F9 : Es'hail 2

[Draggendrop Veteran]

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Es’hail-2 is a new communication satellite originally scheduled to be placed into the geostationary transfer orbit in the fourth quarter of 2016, but delayed to 2018. It will be launched aboard the Falcon-9 launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, US.

 

The satellite will be positioned at 26° east orbital position and will provide TV broadcasting and direct-to-home (DTH) services across the Middle East and North Africa. It will be the first Amateur Radio communication satellite in Qatar.

 

Owned and operated by Es’hailSat, Es’hail-2 will become Qatar’s second communications satellite, following the launch of the Es’hail-1 in August 2013.

 

Es’hailSat plans for more new satellites in prime hotspot locations.

https://www.aerospace-technology.com/projects/eshail-2-communication-satellite/

 

 

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SpaceX Falcon 9 launch with Es’hail-2 has turned up on the Eastern Range as NET November 14. This launch will take place from 39A. Cool photo from Nathan Barker (@NASA_Nerd) from this week below:

Range shows this is an ASDS landing for the booster.

As always, subject to change.

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1052620988393840641

 

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Eshailsat homepage

https://www.eshailsat.qa/en/satellites

 

 

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Nation:    Qatar
Type / Application:    Communication, amateur communication
Operator:    Es'hailsat, AMSAT
Contractors:    Mitsubishi Electric (MELCO)
Equipment:    Ku- and Ka-band transponders, AMSAT payload
Configuration:    DS-2000
Propulsion:    ?
Power:    2 deployable solar arrays, batteries
Lifetime:    15 years
Mass:    ~3000 kg
Orbit:    GEO

https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/eshail-2.htm

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

We have a tentative window...

 

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Nov. 14    Falcon 9 • Es’hail 2

Launch window: 2046-2227 GMT (3:46-5:27 p.m. EST)

Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Es’hail 2 communications satellite. Built by Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and owned by Qatar’s national satellite communications company Es’hailSat, Es’hail 2 will provide television broadcasts, broadband connectivity and government services to Qatar and neighboring parts of the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. Es’hail 2 also carries the first amateur radio payload to fly in geostationary orbit. Delayed from August. [Oct. 18]

https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/

[Draggendrop Veteran]

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Satellite Name: Es'hail 2

Position: 25° E (25.5° E)

Operator: Es'hailSat
Launch date: 14-Nov-2018 (Estimated)
Launch site: Cape Canaveral
Launch vehicle: Falcon 9 v1.2
Launch mass (kg): 3000

Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Electric Corp. (MELCO)
Model (bus): DS2000
Orbit: GEO
Expected lifetime: 15+ yrs.

 
Details:

24 Ku-band and 11-Ka-band transponders to provide direct broadcasting services throughout the Middle East and North Africa as well as government communication services. Moreover, Es’hail 2 will provide the world’s first geostationary amateur radio service in S-band/X-band ranges via its AMSAT hosted payload.

https://www.satbeams.com/satellites?id=2683

 

Still on track...

 

Nov. 14  Falcon 9 • Es’hail 2

Launch window: 2046-2227 GMT (3:46-5:27 p.m. EST)
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida  39A

[Draggendrop Veteran]

For reference...

 

Launch announced for Es'hail-2 carrying ham radio transponders

 

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Es’hail-2 will carry two “Phase 4” amateur radio transponders operating in the 2400 MHz and 10450 MHz bands. A 250 kHz bandwidth linear transponder intended for conventional analogue operations and an 8 MHz bandwidth transponder for experimental digital modulation schemes and DVB amateur television.

http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2018/august/launch-announced-for-es'hail-2-carrying-ham-radio-transponders.htm

 

 

PDF of 36 slides of info on the amateur radio transponders...

https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/2017Symposium-Peter_Gulzow-DB2OS.pdf

 

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Qatar’s Es’hail-2 satellite will provide the first amateur radio geostationary communications that could link amateurs from Brazil to Thailand.

 

The satellite is expected to be positioned at 25.5 degrees East. A launch is planned for the 4th quarter of 2018.

 

Es’hail-2 will carry two “Phase 4” amateur radio transponders operating in the 2400 MHz and 10450 MHz bands. A 250 kHz bandwidth linear transponder intended for conventional analogue operations and an 8 MHz bandwidth transponder for experimental digital modulation schemes and DVB amateur television.

 

Narrowband Linear transponder 2400.050 - 2400.300 MHz Uplink 10489.550 - 10489.800 MHz Downlink Wideband digital transponder 2401.500 - 2409.500 MHz Uplink 10491.000 - 10499.000 MHz Downlink

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Equipment requirements:

 

Es’Hail-2 Geostationary P4-A Transponder Frequencies

X-Band 10 GHz Downlink:
– 89 cm dishes in rainy areas at EOC like Brazil or Thailand
– 60 cm around coverage peak
– 75 cm dishes at peak -2dB
– NB: linear vertical polarisation
– WB: linear horizontal polarisation

 

S-Band 2.4 GHz NB-Uplink:
– narrow band modes like SSB, CW
– 5W nominal Uplink power (22.5 dBi antenna gain, 75cm dish)
– RHCP polarisation

S-Band 2.4 GHz WB-Uplink (DATV):
– wide band modes, DVB-S2
– peak EIRP of 53 dBW (2.4m dish and 100W) required
– RHCP polarisation

 

 

 

 

 

https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/geosynchronous/eshail-2/

 

https://amsat-dl.org/p4-a-wb-transponder-bandplan-and-operating-guidelines

 

https://amsat-dl.org/p4-a-nb-transponder-bandplan-and-operating-guidelines

 

Amsat presentation for amateur payload...16 page pdf of slides...

https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/space/workshops/2015-prague-small-sat/Presentations/Eshail-2.pdf

[Draggendrop Veteran]

This launch...may...have moved a day right, to the 15th...waiting for confirmation...Static fire should be due around the 11th anyway...

 

Spaceflight Now schedule still showing 14th, an NSF communication copy from a customer implies the 15th for launch.

 

That's not official in my books, though it may well be true...SpaceX will tweet the SF and launch window.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

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With the usual caveat of subject to change, Falcon 9 is set to return to KSC's 39A on November 11 for a Static Fire test ahead of the November 15 launch (window 1546 - 1729 local) of ES’HAIL-2. The booster will an ocean landing - returning to OCISLY.

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1060551990332284928

 

 

 

Static fire on the 11th and off we go on the 15th from 39A.

[DocM]

SpaceX press release

 

Falcon 9 is now certified for NASA high-value  missions - Category 3.

 

Next threshold: nuclear powered missions.

 

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NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP) has certified Falcon 9 as a Category 3 launch vehicle. Category 3 launch vehicles are certified to support NASA’s highest cost and most complex scientific missions. The following statement is from SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell:

“LSP Category 3 certification is a major achievement for the Falcon 9 team and represents another key milestone in our close partnership with NASA. We are honored to have the opportunity to provide cost-effective and reliable launch services to the country’s most critical scientific payloads."

The process of designating launch vehicles as Category 3 is designed to assure the highest practicable probability of success. Falcon 9 has completed over 60 missions, including the NASA LSP missions Jason-3 and TESS.

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

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A Falcon 9 rocket is rolling out to pad 39A as #SpaceX prepares for an engine test firing ahead of a launch later this week. https://spaceflightnow.com

 

https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1061670821368946689

 

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The @SpaceX Falcon 9 is on the Pad 39A ramp rolling to go vertical later today for a static test fire.

 

https://twitter.com/WordsmithFL/status/1061675411044732928

 

[DocM]

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

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SpaceX has rolled out a Falcon 9 rocket to pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a test-firing as soon as Monday, setting the stage for a launch Thursday with a commercial communications satellite. https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/11/12/live-coverage-falcon-9-rocket-to-be-test-fired-at-kennedy-space-center/ …

 

https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1061798395155832832

 

Monday it is....be nice to get back launching...with a volley over the next 2 months...😀

[Draggendrop Veteran]

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This is the view @ExploreSpaceKSC of Falcon 9 awaiting static fire testing. This is a pre-flown Block 5 which launched Telstar 19V in July. This is the 18th SpaceX mission this year. Yes, 11months, 18 missions . They’ll be landing this booster (again) on OCISLY. @Teslarati

 

https://twitter.com/_TomCross_/status/1061711443295436800

 

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Drv060yXQAEZ9LW.jpg

 

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

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Static fire test of Falcon 9 complete—targeting November 15 launch of Es’hail-2 from Pad 39A in Florida.

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1062166579306102784

 

 

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F9/Es’hail2: Here’s a shot of the Falcon 9 hot fire test this evening (pardon the humidity!):

 

 

https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/1062161803965276160

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

SpaceX - Es'hail2 - Static Fire Test 11-12-2018

 

"Tried at 9AM, rained all day, successful 6+ second burn at 6:30 PM. Pad 39A, B1047. We are a US disabled veteran run, non-profit video production company whose mission is to bring other disabled US Veterans to witness a launch, experience US Space History and become part of our report."

 

 

video is 1:54 min, SF around 1:12 min

 

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Patch should be out any time...

[DocM]

Launch date: Nov 15, 1546-1729 EST  (2046-2229 UTC)

 

Weather: 60%

 

Backup date: Nov 16, 1548-1729  EST (2048-2229 UTC)

 

Weather: 90%

 

 

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

From earlier today...

 

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Moody weather this morning made for beautiful lighting on Falcon 9 @NASAKennedy. @spacex has started aesthetic treatment on the launch pad also. Launch at 3:46pm ET. @Teslarati #SpaceX #Eshail2

https://twitter.com/_TomCross_/status/1063138038098870273

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We are proud

https://twitter.com/eshailsat/status/1063114843077566464

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

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One of your rockets is launching in 30 mins, Elon!!

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1063163564851105795

 

Polls are clear...fueling has begun....weather needs to hold.l

From Elon...

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Funky music...

 

 

 

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Webcast has started...

 

sea state for ASDS appears reasonable

 

 

 

[Blue-Vision]

Cloudy ... hmm.

Hey, a new guy!

[Draggendrop Veteran]

4 minutes ago, Unobscured Vision said:

Cloudy ... hmm.

Hey, a new guy!

He'll have to pass our test...seems OK so far.😎

 

 

[Blue-Vision]

Yep, clean dialogue so far.  

[Draggendrop Veteran]

 

 

 

 

[DocM]

Liftoff!! 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

liftoff

 

 

 

[DocM]

 

MaxQ