Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 - AMOS-6 - (Pad Failure) - DISCUSSION THREAD (1)  (Read 1541077 times)

Offline Chris Bergin

This begins as pre-launch discussion and moves into post-Static Fire failure discussion.

NSF Threads for AMOS-6 : Discussion / Updates / L2 Coverage (pre-failure) / L2 Coverage (post-failure) / ASDS / Party
NSF Articles for AMOS-6 : Booster prep (1) / Booster prep (2) / Falcon 9 explodes during AMOS-6 static fire test

September 01 2016, 0907 Local (1307 UTC) : Launch vehicle (Falcon 9-29) and payload destroyed during testing at SLC-40


I'll write it up, although I did have five seconds of thinking "Bloody hell, I wish we made money like space.com" ;D

Article:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/01/spacex-win-contract-ahead-crs-2-mission/

Presser:

SPACECOM AND SPACEX ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT FOR AMOS-6 SATELLITE LAUNCH

Hawthorne, CA / Ramat-Gan, Israel, January 29, 2013 – Today, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Space Communication Ltd. (Spacecom) announced an agreement to launch Spacecom’s AMOS-6 satellite on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle. Falcon 9 will insert the communications satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO), further enhancing Spacecom’s existing satellite fleet.

The AMOS-6 agreement is the latest in a series of wins for SpaceX.  The company closed out 2012 having signed 14 launch contracts—maintaining the company’s position as the world’s fastest growing launch services provider. 

“This last year has been one of great success and tremendous growth,” said Gwynne Shotwell, President of SpaceX.   “Spacecom was one of our earliest supporters—SpaceX is proud to be their partner and we look forward to launching their AMOS-6 satellite.” 

The AMOS-6 satellite, to be built by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), will provide communication services including direct satellite home internet for Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. AMOS-6 will replace AMOS-2, which is expected to end its service in 2016.

"We are excited to partner with SpaceX and its tremendous team. AMOS-6 will be larger and stronger than AMOS-2 and AMOS-3 combined, and signals a new age for Spacecom," commented David Pollack, President and CEO of Spacecom. "As we establish our position as a global satellite operator providing more services and capacity, AMOS-6 will be a key element of our business strategy and future."

The AMOS-6 mission is targeting a 2015 launch from Cape Canaveral, FL.



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: 09/23/2016 06:35 pm by Chris Bergin »
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Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Good to see the Israelis willing to continue do business with SpaceX after all the delays with the F9 that made AMOS-4 jumping ship to the Land Launch Zenit.  :)
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Offline Lar

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Good to see the Israelis willing to continue do business with SpaceX after all the delays with the F9 that made AMOS-4 jumping ship to the Land Launch Zenit.  :)

Now all SpaceX has to do is up the launch rate. A lot.
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Offline oiorionsbelt

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I'll write it up, although I did have five seconds of thinking "Bloody hell, I wish we made money like space.com" ;D
Not the same as making money, but I almost never go to Space.com since finding this site.  :)

Offline llanitedave

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Yeah, it's changed my surfing habits, too.
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Offline cmj9808

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What confuses me is that Amos-6 weighs 5.5ton/12,125lbs according to SFN report, far beyond Falcon 9 GTO capability(4.85 ton/10,682lbs as described by SpX's F9 page). Or did I miss something?

Offline QuantumG

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No, I don't think you did miss anything, but SpaceX is in the process of updating their line (to v1.1) and, as far as I recall, stats have not been announced for it yet, and 2015 is another 2 years away to boot.


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Offline Comga

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Good to see the Israelis willing to continue do business with SpaceX after all the delays with the F9 that made AMOS-4 jumping ship to the Land Launch Zenit.  :)

So the SpaceCom launch added to the SpaceX manifest in November of 2011 was AMOS-4 and this is AMOS-6? 
Did SpaceX ever remove the first on from their manifest?
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Offline joek

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What confuses me is that Amos-6 weighs 5.5ton/12,125lbs according to SFN report, far beyond Falcon 9 GTO capability(4.85 ton/10,682lbs as described by SpX's F9 page). Or did I miss something?
No, I don't think you did miss anything, but SpaceX is in the process of updating their line (to v1.1) and, as far as I recall, stats have not been announced for it yet, and 2015 is another 2 years away to boot.

The published NASA NLS F9 v1.1 performance data does suggest v1.1 is short of putting 5.5tons into GTO.  Maybe that's without a  "delta-v mission kit" for which we haven't yet seen details for v1.1?


edit: Now back to KSLV-1 (looking good!).  Congrats all and thanks to the NSF crew for the coverage!
« Last Edit: 01/30/2013 06:05 am by joek »

Offline Jason1701

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It's possible that the spacecraft will be providing some of the delta-v to get to GTO, in addition to circularizing.

Offline john smith 19

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Now all SpaceX has to do is up the launch rate. A lot.
Definitely. Did they launch anything that was not ISS related in 2012?

Having a solid launch manifest is good (they've all presumably put down some cash already) but regular launches keep your launch crew sharp and once a year does not really do it.

One a month?

You have to ask what's been on the list since 2009/10. That should be about ready to go.


[edit] I see Spacex are now expecting to do 6 launches this year. This sounds like excellent news and a great chance to show they can handle both the government (NASA initially but they are looking at payloads from the DoD EELV programme as well) and the commercial sector. [edit]
« Last Edit: 01/31/2013 04:21 pm by john smith 19 »
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Offline russianhalo117

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I'll write it up, although I did have five seconds of thinking "Bloody hell, I wish we made money like space.com" ;D
Not the same as making money, but I almost never go to Space.com since finding this site.  :)
Yep, same here, although I do help Anatoly Zak with his site, but he is really low on funding now so he had to make only an articles abstract publicly available and one now has to pay for the full article. May involve everything if site funding continues to decline. Hard times lay ahead for his site.

Offline grythumn

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What confuses me is that Amos-6 weighs 5.5ton/12,125lbs according to SFN report, far beyond Falcon 9 GTO capability(4.85 ton/10,682lbs as described by SpX's F9 page). Or did I miss something?
No, I don't think you did miss anything, but SpaceX is in the process of updating their line (to v1.1) and, as far as I recall, stats have not been announced for it yet, and 2015 is another 2 years away to boot.

The published NASA NLS F9 v1.1 performance data does suggest v1.1 is short of putting 5.5tons into GTO.  Maybe that's without a  "delta-v mission kit" for which we haven't yet seen details for v1.1?


edit: Now back to KSLV-1 (looking good!).  Congrats all and thanks to the NSF crew for the coverage!

That's the high-energy orbit graph, wouldn't the elliptical graph be more appropriate for GTO? Punching in an 36km x 27.0 degree elliptical (Not sure if that's standard for GTO, but closest I can find in a couple minutes of searching), the same tool gives a payload of 5715mt. Does that leave enough margin for a kick motor?

Link

-R C

Offline joek

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That's the high-energy orbit graph, wouldn't the elliptical graph be more appropriate for GTO? Punching in an 36km x 27.0 degree elliptical (Not sure if that's standard for GTO, but closest I can find in a couple minutes of searching), the same tool gives a payload of 5715mt. Does that leave enough margin for a kick motor?
Yes, you're right (doh!); elliptical with standard GTO appogee plot...

Offline cmj9808

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That's the high-energy orbit graph, wouldn't the elliptical graph be more appropriate for GTO? Punching in an 36km x 27.0 degree elliptical (Not sure if that's standard for GTO, but closest I can find in a couple minutes of searching), the same tool gives a payload of 5715mt. Does that leave enough margin for a kick motor?
Yes, you're right (doh!); elliptical with standard GTO appogee plot...


Well, I think that makes a lot of sense, thanks guys.

Offline docmordrid

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http://www.exim.gov/newsandevents/releases/2013/SpaceX-Launch.cfm

Quote
Ex-Im Bank Approves $105.4 Million Loan to Finance SpaceX Launch

Washington, D.C. – Continuing its support of the space industry in America, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) has authorized a $105.4 million loan to Space Communication Ltd. of Ramat Gan, Israel, to finance the Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) launch of the Amos-6 communications satellite, the purchase of American made-solar arrays, and insurance brokered by Marsh USA (Marsh)

The transaction is Ex-Im Bank’s third in support of a SpaceX launch, and it will support approximately 600 U.S. jobs in California and elsewhere, according to bank estimates derived from Departments of Commerce and Labor data and methodology. In June of 2013, Ex-Im Bank announced that it had approved financing for the launches of two satellites manufactured by Space Systems/Loral LLC, and in November of 2012 the Bank announced that it had approved financing for the launches of two Boeing-manufactured satellites.

“Ex-Im Bank is always ready to help the American space industry boost its international sales and export its products to important markets,” said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. “Our support of American launches and exports levels the playing field for U.S. companies and keeps highly-skilled, well-paying jobs on American soil.”

Satellite financing represents Ex-Im Bank’s most prominent stand-out sector in the Bank's newly transformed portfolio. Just three years ago, satellites accounted for only $50 million in authorizations per year. This year numbers as the third consecutive year in which Ex-Im Bank's satellite sector authorizations will have topped $1 billion.

Amos-6, a geosynchronous satellite, will replace Space Communication’s Amos-2 and cover markets in Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The satellite will also provide pan-European coverage and broadband services in Europe and Africa.

The launch is scheduled for 2015.

Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Hawthorne, Calif., SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches rockets and spacecraft. It is the first private company to build, launch, and dock spacecraft at the International Space Station, a mission previously accomplished only by government space entities. 
« Last Edit: 08/25/2013 09:56 pm by Chris Bergin »
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Offline sublimemarsupial

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So does this article give us a good upper bound for the actual cost of a Falcon 9 launch? It states that the loan of $105 million is for the launch, insurance, and for "American made-solar arrays". Anyone have a good idea of the proportion of that amount that would go to the solar arrays?

Offline IRobot

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Don't forget engineering services from SpaceX...

Offline sublimemarsupial

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Don't forget engineering services from SpaceX...

Yeah, that was what I meant, in that this price give us an upper bound for the actual launch cost including all of the payload specific engineering and processing costs? Subtract off whatever the insurance and solar array costs are and whatever is left is the price spaceX is charging them for the LV hardware plus all the engineering for their payload.

Offline dcporter

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Don't forget engineering services from SpaceX...

Yeah, that was what I meant, in that this price give us an upper bound for the actual launch cost including all of the payload specific engineering and processing costs? Subtract off whatever the insurance and solar array costs are and whatever is left is the price spaceX is charging them for the LV hardware plus all the engineering for their payload.

That's assuming that this loan funds the entire process, which I'm not sure you can assume.

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