Author Topic: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016  (Read 97475 times)

Offline Orbiter

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Offline kevin-rf

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #221 on: 07/08/2016 07:03 pm »
Shades of the AEHF failure? Didn't it also have a Japanese IHI supplied motor?
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Offline psionedge

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #222 on: 07/08/2016 07:17 pm »
MUOS and AEHF are both on an LM bus, right?

Offline Targeteer

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #223 on: 07/08/2016 09:10 pm »
http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=95601

 Story Number: NNS160708-18Release Date: 7/8/2016 2:27:00 PM
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From Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The fifth Mobile User Objective System satellite, which successfully launched aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 on June 24, was projected to reach its geosynchronous orbit and enter its test location 22,000 miles above Hawaii by July 3.

The satellite experienced an anomaly that required the transfer maneuver to be temporarily halted.

The Navy's Program Executive Office for Space Systems has reconfigured the satellite from orbital transfer into a stabilized, safe intermediate orbit to allow the MUOS team to evaluate the situation and determine options for proceeding.

MUOS-5 was launched as an on-orbit spare to provide immediate redundancy to the MUOS constellation, which is performing nominally. MUOS-5 is an on-orbit spare, and delay in reaching its test location will have no impact upon current legacy or Wideband Code Division Multiple Access satellite communications operations.

MUOS-1 through MUOS-4 are now in orbit and supporting operations via their legacy payloads that provide ultra high frequency satellite communications for the Department of Defense.

The Navy's Program Executive Office for Space Systems, located at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command in San Diego, is responsible for the MUOS program.

For more information, visit http://www.public.navy.mil/spawar/PEOSpaceSystems.

For more news from Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/spawar.

For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy.
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Offline 4353

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #224 on: 07/10/2016 10:09 pm »
The white orbit is the ~15250 x 35700 km, 9.8 degree inclined GTO orbit in which Paul Camilleri and me have observed the satellite over the period July 3-9. i.e. this is the orbit it is currently stranded in.

The red orbit is the initial insertion orbit from June 24. The grey orbit is the sunsynchronous geosynchronous (sorry, I was tired...) orbit it was aimed for.



« Last Edit: 07/11/2016 02:25 pm by 4353 »
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Offline ZachS09

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #225 on: 07/17/2016 07:19 pm »
Is it a possibility that the reason of the apogee propulsion failure might link to the soldering defect that shuffled it two launches behind schedule?

(MUOS 5 is known as SV-3)
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Offline Skyrocket

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #226 on: 07/17/2016 07:32 pm »
Is it a possibility that the reason of the apogee propulsion failure might link to the soldering defect that shuffled it two launches behind schedule?

(MUOS 5 is known as SV-3)

Without any information on the nature of the issue, it is only speculation.

Offline psionedge

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #227 on: 07/18/2016 07:41 pm »
Is it a possibility that the reason of the apogee propulsion failure might link to the soldering defect that shuffled it two launches behind schedule?

(MUOS 5 is known as SV-3)
Unlikely, though anomalies on govt satellites are classified. Still I don't see much overlap between the repaired item and the propulsion system.
Quote
The soldering issue was discovered last spring during thermal vacuum testing on a component of the MUOS legacy UHF payload provided by Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems of El Segundo, Calif. Boeing, which built the Navy’s earlier-generation UHF Follow-On mobile communications satellites, is a subcontractor to Lockheed Martin on MUOS. - See more at: http://spacenews.com/39833bad-soldering-pushes-3rd-muos-satellite-toward-end-of-the-launch-queue/#sthash.AcQnqiBh.dpuf
« Last Edit: 07/18/2016 07:44 pm by psionedge »

Offline kevin-rf

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #228 on: 07/19/2016 01:27 pm »
<snip> though anomalies on govt satellites are classified. <snip>
Not always, they where pretty open after the fact about what happened to AEHF 1 (USA 214). If it is something related to the non-classified nature of the satellite. I think they will eventually release the cause with some level of detail. 
« Last Edit: 07/19/2016 01:27 pm by kevin-rf »
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Offline yokem55

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #229 on: 08/02/2016 06:31 pm »
From Mike Gruss on Twitter:
"Navy: MUOS-5 "experienced a failure of the orbit raising propulsion system." DoD is   considering alternate orbit adjustment options."

Ouch.

Offline psionedge

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #230 on: 08/02/2016 06:57 pm »
There was also this from AmericaSpace:
Quote
In an unrelated, important military space development, AmericaSpace has also learned exclusively that the Navy/Lockheed Martin Mobile Objective User System MUOS-5 communications spacecraft has begun climbing, after earlier being stuck 12,000 miles below its intended geosynchronous orbit checkout location over the Pacific Ocean.

The problem, likely involving propulsion and possibly control as well, occurred when the 7-ton spacecraft was halfway up its planned nine-day transfer to geosynchronous orbit following launch from Cape Canaveral on an Atlas-V on June 24 (see AmericaSpace report June 25).

Navy spokesman Steve Davis at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command in San Diego said the Navy is not yet ready to release details on the problem.

Sources told AmericaSpace, however, that an initial maneuver this month was able to move the spacecraft 25 miles higher, brightening hopes that the $611 million satellite can be eventually elevated to geosynchronous orbit even if it has to inch its way up.
http://www.americaspace.com/?p=94629

I believe that was posted on July 27, but I'm not 100% sure. I'm not up on the satellite tracking so I'm not sure if that slight raise would be noticeable to amateur observers.

Offline gwiz

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #231 on: 08/02/2016 07:25 pm »
I'm not up on the satellite tracking so I'm not sure if that slight raise would be noticeable to amateur observers.
Latest amateur orbit confirms this, period raised about 3 min.

Offline Star One

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LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #232 on: 08/02/2016 07:29 pm »
U.S. Navy narrows MUOS-5 problem to orbit raising propulsion system

Quote
But in an Aug. 2 statement, the Navy said the satellite “experienced a failure of the orbit raising propulsion system,” five days into a 10-day climb, halting the transfer maneuver that would push the satellite from its initial elliptical launch orbit to geosynchronous orbit.

As a result, the Navy is “considering alternate orbit adjustment options, calculating mission impact and investigating all options before proceeding,” said Steven Davis, a spokesman for Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command.

“The MUOS 5 satellite is currently stable, safe and under positive control,” he said.

http://spacenews.com/u-s-navy-narrows-muos-5-problem-to-orbit-raising-propulsion-system/
« Last Edit: 08/02/2016 07:31 pm by Star One »

Offline satwatcher

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #233 on: 08/02/2016 08:15 pm »
I'm not up on the satellite tracking so I'm not sure if that slight raise would be noticeable to amateur observers.

The effect of even a small maneuver will increase with time, so it will become noticeable at some point.

Offline psionedge

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #234 on: 08/03/2016 12:11 am »
Spaceflightnow article: http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/08/02/navy-looks-for-plan-b-to-salvage-its-newest-communications-satellite/

Quote
But it appears the satellite has performed some orbit-raising in recent days, albeit tiny compared to large-scale maneuvers. The Navy has not confirmed any movements, but hobbyists keeping tabs on the stricken satellite have seen the tell-tale signs.

“When Scott Tilley observed MUOS 5 on July 21 near 11:00 UTC, it was still in the orbit in which it had been stranded by the propulsion system failure on June 29. When he next observed it, on July 30 at 10:00 UTC, it was nearly 17 minutes late relative the orbit it had been in on July 21. That is an indication that it made one or more maneuvers in the interim. The orbit change probably was not large. A precise determination is pending further observations,” said Ted Molczan, a respected satellite observer.

...

With the 100-pound-thrust main engine now out of commission, ground controllers will look to the satellite’s small thrusters for saving the mission.

The craft is equipped with 18 monopropellant hydrazine thrusters designed for attitude control — a dozen 0.2-pound thrusters and six 5-pound thrusters.

...

The situation is reminiscent of the Air Force’s first Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite that experienced a main propulsion system failure after launch due to a clogged fuel line. It was able to achieve geosynchronous orbit using its xenon-fed electric thrusters with no reduction to mission life.

But the MUOS satellites do not have a xenon propulsion system, only hydrazine.

Offline yokem55

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #235 on: 08/03/2016 12:31 am »
Do the RCS thrusters share a common fuel tank with the main engine? Or would they have to sacrifice station-keeping propellent to get it to a usable orbit?

Offline edkyle99

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #236 on: 08/03/2016 02:37 am »
Do the RCS thrusters share a common fuel tank with the main engine? Or would they have to sacrifice station-keeping propellent to get it to a usable orbit?
I think that A2100 RCS uses monopropellant hydrazine while the liquid apogee engine burns hydrazine and N2O4.  Something like this maybe.  https://www.google.com/patents/US7762498 

There's a chance they can reach GEO, but I suspect it will cost a lot of the operational life.  They need another 600-700 ish m/s delta/v, maybe more.  That's probably a big chunk of the planned station keeping delta-v budget.  This all assumes that the problem isn't pressurization, which could be common to both systems.

 - Ed Kyle
« Last Edit: 08/03/2016 02:39 am by edkyle99 »

Offline kevin-rf

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #237 on: 08/03/2016 02:38 am »
Do the RCS thrusters share a common fuel tank with the main engine? Or would they have to sacrifice station-keeping propellent to get it to a usable orbit?
Also:

Is the main engine mono-propellant or bi-propellant? It's typical for ISP reason to use a bi-propellant engine for the GTO to GSO transfer. I believe AEHF-1 used a similar engine from IHI which was bi-propellant (Hydrazine and Nitrogen Tetroxide).

If that is the case, you not only take an ISP hit because of the smaller engines, but also don't get the bi-propellant ISP benefit and have the dead weight of the Nitrogen Tetroxide you can not use. They will have to lug the Nitrogen Tetroxide all the way up hill to GSO.

So the question now becomes how many years will getting to GSO take off the satellites life?

 
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Offline kevin-rf

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #238 on: 08/03/2016 02:39 am »
Ed, you beat me to it...
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Offline kevin-rf

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Re: LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-5 - June 24, 2016
« Reply #239 on: 08/03/2016 02:47 am »
Question based on Ed's patent posting. It looks like the apogee engine is pump fed vs. pressure fed.

So this brings up a few questions:
-Could it be a failed pump
-Pump verses pressure fed in this case should lead to a significant ISP hit
-It looks like the pumps are electronically powered. Is that a first (for operational rocket engines)?
-Blown breaker in the pump controller? Or other electrical problem?

Not to be morbid, but on such a complex system the reason behind this could be very interesting.
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