

Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

105th launch from Space Launch Complex 4E, 5th this year · 714th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Local pad time at liftoff: Mar 17, 12:26 PM PDT, in daylight

303 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

14 days after the previous launch from this pad

All launches from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USAOpen in maps

Updates

Successful launch of 52 Starlink satellites.

Nosu · Mar 17, 2023 · source

Show 9 earlier updates

  • Liftoff

    Nosu · 3/17/2023 · source

  • Livestream has started

    LL2 · 3/17/2023 · source

  • Tweak in T-0.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 3/17/2023 · source

  • GO for launch.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 3/16/2023 · source

  • NET March 17

    Cosmic_Penguin · 3/14/2023 · source

  • Updated tentative launch window.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 3/13/2023 · source

  • Delayed to March 16 per marine navigation notices.

    Nosu · 3/11/2023 · source

  • Targeting approximately 18:30 UTC

    Nosu · 3/11/2023 · source

  • New launch date per marine navigation notices.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 3/9/2023 · source

Questions

When did Starlink Group 2-8 launch?

Starlink Group 2-8 launched on March 17, 2023 at 19:26 UTC. The launch window ran from 19:26 to 23:24 UTC.

Where can I watch Starlink Group 2-8?

Coverage: Starlink Mission. Watch the replay

What rocket launched Starlink Group 2-8?

Falcon 9 Block 5, flown by SpaceX. Falcon 9 Block 5 spec sheet

Where did Starlink Group 2-8 launch from?

Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. Liftoff was Mar 17, 12:26 PM PDT local time at the pad.

Did the booster land?

Booster B1071 flew for the 8th time and landed at Of Course I Still Love You.

What orbit did Starlink Group 2-8 reach?

The tracked orbit of Starlink 5856, one of 56 catalogued objects, from March 22, 2023, was 269 × 323 km inclined 70.0°.

How many satellites did Starlink Group 2-8 launch?

52 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 48 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).

Which program is Starlink Group 2-8 part of?

Starlink. About Starlink