Two new launches:QuoteMaxar Technologies’ DigitalGlobe Selects SpaceX to Launch its Next-generation WorldView Legion SatellitesQuoteThe initial block of the multi-satellite WorldView Legion constellation will be launched by two flight-proven Falcon 9 rockets in 2021.https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180314005049/en/Maxar-Technologies%E2%80%99-DigitalGlobe-Selects-SpaceX-Launch-Next-generation
Maxar Technologies’ DigitalGlobe Selects SpaceX to Launch its Next-generation WorldView Legion Satellites
The initial block of the multi-satellite WorldView Legion constellation will be launched by two flight-proven Falcon 9 rockets in 2021.
PALO ALTO, Calif. – MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (“MDA” or the “Company”) (TSX:MDA), a global communications and information company, today announced that its subsidiary Space Systems Loral (SSL) was selected to provide a next-generation satellite constellation for high-resolution Earth imaging to DigitalGlobe, the global leader in Earth imagery and information about our changing planet. Called WorldView Legion, the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites will more than double DigitalGlobe’s high-resolution capacity in important regions. The contract is valued at several hundred million U.S. dollars..
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Oct. 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) was recently selected by DigitalGlobe, Inc. as the next-generation WorldView Legion satellite imaging constellation payload provider. Under the contract, Raytheon will deliver the telescopes, detectors and combined electronics to Space Systems Loral, the WorldView Legion space vehicle integrator.Raytheon's new payload doubles DigitalGlobe's capacity to capture multispectral and 30 cm imagery, while tripling to quadrupling the company's capacity to image high-demand areas. Once the WorldView Legion constellation is on orbit, DigitalGlobe's combined constellation will be able to image the most rapidly changing areas on Earth every 20 to 30 minutes, from sunup to sundown. WorldView Legion will begin launching in 2020.
"SpaceX is proud to partner with DigitalGlobe to launch the WorldView Legion constellation," said Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX. "We appreciate DigitalGlobe selecting two flight-proven Falcon 9’s to reliably deliver their satellites to orbit.”
Does anyone has info, how many WorldView-Legion satellites are on one Falcon-9 launch?
40 revisits in 24 hours for certain locations would fit well with 6 satellites in an average SSO, I think. Based on the phrasing of the PR and the lowish orbit, I'd bet on 3 satellites per launch.
Turner Brinton, a DigitalGlobe spokesperson, said the WorldView Legion satellites will be the primary payloads on each of the Falcon 9 flights in 2021. But he said the company is open to making the rocket’s excess lift capability available for rideshares, or secondary satellites.
DG Consents Sub, Inc. (“DigitalGlobe”) hereby requests modification of its Earth Exploration Satellite Service (“EESS”) system to add twelve new non-geostationary satellite orbit (“NGSO”) remote sensing satellites. These new satellites (the “WorldView-Legion satellites”) will be organized into two Blocks, increasing the number of satellites licensed under Call Sign S2129 to fifteen. Block-1 will consist of WorldView-Legion-1 through 6, and Block-2 will consist of WorldView-Legion-7 through 12....Each Block of WorldView-Legion satellites will operate in two circular orbital planes. Each Block of six satellites will be placed into orbit on two separate launches. For each Block two of the satellites to be launched will operate in a sun-synchronous orbital plane, and the remaining four satellites will operate in a 45-degree-inclined plane....This means that their satellites will operate over an altitude range of 450 to 870 kilometers during the initial part of the mission, and they will converge to nominal altitudes of 763 kilometers (equatorial altitude) for the two sun-synchronous satellites, and 518 kilometers (equatorial altitude) for the four 45-degree-inclined satellites...Block 1 of the WorldView-Legion satellites are under construction. The launches of WorldView-Legion Blocks 1 and 2 will be staggered and ensure continuity of service to DigitalGlobe’s customers.
When do the first Worldview Legion satellites launch?Right now, the publicly released schedule is first quarter of 2021. We’re under contract with SpaceX for two launches. This is the first block of a multi-satellite constellation. We’re looking at ways to possibly pull that into the back end of 2020. We’ve been having meetings with others here today to see if we can pull those back to the left. Right now, we’re still on a path to get to first quarter of 2021, but we’re seeing if there are things we can do pull to the left, into 2020.I’ve heard rumors that you don’t have enough money for Worldview Legion.That is completely and utterly false. We’re building it on our own. We have more debt than we want to right now, which we’re working on in terms of getting our capital structure into a different place that would be better for our shareowners on the equity side. But we are fully able to fund the Worldview Legion constellation. This is the highest capex year for it. Raytheon is providing the instrument, a highly designed advanced instrument per our specifications. SpaceX is under contract for launches. We’re building the satellites on our own. I’m absolutely certain we’re going to do. Our credit facilities and other things provide us way more latitude than we need with this program.
Maxar will begin integrating the satellites and sensors “later this year for a first launch early in 2021 and a second launch in the latter part of 2021,” Walter Scott, Maxar executive vice president and chief technology officer, told SpaceNews.
from Maxar earnings call, flight 1 targeting first week of September from Vandenberg, flight 2 about 3-6 months afterwards.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Maxar planned to begin launching WorldView Legion satellites in the first quarter of 2021. Due to the pandemic, however, “some of the vendor hardware is showing up just a little later than we originally planned,” Jablonsky said. Those delays impact the timeline for full integration, which means environmental testing also occurs a little later, he added.
“We continue to make progress on the integration, assembly and test of all six spacecraft and instruments, and we expect to go into environmental testing early next year,” Dan Jablonsky, Maxar president and CEO, said during a Nov. 5 earnings call. “This is a complex program and many elements need to come together to ensure the level of quality and mission success we expect.”
Quote from: Skyrocket on 03/14/2018 03:49 pmDoes anyone has info, how many WorldView-Legion satellites are on one Falcon-9 launch?The plan is now for two satellites per launch.
