Weighing about two metric tons at launch (4,400 lb), SWOT will be positioned at an altitude of 890 kilometers, with an inclination of 77.6°.
Another winAnother flight SWOT April 2021 F9 Vandenberg November 22, 2016 CONTRACT RELEASE C16-029NASA Selects Launch Services for Global Surface Water Survey MissionNASA has selected Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, California, to provide launch services for the agency’s Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission. Launch is targeted for April 2021 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.The total cost for NASA to launch SWOT is approximately $112 million, which includes the launch service; spacecraft processing; payload integration; and tracking, data and telemetry support.Designed to make the first-ever global survey of Earth’s surface water, in addition to high-resolution ocean measurements, the SWOT mission will collect detailed measurements of how water bodies on Earth change over time. The satellite will survey at least 90 percent of the globe, studying Earth's lakes, rivers, reservoirs and oceans, at least twice every 21 days, aid in freshwater management around the world, to improve ocean circulation models and weather and climate predictions. The SWOT spacecraft will be jointly developed and managed by NASA and the French space agency Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES).NASA’s Launch Services Program at Kennedy Space Center in Florida will manage the SpaceX launch service. The SWOT Project office at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, manages spacecraft development for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.For more information about NASA programs and missions, visit:http://www.nasa.gov
Quote from: Comga on 11/22/2016 08:45 pmAnother winAnother flight SWOT April 2021 F9 Vandenberg November 22, 2016 CONTRACT RELEASE C16-029NASA Selects Launch Services for Global Surface Water Survey MissionNASA has selected Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, California, to provide launch services for the agency’s Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission. Launch is targeted for April 2021 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.The total cost for NASA to launch SWOT is approximately $112 million, which includes the launch service; spacecraft processing; payload integration; and tracking, data and telemetry support.Designed to make the first-ever global survey of Earth’s surface water, in addition to high-resolution ocean measurements, the SWOT mission will collect detailed measurements of how water bodies on Earth change over time. The satellite will survey at least 90 percent of the globe, studying Earth's lakes, rivers, reservoirs and oceans, at least twice every 21 days, aid in freshwater management around the world, to improve ocean circulation models and weather and climate predictions. The SWOT spacecraft will be jointly developed and managed by NASA and the French space agency Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES).NASA’s Launch Services Program at Kennedy Space Center in Florida will manage the SpaceX launch service. The SWOT Project office at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, manages spacecraft development for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.For more information about NASA programs and missions, visit:http://www.nasa.govInteresting data point on full-wrap mission cost vs F9 list prices.~Jon
Quote from: jongoff on 11/22/2016 09:16 pmQuote from: Comga on 11/22/2016 08:45 pmAnother winAnother flight SWOT April 2021 F9 Vandenberg November 22, 2016 CONTRACT RELEASE C16-029NASA Selects Launch Services for Global Surface Water Survey MissionNASA has selected Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, California, to provide launch services for the agency’s Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission. Launch is targeted for April 2021 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.The total cost for NASA to launch SWOT is approximately $112 million, which includes the launch service; spacecraft processing; payload integration; and tracking, data and telemetry support.Designed to make the first-ever global survey of Earth’s surface water, in addition to high-resolution ocean measurements, the SWOT mission will collect detailed measurements of how water bodies on Earth change over time. The satellite will survey at least 90 percent of the globe, studying Earth's lakes, rivers, reservoirs and oceans, at least twice every 21 days, aid in freshwater management around the world, to improve ocean circulation models and weather and climate predictions. The SWOT spacecraft will be jointly developed and managed by NASA and the French space agency Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES).NASA’s Launch Services Program at Kennedy Space Center in Florida will manage the SpaceX launch service. The SWOT Project office at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, manages spacecraft development for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.For more information about NASA programs and missions, visit:http://www.nasa.govInteresting data point on full-wrap mission cost vs F9 list prices.~JonThe $112M includes 2 items that SpaceX does not provide. Payload processing and telementry, data etc for its launch which is provided for the payload and not for the LV. So those are part of the complete costs but not part of the payment to SpaceX.
Quote from: oldAtlas_Eguy on 11/23/2016 12:12 amQuote from: jongoff on 11/22/2016 09:16 pmQuote from: Comga on 11/22/2016 08:45 pmAnother winAnother flight SWOT April 2021 F9 Vandenberg November 22, 2016 CONTRACT RELEASE C16-029NASA Selects Launch Services for Global Surface Water Survey MissionNASA has selected Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, California, to provide launch services for the agency’s Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission. Launch is targeted for April 2021 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.The total cost for NASA to launch SWOT is approximately $112 million, which includes the launch service; spacecraft processing; payload integration; and tracking, data and telemetry support.Designed to make the first-ever global survey of Earth’s surface water, in addition to high-resolution ocean measurements, the SWOT mission will collect detailed measurements of how water bodies on Earth change over time. The satellite will survey at least 90 percent of the globe, studying Earth's lakes, rivers, reservoirs and oceans, at least twice every 21 days, aid in freshwater management around the world, to improve ocean circulation models and weather and climate predictions. The SWOT spacecraft will be jointly developed and managed by NASA and the French space agency Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES).NASA’s Launch Services Program at Kennedy Space Center in Florida will manage the SpaceX launch service. The SWOT Project office at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, manages spacecraft development for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.For more information about NASA programs and missions, visit:http://www.nasa.govInteresting data point on full-wrap mission cost vs F9 list prices.~JonThe $112M includes 2 items that SpaceX does not provide. Payload processing and telementry, data etc for its launch which is provided for the payload and not for the LV. So those are part of the complete costs but not part of the payment to SpaceX.I didn't realize SpaceX didn't provide payload processing. It'll be interesting to see if any further details on cost breakouts come out (though that's probably unlikely).~Jon
$112 million is a lot of money to pay for a second stage and for first use of a reusable booster and fairing. It's competitive, but SpaceX should have a high profit margin on a mission like this.
Don’t get sticker shock: NASA’s paying $112M to launch an Earth science satellite, but it doesn’t all go to SpaceX:
Quote from: rocx on 11/23/2016 07:03 am$112 million is a lot of money to pay for a second stage and for first use of a reusable booster and fairing. It's competitive, but SpaceX should have a high profit margin on a mission like this.It is not all for SpaceX to launch it.https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/801237591458803712QuoteDon’t get sticker shock: NASA’s paying $112M to launch an Earth science satellite, but it doesn’t all go to SpaceX:
The total cost of the contract also includes payments to organizations other than SpaceX that support the launch and related services.
One of those "other organizations" is likely to be the spacecraft contractor: Thales Alenia Space.
Still not a substantial mission.
Quote from: Jim on 11/23/2016 12:59 pmStill not a substantial mission.I don't understand. This is a mission to orbit a satellite, right?
There are always harder missions. Putting Curiosity on Mars is amazing, but not nearly as hard as safely landing a hundred colonists.I think getting a satellite satellite safely to orbit is pretty "substantial" stuff, even if there are even harder things to do.
That's Jim downplaying the fact that he can no longer suggest that NASA does not award missions to SpaceX for not having a certified rocket.