SpaceX Updates (Thread 6)

[DocM]

Overdue for thread 6...

Thread 1...

Thread 2...

Thread 3...

Thread 4...

Thread 5...

SpaceX internet satellite constellation preparing for test flights

Two SpaceX constellation Ku band demo-satellites to be launched next year. The satellites will have a 6-12 month lifetime, and there will be 6-8 test flights.

FCC Application....

Summary....(PDF)

QUESTION 7: PURPOSE OF EXPERIMENT

Narrative Summary

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) is a U.S. space technology company headquartered in California, with additional launch and test facilities in Florida and Texas, and a commercial satellite development center in Washington State.

SpaceX plans to deploy a large constellation of small satellites for low-latency, worldwide, high-capacity Internet service in the near future.

As a development step towards this initiative, SpaceX presently intends to experiment with 6-8 test and demonstration satellites starting in 2016. These are prototype engineering verification vehicles that will enable in-space performance assessment and rapid iteration of technologies. The first physical instantiation will be two satellites: MicroSat-1a and MicroSat-1b.

Both of these satellites will be deployed from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket into an orbital plane of 625km circular at 86.6 degrees inclination. The designed operating lifetime of each satellite is 6-12 months, but if this lifetime is exceeded, SpaceX plans to continue operation, within the bounds of the license, until such time as the primary mission goals can no longer be met. Both MicroSat-1a and MicroSat-1b are identical in construction.

A main objective of the test program is to validate the design of a broadband antenna communications platform (primary payload) that will lead to the final LEO constellation design. Using three broadband array test ground stations positioned along the western coast of the United States, SpaceX intends to test this communication path at every possible opportunity. With the orbit profile provided, broadband array tests (Ku-band) will be conducted on average once every 0.9 days with duration of less than 10 minutes. For the reasons explained below, interference with other systems is generally very unlikely.

Overview of Operations

The MicroSat satellites will fly in a circular orbit, with orbital parameters defined in the following table:

Perigee: 625 km

Apogee: 625 km

Inclination: 86.6 Deg

Since both satellites will be in close proximity for the initial orbits, separate telemetry/video and control frequencies are required to ensure communication can be established with each spacecraft as soon as possible. Only a single set of Ku band frequencies for both satellites is requested since there will be an initial activation and verification phase which will allow sufficient time for the two satellites to drift far enough apart to be able to utilize the same frequency spectrum for testing.

Broadband Test Operations (Ku-band)

Broadband array testing will be enabled using a network of three broadband test ground locations distributed along the western coast of the United States. The Ku ground stations will be located at:

1. SpaceX Headquarters: Hawthorne, California

2. Tesla Motors Headquarters: Fremont, California

3. SpaceX Washington: Redmond, Washington

At each location, two types of ground terminals will be evaluated over the course of the satellites lifetime, but only one terminal at each location at a given time. Ground passes are limited to a minimum of 40 degree elevation angles at each location for testing; thus, the spacecraft will only transmit at elevation angles of 40 to 90 degrees. This elevation angle constraint, combined with the geography of the three ground stations, results in the aforementioned transmission times of approximately 10 minutes every 0.9 days.

Telemetry, Video and Command Operations (X/S-band)

Housekeeping telemetry will be stored on-board each satellite and downlinked with video data at every opportunity using the telemetry, video and command stations. The primary station will be located at SpaceX Washington in Redmond, Washington.

The power subsystem will allow up to one 12-minute telemetry/video contact per orbit, but the telemetry/video budgeting will plan for only one 12-minute pass every ~0.9 days. To accomplish the primary mission objectives, the actual number of expected passes per day will be somewhere between these, and might change slightly, based on power, data budgeting, and availability of ground stations.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

"Buckle UP".........new thread..........new adventures...........dust never has a chance to settle on SpaceX projects....

[DocM]

Trying to get a handle on when MicroSat-1a and MicroSat-1b will go up.

With the Seattle factory not officially open yet, ISTM these birds are one of the black-ops that have been worked on in the infamous walled-off section of the Hawthorne factory 'regular' employees and guests cannot enter.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Trying to get a handle on when MicroSat-1a and MicroSat-1b will go up.

With the Seattle factory not officially open yet, ISTM these birds are one of the black-ops that have been worked on in the infamous walled-off section of the Hawthorne factory 'regular' employees and guests cannot enter.

Excellent.....SpaceX has a "skunkworks".....This is way too neat....Please keep us informed...

[Beittil]

Jeebers... They really are running like a P85D in Insane Mode

[DocM]

And we don't have a clue what's going on in their Silicon Valley facility.

Also,

NSF'ers report that a new ASDS drone ship has pulled into Jacksonville under cover of darkness.

ASDS Just Read the Instructions hull is the MARMAC 300, but features seen on the webcam indicate this is MARMAC 304. Its name is currently unknown, but NSF agents are on a mission to find out if this is ASDS Of Course I Still Love You or the THIRD ASDS which was also spotted under construction in Louisiana.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=36326.3850

[Blue-Vision]

It was just a matter of time ... Satellites and the new ASDS alike. We had to have known both were inbound eventually.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

No names were mentioned... but...The senate is not happy with "old school" costs of launching and are barring ULA sat launch...insisting proof of "competitive pricing....oooooh.....the ripples continue. But actually I am very surprised that common sense competition is being demanded now,,this is the way it should be.

 

 

 

The Senate legislation also would put an end to the Air Force

[Blue-Vision]

Ooooh, I bet that just STINGS. Bruno must be absolutely s***ing himself now that the cat's out of the bag on his watch and Congress is onto it.

[DocM]

And with FH so near the title of "the only rocket in the U.S. fleet that has a heavy-lift variant" has a really short shelf life.

[TrevorLahey]

No names were mentioned... but...The senate is not happy with "old school" costs of launching and are barring ULA sat launch...insisting proof of "competitive pricing....oooooh.....the ripples continue. But actually I am very surprised that common sense competition is being demanded now,,this is the way it should be.

 

and...

http://spacenews.com/senate-bill-puts-hold-on-weather-sat-launch-tightens-screws-on-ula/

If only it would trickle down to other parts of the government.

[flyingskippy]

Correct me of I am wrong, but I swear that the new NASA Authorization Bill cuts commercial space funding by $250M or 20%. If this is true, it could affect the 2017 crewed mission to ISS for Dragon 2.

It also cuts funding for NASA's earth science program by about the same amount.Republicas in Congress are tired of hearing all the evidence NASA has put forth on climate change.

[Beittil]

Yeah, they have done well feeding Porky McPork in stead

[flyingskippy]

The house version of the bill pushes for an increase in SLS funding for $550M. This was all pushed for by a Texas representative from Texas. What do they think SLS wold be good to launch astronauts to ISS?

Guess we need to teach them that you don't use a cannon to swat a mosquito.

http://spacenews.com/house-approves-appropriations-bill-with-18-5-billion-for-nasa/#sthash.8gq6XvmH.dpuf

[TrevorLahey]

Correct me of I am wrong, but I swear that the new NASA Authorization Bill cuts commercial space funding by $250M or 20%. If this is true, it could affect the 2017 crewed mission to ISS for Dragon 2.

It also cuts funding for NASA's earth science program by about the same amount.Republicas in Congress are tired of hearing all the evidence NASA has put forth on climate change.

Both sides of the isle is a problem when it comes to funding.  They are both out to pad their own pockets, their buddies pockets, and continue to get re-elected and doing the same thing over and over...  Could make other arguments, but this isn't the thread for that.

[flyingskippy]

I have no doubt that there are some on both sides of the Isle that lookout for themselves, but when the vote is along party lines it is pretty easy to figure out whose to blame.

Back to SpaceX though, I haven't seen any statement regarding the funding cut and how will affect the Dragon 2 program.

[DocM]

The White House is threatening a veto unless CCtCap is fully funded so the gears are still turning. We'll see how it shakes out.

Meanwhile,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FALCON 9!!

First launch June 4, 2010

[flyingskippy]

It sure has come a long way in 5 years!

[DocM]

Yup. Getting ready for a 3rd major iteration.: F9 1.0, v1.1 and "v1.2" or whatever they call it

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Nice birthday poster...and you have "flyingskippy" in it too...avatar...just joking flyingskippy.....as a side note..will NASA have to shift funds or does it take the House to change financing for CCtCap? Hope it is worked out soon...just to give an indication of what some think, in the house...I re-read this article because I was very surprised about the feelings to pass the next space act...

 

 

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy: "America has always led because it's in our nature to lead. We crossed over the mountains of the Appalachians and into the Great Plains. We climbed the Rockies to the golden coast of California and beyond, creating a nation in this land that has far surpassed all others in truth, hope, and liberty. We are a beacon of freedom and human dignity to every person that longs for the right to choose their own future. And we are a force for good unlike anything this world has ever known.

"And yet, in space, we are losing our ability to lead. We once stood up to the challenge of the Soviet's Sputnik and made it to the moon, but today, our astronauts use Russian rockets and other nations are working to put people on Mars and beyond.

"But we must go beyond. We must face the great unknown with that American spirit of adventure and hope. To paraphrase President Kennedy, we must lead mankind into space not because it is easy, but because it is hard and because that goal brings out the very best of our nation. ...

"I stand here before you today, Mr. Chairman, presenting a bill. This bill asks us to make a decision: Do we concede our future to one of managed decline where others lead, or do we make a future where America and her people guide us in our journey to the stars?"

 http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/McCarthy_Smith_SPACE_Act_Passes_with_Broad_Bipartisan_Support_999.html

 

Awesome....

[DocM]

Point of reference: Rep. Kevin McCarthy is next in line to be Speaker of the House after Rep. Boehner, and a Friend of Elon

[flyingskippy]

Any new word doc on the inflight abort for D2?

[DocM]

Nothing I can share at this time.

[DocM]

Kabloona at NSF is reporting that the MARMAC 304 hull ASDS is moored in Jacksonville Fla, and the MARMAC 303 hull ASDS is headed for the Panama Canal, with its "wing" extensions on its deck, on its way to the West coast.

We don't have names for either, yet, but the cruise ship Fascination is due at Jacksonville this weekend. Its forward bridge webcam may reveal MARMAC 304's name.

[Beittil]

So, they are going to have two at each cost?

 

Edit:

Wait... did I just read correctly over there that they stripped the  'Just Read The Instructions' wings to ship off Californiway with the 303?

 

Did they decommission the 300?