Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 : GPS III-3 : Cape Canaveral : June 30, 2020  (Read 139016 times)

Offline Targeteer

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Discussion Thread for GPS III-3 mission.  For overall discussion of the GPS III program please use the GPS III Program - General Thread

NSF Threads for GPS III-3 : Discussion
NSF Articles for GPS III-3 :

Successful launch June 30 at 4:10pm EDT (2010 UTC) on Falcon 9 (new booster 1060) from Cape Canaveral.  ASDS landing on JRTI was successful.  Fairing halves splashed down and were recovered.

SpaceX was originally awarded the GPS III-2 and III-3 launches.  This has since changed to GPS III-1 and III-2 III-3.



Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Hawthorne, California, has been awarded a $96,500,490 firm-fixed-price contract for launch services to deliver a GPS III satellite to its intended orbit. Contractor will provide launch vehicle production, mission integration, launch operations, spaceflight worthiness and mission unique activities for a GPS III mission. Work will be performed at Hawthorne, California; Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida; and McGregor, Texas, and is expected to be complete by April 30, 2019. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with two offers received. Fiscal 2016 space procurement funds in the amount of $96,500,490 are being obligated at the time of award. Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8811-17-C-0005).



Other SpaceX resources on NASASpaceflight:
   SpaceX News Articles (Recent)
   SpaceX News Articles from 2006 (Including numerous exclusive Elon interviews)
   SpaceX Dragon Articles
   SpaceX Missions Section (with Launch Manifest and info on past and future missions)

   L2 SpaceX Section
« Last Edit: 07/01/2020 09:32 am by input~2 »
Best quote heard during an inspection, "I was unaware that I was the only one who was aware."

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - GPSIIIA-2 - SLC-40 - May 2018
« Reply #1 on: 03/14/2017 08:47 pm »
Unsure if this contract applies to this launch or if this is a additional launch.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Hawthorne, California, has been awarded a $96,500,490 firm-fixed-price contract for launch services to deliver a GPS III satellite to its intended orbit. Contractor will provide launch vehicle production, mission integration, launch operations, spaceflight worthiness and mission unique activities for a GPS III mission. Work will be performed at Hawthorne, California; Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida; and McGregor, Texas, and is expected to be complete by April 30, 2019. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with two offers received. Fiscal 2016 space procurement funds in the amount of $96,500,490 are being obligated at the time of award. Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8811-17-C-0005).
GPS-III-2 launch date hasn't slipped anywhere near 2019 yet, so this is new award for GPS-III-3 which is targeted for NET 2nd half 2018 although SpaceX doesn't list any GPS-III flight in its manifest yet.
« Last Edit: 03/14/2017 09:32 pm by russianhalo117 »

Offline IanThePineapple

SpaceX awarded another GPSIII launch
« Reply #2 on: 03/14/2017 08:55 pm »
Tweet from James Dean (I can't figure out hyperlinks): https://twitter.com/flatoday_jdean/status/841768734834454530
« Last Edit: 03/14/2017 08:56 pm by IanThePineapple »

Online gongora

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« Last Edit: 03/14/2017 09:12 pm by gongora »

Offline calapine

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - GPSIIIA-3? - Cape Canaveral - 2019
« Reply #4 on: 03/14/2017 09:22 pm »
I looked it up: SpaceX's first GPS III launch contract was awarded in April 2016 and valued at $ 82.7 million.

So, discounting inflation, a price increase of 16.7%

Offline Targeteer

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - GPSIIIA-3? - Cape Canaveral - 2019
« Reply #5 on: 03/14/2017 09:24 pm »
Thanks to the moderator who moved my original post and started this new thread.  I knew someone out there could answer the question as to whether this was a new launch award.
Best quote heard during an inspection, "I was unaware that I was the only one who was aware."

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - GPSIIIA-3? - Cape Canaveral - 2019
« Reply #6 on: 03/14/2017 09:24 pm »
Quote
Unlike the first, which SpaceX won uncontested, ULA did submit a bid for this launch contract.

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/841770747949416449

Edit: brief SpaceNews write-up

http://spacenews.com/spacex-wins-its-second-gps-3-launch-contract/
« Last Edit: 03/14/2017 09:27 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline Targeteer

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Confirms launch of the third GPS-III in Feb 2019 so the title and launch schedule can be updated

http://www.losangeles.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1113835/spacex-awarded-contract-for-gps-iii-3-launch-services#.WMh0LTUeMIE.facebook

 LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, El Segundo, Calif. --

The Air Force announced today the award of the second competitively sourced National Security Space (NSS) launch services contract in more than a decade. Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) was awarded a contract for Global Positioning System (GPS) III Launch Services. This is a firm-fixed price, standalone contract with a total value of $96,500,490. SpaceX will provide the Government with a total launch solution for the GPS-III satellite, which includes launch vehicle production, mission integration, and launch operations and spaceflight certification. The launch will be the third GPS III launch and is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida in February 2019.

“The competitive award of the GPS III Launch Services contract to SpaceX directly supports SMC’s mission of delivering resilient and affordable space capabilities to our Nation,” said Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, Air Force program executive officer for Space and SMC commander.

GPS III is the next generation of GPS satellites that will introduce new capabilities to meet the higher demands of both military and civilian users. The satellite is expected to provide improved anti-jamming capabilities as well as improved accuracy for precision navigation and timing. It will incorporate the common L1C signal, which is compatible with the European Space Agency’s Galileo global navigation satellite system and complement current services with the addition of new civil and military signals.

The Phase 1A procurement strategy reintroduces competition for national security space launch services. This is the second of nine competitive launch services planned in the FY 2017 President’s Budget Request under the current Phase 1A procurement strategy. The Phase 1A construct was recently extended from FY17 to FY19 to allow the development of new launch vehicles, which added 5 additional competitive launches for a total of 14 competitive launches. The next competitive award for launch services is the Space Test Program (STP) 3 satellite. This award marks another milestone in the Air Force’s ongoing efforts to reintroduce a competitive procurement environment into the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program.

In May 2015, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) was certified for EELV launches resulting in two launch service providers that are capable to design, produce, qualify, and deliver a launch capability and provide the mission assurance support required to deliver national security space satellites to orbit. The certified baseline configuration of SpaceX's Falcon 9 Launch System to Falcon 9 Upgrade was recently updated for use in National Security Space (NSS) missions.

The Air Force Space Command's Space and Missile Systems Center, located at the Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the U.S. Air Force's center of excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems. Its portfolio includes the Global Positioning System, military satellite communications, defense meteorological satellites, space launch and range systems, satellite control networks, space based infrared systems and space situational awareness capabilities.


Media representatives can submit questions for response regarding this topic by sending an e-mail to [email protected]

« Last Edit: 03/14/2017 10:32 pm by Targeteer »
Best quote heard during an inspection, "I was unaware that I was the only one who was aware."

Offline WindnWar

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - GPSIIIA-3? - Cape Canaveral - 2019
« Reply #8 on: 03/15/2017 12:23 am »
I looked it up: SpaceX's first GPS III launch contract was awarded in April 2016 and valued at $ 82.7 million.

So, discounting inflation, a price increase of 16.7%

I'm curious about the price increase, additional requirements or just cost of doing business?

Offline deruch

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 - GPSIIIA-3? - Cape Canaveral - 2019
« Reply #9 on: 03/15/2017 01:11 am »
I looked it up: SpaceX's first GPS III launch contract was awarded in April 2016 and valued at $ 82.7 million.

So, discounting inflation, a price increase of 16.7%

I'm curious about the price increase, additional requirements or just cost of doing business?
Charging what the market will bear?
Shouldn't reality posts be in "Advanced concepts"?  --Nomadd

Offline Comga

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Quote
The certified baseline configuration of SpaceX's Falcon 9 Launch System to Falcon 9 Upgrade was recently updated for use in National Security Space (NSS) missions.
"Falcon 9 Upgrade"
Let the nomenclature cat fight begin!
Which "upgrade"?
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Offline edkyle99

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I looked it up: SpaceX's first GPS III launch contract was awarded in April 2016 and valued at $ 82.7 million.

So, discounting inflation, a price increase of 16.7%

I'm curious about the price increase, additional requirements or just cost of doing business?
Just like Jim predicted long ago, SpaceX prices are rising to meet the requirements of reality.

 - Ed Kyle
« Last Edit: 03/15/2017 02:25 am by edkyle99 »

Online LouScheffer

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I looked it up: SpaceX's first GPS III launch contract was awarded in April 2016 and valued at $ 82.7 million.  So, discounting inflation, a price increase of 16.7%
I'm curious about the price increase, additional requirements or just cost of doing business?
Just like Jim predicted long ago, SpaceX prices are rising to meet the requirements of reality.
There are at least two explanations.

(a) SpaceX, over the last year, decided it cannot make money selling GPS launches at $82M and hence needed to bid higher to avoid losing money, or
(b) SpaceX, over the last year, analyzed likely values for the other bids and determined it was just as likely to win with a $96M bid as a $82M bid.  No sense leaving $14M on the table.

With the two data points we have, there is no way to pick between these hypotheses.

Offline Thorny

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Just like Jim predicted long ago, SpaceX prices are rising to meet the requirements of reality.

Or SpaceX is increasing its profit margins by bidding a higher price that is still safely low enough to underbid ULA?

Offline Nomadd

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I looked it up: SpaceX's first GPS III launch contract was awarded in April 2016 and valued at $ 82.7 million.

So, discounting inflation, a price increase of 16.7%

I'm curious about the price increase, additional requirements or just cost of doing business?
Just like Jim predicted long ago, SpaceX prices are rising to meet the requirements of reality.

 - Ed Kyle
Yeah. Because businesses always give away money by lower bids than they think are needed to win the contract. They also underbid CRS by quite a bit and said they wish they'd bid higher.
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Online JamesH65

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Just like Jim predicted long ago, SpaceX prices are rising to meet the requirements of reality.

Or SpaceX is increasing its profit margins by bidding a higher price that is still safely low enough to underbid ULA?

If it is not this reason, I would be very surprised. More profit = Good.

Online Brovane

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So how many of these competitive bid launches does ULA have to lose before the USAF starts unilaterally allocating certain launches? 

Quote
Last year, Claire Leon, a top Air Force acquisition official, spelled out competing pressures to save money by choosing the lower-cost competitor while complying with high-level White House and Pentagon directives to maintain two separate launch providers. She told an industry conference in Pasadena, Calif., that until United Launch becomes a more agile competitor, the Air Force “may end up needing to compete a little differently,” by unilaterally allocating certain launches.

“It’s likely to be a split buy in some fashion,” she said.
« Last Edit: 03/15/2017 12:38 pm by Brovane »
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Online LouScheffer

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So how many of these competitive bid launches does ULA have to lose before the USAF starts unilaterally allocating certain launches? 

Quote
Last year, Claire Leon, a top Air Force acquisition official, spelled out competing pressures to save money by choosing the lower-cost competitor while complying with high-level White House and Pentagon directives to maintain two separate launch providers. She told an industry conference in Pasadena, Calif., that until United Launch becomes a more agile competitor, the Air Force “may end up needing to compete a little differently,” by unilaterally allocating certain launches.

“It’s likely to be a split buy in some fashion,” she said.
A typical strategy is to allot 60% of the launches to the low bidder, and 40% to the runner-up. 

However, if there are only two bidders, and this rule is followed, there is the risk that one (or both) vendors can put in very high bids, secure in the knowledge they will get at least 40% of the business no matter how high their bid.  So this can easily be the profit-maximizing strategy.

Online gongora

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So how many of these competitive bid launches does ULA have to lose before the USAF starts unilaterally allocating certain launches? 

The STP-3 award (direct to GSO mission) is going to be much more interesting, since SpaceX hasn't demonstrated that ability yet.  That one should also be awarded soon.

Offline Lars-J

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Just like Jim predicted long ago, SpaceX prices are rising to meet the requirements of reality.

"The requirements of reality"? That's just nonsense, any way you slice it. Unless you are seriously arguing that there is absolutely NO way to do what ULA does any cheaper, and not only are they operating on the absolute edge of what the laws of physics allows, they are also the most efficiently run organization on the planet. So no.

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