SpaceX Updates (Thread 9)

[Beittil]

Time for a Avatar styled mech then 😛 (Minus the obscenely large guns and equally rediculous knives please :D)

 

[Beittil]

Though I still believe they are better of getting Caterpillar to develop some badass Mars proof heavy machinery for them and then launch that in stead!

 

I mean, we already know Cat has done exploratory projects with NASA in the past and they were invited to be part of SpaceX's Mars workshops.

[DocM]

Falcon Heavy gets its first direct insertion to geostationary orbit launch, a very high energy trajectory.

 

 

https://www.ovzon.com/en/ovzon-signs-agreement-with-spacex-for-first-satellite-launch/

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Ovzon signs agreement with SpaceX for first satellite launch

 

October 16, 2018

 

In an important step towards growing its satellite service offering, Ovzon has entered into an agreement with SpaceX for launch of Ovzon’s first GEO satellite. The launch is expected to take place no earlier than Q4 2020. The next step for the company is to finalize the procurement of the satellites.

Per Wahlberg, CEO Ovzon said; “Contracting the launch supplier of our first Ovzon satellite is an important and exciting step for our company. SpaceX offered a very competitive solution with the Falcon Heavy launch vehicle which will gain us access to space in a timely and reliable manner. The satellite is expected to be launched no earlier than Q4 2020. The procurement of the satellites is now also in the final stage. Earlier this month we ordered and started the manufacturing of the first Ovzon On-Board-Processor (OBP), one of the most advanced of its type. We therefore continue to work towards our goal of revolutionizing mobile broadband via satellite by offering the highest data-rates through the smallest terminals”.

 

“We are honored that Ovzon has chosen SpaceX to launch the first of its satellites,” said SpaceX’s President and COO, Gwynne Shotwell. “We look forward to working closely on the execution of this important direct-to-GEO mission.”

 

The agreement is subject to certain contingencies and mutual termination clauses.

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Per Wahlberg, CEO

Tel: +46 8 508 600 60

E-mail: media@ovzon.com

 

About Ovzon

 

Ovzon is a provider of a satellite-based mobility broadband services, targeting end-markets and users in need of high data speeds combined with mobility. Applications include real-time sensor and video upload, either from moving or highly mobile platforms, including small vehicles, small aircraft or UAVs, or transmissions directly from on-site staff holding the terminals and transmitting on-the-go. Ovzon is headquartered in Solna, Sweden and has offices in Tampa, FL and Bethesda, MD in the United States. Ovzon is listed on Nasdaq First North Premier. FNCA Sweden AB is the company’s Certified Adviser

>

 

 

[anthdci]

31 minutes ago, DocM said:

Falcon Heavy gets its first direct insertion to geostationary orbit launch, a very high energy trajectory.

 

 

 

probably an expendable centre core with the amount of fuel need to scrub off the speed for a barge landing?

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Rough, but close enough...NET's are always changing.

 

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SpaceX's Falcon Heavy manifest: - Arabsat 6A (NET early 2019) - STP-2 (NET 2019) - AFSPC-52 (NET September 2020) - Ovzon (NET Q4 2020) Pending confirmed payloads: - Viasat - Inmarsat

https://twitter.com/nextspaceflight/status/1052304540832358401

 

list view...

 

SpaceX's Falcon Heavy manifest:

- Arabsat 6A (NET early 2019)
- STP-2 (NET 2019)
- AFSPC-52 (NET September 2020)
- Ovzon (NET Q4 2020)

Pending confirmed payloads:
- Viasat
- Inmarsat

 

all subject to change...Arabsat is all over the calendar....

[Draggendrop Veteran]

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The final satellite of the #RADARSAT Constellation Mission was delivered to California for launch prep. The 3 Earth observing satellites will launch in Feb 2019, & will be used for maritime and ecosystem monitoring, & disaster management http://ow.ly/Gzn830mhuJL via @csa_asc

https://twitter.com/avspacemuseum/status/1052893100715081728

 

Looks like it's manifested for February 2019 out of Vandy.

 

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

SpaceX attempts second Falcon fairing drop test with a helicopter and Mr. Steven

 

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Following a few days of rest in port, SpaceX fairing recovery vessel Mr. Steven has continued a likely campaign of controlled drop tests with a second fairing recovery attempt, using a helicopter, spotter plane, and support vessel to pick up a Falcon fairing and drop it, theoretically allowing it to paraglide into Mr. Steven’s net.

 

While it’s nearly impossible to determine what happened without line-of-sight visual confirmation or an official announcement from SpaceX, it appears that Mr. Steven kicked off real catch attempts on October 11th, evidenced by his close interaction with a Blackhawk helicopter over the course of an hour or so. Another similar attempt occurred today, October 17th, and culminated with Mr. Steven returning once more to Port of San Pedro with the same test-focused fairing half on board, albeit not resting in his retracted net.

more at the link...

https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-mr-steven-falcon-fairing-catch-practice/

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Final Iridium Next launch scheduled for Dec. 30 Falcon 9 mission

 

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WASHINGTON — The last mission needed to complete Iridium Communications’ second-generation satellite constellation is scheduled for Dec. 30, Iridium CEO Matt Desch said today.

In a tweet announcing the launch date, Desch said the launch is set for 8:38 a.m. Pacific Standard Time from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The launch will also use a previously flown first-stage booster, marking the third time Iridium switched from a new rocket.

https://spacenews.com/final-iridium-next-launch-scheduled-for-dec-30-falcon-9-mission/

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It’s taken awhile, but finally have a schedule for the final launch #8 of Iridium NEXT! 8:38am pst on December 30th – we’ll have the satellites, SpaceX assures us the flight proven rocket will be ready, and VAFB is ready to ring in the New Year with us! #ThePartyWillBeEpic

https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/1052934106135359488?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1052934106135359488&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fspacenews.com%2Ffinal-iridium-next-launch-scheduled-for-dec-30-falcon-9-mission%2F

 

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The December launch will enable Iridium to get the entire $3 billion Iridium Next constellation in orbit by year’s end, though the satellites will take until early 2019 to reach their orbital slots.

 

Iridium currently has 65 Iridium Next satellites in low-Earth orbit, replacing a first generation constellation from Lockheed Martin that launched in the late 1990s. The final launch will add 10 satellites, completing the system of 66 operational satellites and nine orbiting spares.

 

Iridium also has six spare satellites it is keeping on the ground.

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Desch said the last 10 satellites consist of six operational satellites and four spares.

SpaceX has launched the entire Iridium Next constellation on Falcon 9 rockets from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The first Iridium Next launch took place Jan. 14, 2017.

https://spacenews.com/final-iridium-next-launch-scheduled-for-dec-30-falcon-9-mission/

 

image by SpaceX

[DocM]

Iridium's faith in a new player added much credibility to SpaceX early on, and it's been a very successful campaign for both. 

[DocM]

So it was a satellite parts delay...

 

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

It definitely was a payload delay. Matt had covered it but a lot of the good info he gives are answers to others questions. The data gets missed sometimes.

 

13Aug2018

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Still trying to nail the date down (satellite completion is gating, not rocket availability), but definitely won't be in September.

https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/1028964871617105923

 

 

31Aug2018

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Launch 7 satellite activities complete: 59 of 66 satellites in our constellation are now Iridium NEXT vehicles - 89.4% complete! 4 of 6 planes are all NEXT, with the 5th plane complete in a few weeks when SV153 drifts into position. Launch 8 is NET November now - can't wait!

https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/1035609461405241349

 

 

31Aug2018

Iridium NEXT-8 launch date dependent on satellite manufacturing, availability

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/08/iridium-next-8-dependent-satellite-manufacturing-availability/

 

13Oct2018

answering a launch date question...

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Yes it is. Should be able to announce specific plan soon.

https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/1051220004983791616

 

Then today..the tweet you placed above.

 

Looks like the satellites were just recently completed and the launch schedule shuffle also got us the booster #...(have a hunch that a new booster would have put them into Q1 of 2019, along with RADARSAT)

18Oct2018

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B1049...

https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/1052937230199738368?s=19

 

The Telstar 18 from LC-40...Xcountry checkup and transport to Vandy later on.

 

18Oct2018

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ASDS. We're too heavy and trajectory doesn't work for RTLS

https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/1052935215918837761

 

bit of a mess above....you should open a new launch thread and we can transfer the data there...just gets lost here.

😀

[DocM]

Shuttle Mobile Service Structure hinge removal leading up to applying cladding to the Fixed Service Structure  tower (like in the Falcon Heavy concept image below.)

 

 

FSS cladding concept

 

[Unobscured Vision]

That looks SO much better now.  And we called it two years ago. Cladding. Gotta have it.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

This...

 

or this...

 

 

similar to the Sparta outburst....This is SpaceX...We do SpaceX...😎

[DocM]

2 hours ago, Draggendrop said:

 

similar to the Sparta outburst....This is SpaceX...We do SpaceX...😎

 

...and they're going to look cool as hell doing it...

 

NASA Orion

 

Soyuz & Federation (Russia)

 

Shenzhou replacement (China)

 

SpaceX BFS

[Beittil]

7 hours ago, DocM said:

Shuttle Mobile Service Structure hinge removal ...

 

 

Hinge removal? Wasn't the hinge going to stay attached to the FSS? Since it contributes a lot to its sturdiness as well? It is there in all SpaceX renders of the cladded FSS!

[Unobscured Vision]

The inner part of the hinge stays. It's the outer (moving) part that's going away. That inner part is a component of the superstructure and can't be removed.

[Beittil]

Ah, that makes more sense  Tnx for the clarification.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

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Watching @SpaceX Kevin Hatton explaining rocketry to more than a thousand air traffic controllers. It will be important to get this community excited about commercial space. We need each other! #NATCACFS2018 #cooperation #safeskies

https://twitter.com/Lori_Garver/status/1054842230500802560

 

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Viasat, SpaceX Enter Contract for a Future ViaSat-3 Satellite Launch

 

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CARLSBAD, Calif., Oct. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Viasat Inc., (Nasdaq: VSAT), a global communications company, announced today it selected SpaceX to launch one of its ViaSat-3 satellite missions. The Viasat mission is scheduled to launch in the 2020 - 2022 timeframe from the Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA'sKennedy Space Center in Florida. This mission will launch aboard a Falcon Heavy.

 

Viasat chose the SpaceX Falcon Heavy for its ability to fly a near direct-injection mission, inserting a ViaSat-3 satellite extremely close to geostationary orbit—as a result, the spacecraft can begin in-orbit testing (IOT) quickly after launch, rather than spending weeks or months performing orbit raising maneuvers. This is expected to enable Viasat to turn on its ultra-high-speed broadband service much quicker after launch than is possible with other launch vehicles.

 

"Viasat sought a ViaSat-3 launch partner that understood our unique mission requirements: to safely and quickly bring a ViaSat-3 spacecraft into orbit, to further our goal of delivering terabits of data from space to meet growing global broadband demand," said Dave Ryan, president, Space Systems at Viasat. "We selected SpaceX as they continue to demonstrate their commitment to advancing space technologies. Their proven technology is both powerful and efficient enough to thrust a ViaSat-3 spacecraft close to geostationary orbit."

 

"There are exciting opportunities for Falcon Heavy in the market, particularly for customers like Viasat that need direct-injection extremely close to geostationary orbit," said SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell. "We look forward to delivering ViaSat-3 to orbit and helping bring Viasat's latest technology into service."

more at the link...

http://investors.viasat.com/news-releases/news-release-details/viasat-spacex-enter-contract-future-viasat-3-satellite-launch?sf94124329=1

 

That takes care of the "pending"...

[Draggendrop Veteran]

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Maxar's SSL Delivers Two Earth Observation Satellites to Vandenberg Launch Base for SpaceX Falcon 9 launch with Spaceflight SSO-A (Sun Synch Express) NET November 19.

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1055437935624048641

 

 

Payloads have been coming in at a good pace, quite the variation in sizes as well. Should be an exciting payload deployment.

[Unobscured Vision]

Very cool.  

[DocM]

5 hours ago, Draggendrop said:

Viasat, SpaceX Enter Contract for a Future ViaSat-3 Satellite Launch

 

more at the link...

http://investors.viasat.com/news-releases/news-release-details/viasat-spacex-enter-contract-future-viasat-3-satellite-launch?sf94124329=1

 

That takes care of the "pending"...

 

The important of this being yet another Falcon Heavy direct-to-geostationary orbit launch can't be overstated. Customers being able to get revenue weeks to months earlier, even for high energy trajectories, will breed  even more business and aggressive mission plans.

 

A 'Really Big Deal.'

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

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SpaceX is working with Goldman Sachs on a $500M loan, according to Bloomberg; not clear if this would support BFR and/or Starlink or something else.

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1055483432137080832

 

 

SpaceX Seeks $500 Million Loan Via Goldman Sachs

 

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Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX is seeking to borrow $500 million in the leveraged loan market, according to three people familiar with the matter.

 

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is leading the talks with potential investors this week, said the people, who asked not to be identified because plan is private. Spokesmen for Space Exploration Technologies Corp. and Goldman Sachs declined to comment.

 

Musk is the chief executive officer and largest shareholder of both SpaceX and Tesla Inc. Closely held SpaceX’s valuation has climbed to about $28 billion as it has routinely launched and landed rockets for reuse, significantly reducing the cost of space travel. It’s the third-most valuable venture-backed startup in the U.S. after Uber Technologies Inc. and Airbnb Inc.

 

SpaceX’s timing lets it take advantage of a borrower’s market in leveraged finance, even for companies like Uber and Tesla that are burning through cash. While investors have piled into loans this year in search of floating rate assets amid the Federal Reserve’s tightening, issuance has dropped by about 20 percent.

 

SpaceX has completed 17 missions already this year, one short of last year’s total. In addition to bringing in revenue by carrying satellites into space for telecommunications providers, defense companies and other customers, it also has contracts with U.S. military agencies and NASA worth billions of dollars.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-25/spacex-is-said-to-seek-500-million-leveraged-loan-via-goldman

 

 

[DocM]

The BFR factory site is cleared & needs filling, StarLink's VLEO constellation getting approved, Boca Chica is being built, etc. etc.