SpaceX Falcon Heavy : USSF-44 : KSC LC-39A: 1 Nov 2022 (13:41 UTC)

[gongora]

I think this flight might be in October now.

https://fcc.report/IBFS/SES-STA-INTR2021-01859

Maybe that’s for USSF-52 in October?

I think it's more likely this one.

[Jansen]

I think this flight might be in October now.

https://fcc.report/IBFS/SES-STA-INTR2021-01859

Maybe that’s for USSF-52 in October?

I think it's more likely this one.

Is there something specifically you’re seeing that leads you to believe that? I’m not picking up anything.

[gongora]

I don't believe there are FH flights in July and October.  I think this is likely for the next FH flight.

[Jansen]

I don't believe there are FH flights in July and October.  I think this is likely for the next FH flight.

Spaceflight Now and Next Spaceflight both say July and October for FH, so I’m curious if you have any additional info.

https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/02/15/spacex-planning-launch-of-two-falcon-heavy-missions-in-summer-and-fall/

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/1151
https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/110

[gongora]

I just don't buy two FH flying that close together right now.  With the current production rate it's not likely SpaceX could build another new FH for October.  Maybe USSF lets them reuse boosters, but I couldn't see them counting on reusing the center core, so they'd have to build at least one more core (not too bad) and certify two reused boosters in three months (perhaps a little more of a rush).  A lot of payloads have also been slipping dates.

[Skyrocket]

I think this flight might be in October now.

https://fcc.report/IBFS/SES-STA-INTR2021-01859

Maybe that’s for USSF-52 in October?

I think it's more likely this one.

So likely TETRA-1 and USUVL are the same spacecraft.

[scr00chy]

I just don't buy two FH flying that close together right now.  With the current production rate it's not likely SpaceX could build another new FH for October.  Maybe USSF lets them reuse boosters, but I couldn't see them counting on reusing the center core, so they'd have to build at least one more core (not too bad) and certify two reused boosters in three months (perhaps a little more of a rush).  A lot of payloads have also been slipping dates.

How about this? USSF-44 will expend the center core, so maybe they've decided to swap the launch order after the military agreed to booster reuse for NSSL? If USSF-52 flies first, they can recover all boosters and reuse them on USSF-44. That potentially saves them one center core.

[scr00chy]

I just don't buy two FH flying that close together right now.  With the current production rate it's not likely SpaceX could build another new FH for October.  Maybe USSF lets them reuse boosters, but I couldn't see them counting on reusing the center core, so they'd have to build at least one more core (not too bad) and certify two reused boosters in three months (perhaps a little more of a rush).  A lot of payloads have also been slipping dates.

B1068 could be a new FH center core, for all we know. And it could be arriving to McGregor any day now. That would leave plenty of time to get it ready for October. As for side boosters, maybe USSF-52 will use B1052 and B1053? If so, there is more than enough time to certify them.

I'm not saying this is what's gonna happen, but it's a possibility, so I don't see enough reason yet to say that the FCC license can't be for USSF-52.

[Jansen]

I just don't buy two FH flying that close together right now.  With the current production rate it's not likely SpaceX could build another new FH for October.  Maybe USSF lets them reuse boosters, but I couldn't see them counting on reusing the center core, so they'd have to build at least one more core (not too bad) and certify two reused boosters in three months (perhaps a little more of a rush).  A lot of payloads have also been slipping dates.

B1068 could be a new FH center core, for all we know. And it could be arriving to McGregor any day now. That would leave plenty of time to get it ready for October. As for side boosters, maybe USSF-52 will use B1052 and B1053? If so, there is more than enough time to certify them.

More likely to be B1064 and B1065 reused for USSF-52, since we know that they will be recovered from this mission. They were built recently and it’s very possible USSF has been studying them along with B1062 for reuse. It all fits with their stated schedule:

So far the Space Force only has agreed to allow reused boosters in two GPS launches scheduled in 2021 but the plan is to make the entire fleet reusable by 2022.

“Over the next 18 months we’ll complete the transition to a fully reusable SpaceX fleet for our national security missions,” Col. Robert Bongiovi, director of the Space and Missile Systems Center’s Launch Enterprise, said Nov. 19.

https://spacenews.com/spacex-to-transition-to-fully-reusable-fleet-for-national-security-launches/

There hasn’t been a F9 booster seen in McGregor since B1067 finished testing in April. It’s very possible B1068 was missed and is already there, or soon will be. Two months is well within their ability to manufacture a booster.

[Jansen]

So likely TETRA-1 and USUVL are the same spacecraft.

Not necessarily.

TETRA-1 is the first in a series of well known prototype test satellites for the US military. It was built by Millennium Space Systems, a Boeing subsidiary.

USUVL is own by Universal Space Networks, a subsidiary of the Swedish Space Corporation. They specialize in TT&C capabilities for telecoms.

[gongora]

USUVL is own by Universal Space Networks, a subsidiary of the Swedish Space Corporation. They specialize in TT&C capabilities for telecoms.

USN is going to provide ground station services for a government payload.  They don't own the payload.

[gongora]

Col. Bongiovi said the flight is later this year, and only one FH NSSL flight this year.

[Jansen]

WSBR video is now online

[Jansen]

At 11 mins he seems to indicate the first NSSL FH will be this year or early next year.

[gongora]

At 11 mins he seems to indicate the first NSSL FH will be this year or early next year.

That was Vulcan, not FH

[Jansen]

At 11 mins he seems to indicate the first NSSL FH will be this year or early next year.

That was Vulcan, not FH

Lol I just realized how much Vulcan and Falcon sound alike.

Edit: At 39:50 he calls Vulcan “Falcon” instead

[Jansen]

Col. Bongiovi said the flight is later this year, and only one FH NSSL flight this year.

At around 39:20 in the video.

[DigitalMan]

At 11 mins he seems to indicate the first NSSL FH will be this year or early next year.

That was Vulcan, not FH

I don't see how you got that. Going to 39:20 as Jansen suggested, it seemed to be very audible, he said 1st FH this year, 2nd is pushed into 22, the first NSSL Vulcan is 23.

[gongora]

At 11 mins he seems to indicate the first NSSL FH will be this year or early next year.

That was Vulcan, not FH

I don't see how you got that. Going to 39:20 as Jansen suggested, it seemed to be very audible, he said 1st FH this year, 2nd is pushed into 22, the first NSSL Vulcan is 23.

At 11:00 he says the first Vulcan flight is late this year or early next year.  At 39:00 he says the first Vulcan NSSL flight is in 2023.

[DigitalMan]

Ah. Sorry

Jansen said first NSSL FH, you corrected to Vulcan but left out non-NSSL.