Author Topic: SpaceX F9 : Thuraya 4-NGS : CCSFS SLC-40 : 3/4 January 2025 (01:27 UTC)  (Read 31285 times)

Online DanClemmensen

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Thuraya 4-NGS : Florida : November 2024
« Reply #20 on: 11/11/2024 01:09 am »
Quote
Intelsat License LLC (“Intelsat”) herein requests 30 days of Special Temporary Authority (“STA”),1 commencing November 18, 2024, to use its Nuevo, California Ka-band earth station, E170039, to provide launch and early orbit phase (“LEOP”) services for the Thuraya 4 satellite.2 Thuraya 4 is expected to launch no earlier than November 25, 2024.3 Intelsat expects the LEOP period to last approximately five months.

Why use a Ka-band earth station in California when the satellite uses L-band? Can anybody explain the specific reasons for this?
The satellite will provide L-band services to user terminals. The satellite uses Ka band for its teleport link, Which is used to "back-haul" the user traffic and is probably also used for satellite control and provisioning.
« Last Edit: 11/11/2024 01:11 am by DanClemmensen »

Offline Peter_ron

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Thuraya 4-NGS : Florida : November 2024
« Reply #21 on: 11/20/2024 05:20 am »
Quote
Intelsat License LLC (“Intelsat”) herein requests 30 days of Special Temporary Authority (“STA”),1 commencing November 18, 2024, to use its Nuevo, California Ka-band earth station, E170039, to provide launch and early orbit phase (“LEOP”) services for the Thuraya 4 satellite.2 Thuraya 4 is expected to launch no earlier than November 25, 2024.3 Intelsat expects the LEOP period to last approximately five months.

Why use a Ka-band earth station in California when the satellite uses L-band? Can anybody explain the specific reasons for this?
The satellite will provide L-band services to user terminals. The satellite uses Ka band for its teleport link, Which is used to "back-haul" the user traffic and is probably also used for satellite control and provisioning.

Kindly can I see the official PDF application for Intelsat request? Has it been granted yet?

It's intriguing that they decided to switch to Ka-Band for the teleport link and TT&C, considering they previously used C-Band with their older satellite, especially since upgrading the ground segment for this transition is significantly more costly. Why do you think they made this choice despite the expense?

Online DanClemmensen

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Thuraya 4-NGS : Florida : November 2024
« Reply #22 on: 11/20/2024 12:20 pm »
Quote
Intelsat License LLC (“Intelsat”) herein requests 30 days of Special Temporary Authority (“STA”),1 commencing November 18, 2024, to use its Nuevo, California Ka-band earth station, E170039, to provide launch and early orbit phase (“LEOP”) services for the Thuraya 4 satellite.2 Thuraya 4 is expected to launch no earlier than November 25, 2024.3 Intelsat expects the LEOP period to last approximately five months.

Why use a Ka-band earth station in California when the satellite uses L-band? Can anybody explain the specific reasons for this?
The satellite will provide L-band services to user terminals. The satellite uses Ka band for its teleport link, Which is used to "back-haul" the user traffic and is probably also used for satellite control and provisioning.

Kindly can I see the official PDF application for Intelsat request? Has it been granted yet?

It's intriguing that they decided to switch to Ka-Band for the teleport link and TT&C, considering they previously used C-Band with their older satellite, especially since upgrading the ground segment for this transition is significantly more costly. Why do you think they made this choice despite the expense?
Intelsat has been in business for decades. Their big ground stations (called "teleports") each have multiple big antennas. The older ones are C-band and the newer ones are Ku and Ka, with an amazing collection of other stuff. The sweet spot changed over the years as the technology improved and increasingly shorter wavelengths became feasible.  The oldest high-gain C-band dishes are 50 meters in diameter: huge engineering works, but needed because C-band was the shortest wavelength for which high-power transmitters were feasible. Ku dishes are three to four times smaller diameter for the same gain. Ka dishes are another 3 times smaller. Antenna cost scales approximately with the cube of the diameter.

Offline zubenelgenubi

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Thuraya 4-NGS : Florida : NET December 2024
« Reply #23 on: 11/20/2024 07:07 pm »
My bold:
Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide, updated November 20:
Quote
The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on November 21 at 10:53 a.m. - 2:53 p.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on November 25 at 4:32-8:32 a.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 39A on November 25 at 10:31 p.m. - 2:31 a.m. EST. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches. A Falcon 9 will launch the SiriusXM-9 communication satellite on December 2 around 11 a.m. EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the next GPS satellite for the U.S. Space Force on December. A Falcon 9 will launch the next pair of O3b mPOWER satellites for SES on mid-December. A Falcon 9 will launch the Astranis MicroGEO mission on December. A Falcon 9 will launch the Thuraya 4-NGS communication satellite for the UAE on December.
Launch likely in late December.
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Offline crandles57

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Thuraya 4-NGS : Florida : NET December 2024
« Reply #24 on: 11/20/2024 09:27 pm »

Launch likely in late December.

NET Dec 13, 2024 per nextspaceflight
https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/?search=SpaceX
but perhaps that NET 13th is optimistic

Offline zubenelgenubi

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Thuraya 4-NGS : Florida : NET 19 December 2024
« Reply #25 on: 11/20/2024 11:52 pm »
NextSpaceflight; updated November 20:
Launch NET 19 December
« Last Edit: 11/20/2024 11:52 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Online GewoonLukas_

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Thuraya 4-NGS : Florida : NET 19 December 2024
« Reply #26 on: 11/26/2024 03:12 pm »
Looks like the satellite has arrived in Orlando:

Quote
Incredible special visitor at MLB today, an @Airbus Beluga here to deliver satellites for an upcoming space flight!

#airbusbeluga #melbournefl #airplane

https://twitter.com/aviationxlrs/status/1861257293708304861
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MCO would be Orlando, I think they are referring to the Melbourne airport which uses MLB as its designation.

Offline RyoHazuki

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Thuraya 4-NGS : Florida : NET 19 December 2024
« Reply #28 on: 12/05/2024 08:32 am »
Has the FCC approved the special temporary authority for this launch yet? please provide PDF

Offline zubenelgenubi

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NextSpaceflight; updated December 6:
Launch 18 December 01:26 UTC, KSC LC-39A
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Offline RyoHazuki

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Thuraya 4-NGS : Florida : November 2024
« Reply #30 on: 12/08/2024 03:24 am »
Quote
Intelsat License LLC (“Intelsat”) herein requests 30 days of Special Temporary Authority (“STA”),1 commencing November 18, 2024, to use its Nuevo, California Ka-band earth station, E170039, to provide launch and early orbit phase (“LEOP”) services for the Thuraya 4 satellite.2 Thuraya 4 is expected to launch no earlier than November 25, 2024.3 Intelsat expects the LEOP period to last approximately five months.

Has this been approved yet? Where can we look it up?

Offline GWR64

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Quote
Intelsat License LLC (“Intelsat”) herein requests 30 days of Special Temporary Authority (“STA”),1 commencing November 18, 2024, to use its Nuevo, California Ka-band earth station, E170039, to provide launch and early orbit phase (“LEOP”) services for the Thuraya 4 satellite.2 Thuraya 4 is expected to launch no earlier than November 25, 2024.3 Intelsat expects the LEOP period to last approximately five months.

Has this been approved yet? Where can we look it up?

Yes, on December 5.  SES-STA-20241017-02162
Intelsat filed an supplement in November, requesting a postponement of the STA start date to December 7.
https://licensing.fcc.gov/myibfs/download.do?attachment_key=31561759

hint: Attachments are often only downloaded on the second attempt. The server has to "wake up" first, or whatever.
« Last Edit: 12/08/2024 10:17 am by GWR64 »

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

NextSpaceflight; updated December 6:
Launch 18 December 01:26 UTC, KSC LC-39A

From here:

Primary Launch Day 18 Dec 0126Z-0553Z Backup Launch Day (1) 19 Dec 0126Z-0553Z Backup Launch Day (2) 20 Dec 0126Z-0553Z Backup Launch Day (3) 21 Dec 0126Z-0553Z Backup Launch Day (4) 22 Dec 0126Z-0553Z Backup Launch Day (5) 23 Dec 0126Z-0553Z Backup Launch Day (6) 24 Dec 0126Z-0553Z
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Offline Galactic Penguin SST

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Online StraumliBlight

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Space42 Linkedin [Dec 10]

Quote
Space42 is excited to announce that our Thuraya 4 telecommunications satellite, built by Airbus, has reached its destination at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Florida, where it will be launched into orbit by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket in December 2024.

The new Thuraya 4 geostationary satellite will deliver superior capabilities and increase coverage across Europe, Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East.
Thuraya 4 reaffirms our commitment to harnessing advanced #SpaceTech to unlock innovative AI-powered services.
« Last Edit: 12/15/2024 12:35 am by StraumliBlight »

Online GewoonLukas_

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Airbus press release:

Quote
Airbus delivers Space42’s Thuraya 4 satellite to launch site
10 December 2024

Space42’s Thuraya 4 telecommunications satellite, built by Airbus, has reached its destination at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, where it will be launched into orbit by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket in December 2024. The satellite was shipped from Toulouse, France, onboard an Airbus BelugaST (A300-600ST).

The new Thuraya 4 geostationary satellite will deliver superior capabilities and increase coverage across Europe, Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East, enabling next-generation mobility solutions for customers. In 2020, Airbus was selected to build Thuraya 4 by Yahsat, now part of Space42, the UAE’s AI-powered SpaceTech company with global reach.

[...]

Leveraging the state-of-the-art all-electric Airbus Eurostar Neo Platform, Thuraya 4 will incorporate a 12 metre antenna operating in L-Band and a payload with on-board processing. This will provide advanced routing flexibility of up to 3200 channels with dynamic power allocation over a large number of spot beams.

[...]

The BelugaST took off from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport on Saturday 23rd of November, and, following stopovers in the Azores and Nova Scotia, arrived on US soil on 25th of November.
« Last Edit: 12/10/2024 09:21 am by GewoonLukas_ »
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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Thuraya 4-NGS:
NextSpaceflight; updated December 12:
Launch 21 December 2024 01:26 UTC = 20 December 8:26 pm EST

Likely delayed to allow sufficient time after the previous LC-39A launch on December 15.
« Last Edit: 12/13/2024 04:15 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Thuraya 4-NGS:
NextSpaceflight; updated December 12:
Launch 21 December 2024 01:26 UTC = 20 December 8:26 pm EST

Likely delayed to allow sufficient time after the previous LC-39A launch on December 15.

And now also listed by Ben Cooper:

Quote
A Falcon 9 will launch the Thuraya 4-NGS communication satellite for the UAE on December 20 at 8:26 p.m. EST.
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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And now also listed by Ben Cooper:
Quote
A Falcon 9 will launch the Thuraya 4-NGS communication satellite for the UAE on December 20 at 8:26 p.m. EST.
And, pad switch:
NextSpaceflight; updated December 13:
Launch complex SLC-40

Starlink 12-2, launching the same date, takes LC-39A.
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Offline Ken the Bin

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With two other launches still pending before it, here's an NGA Rocket Launching notice for this launch.

Quote from: NGA
161044Z DEC 24
NAVAREA IV 1576/24(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   210126Z TO 210553Z DEC, ALTERNATE
   0500Z TO 0653Z DAILY 22 THRU 27 DEC
   IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-40.00N 080-38.39W, 28-40.00N 080-12.00W,
      28-32.00N 080-12.00W, 28-32.00N 080-30.00W,
      28-32.00N 080-33.71W.
   B. 29-00.00N 075-32.00W, 29-02.00N 073-16.00W,
      28-41.00N 072-02.00W, 28-00.00N 072-01.00W,
      27-48.00N 073-24.00W, 27-58.00N 075-32.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 270753Z DEC 24.//
This account is inactive as of the end of 2024.

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