https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/107now says June 2023 with est of 1500kg mass
Maxar eyes summer launch of WorldView Legion imaging satellites [...]April 24, 2023After years of delays, Maxar Technologies is preparing for the first launch this summer of its next-generation imaging satellites WorldView Legion. “We’ve got everything we need at this point” to get the first pair of WorldView Legion high-resolution imaging satellites to orbit, the company’s president and CEO Daniel Jablonsky told SpaceNews April 20 at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs.The Earth-observation satellites, equipped with Raytheon-made imaging payloads — are scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. Maxar plans to send six WorldView Legions into sun-synchronous and mid-inclination orbits on three separate Falcon 9 rockets. The WorldView Legion constellation is years behind schedule due to hardware supplier problems and other setbacks, including delays in the delivery of the imaging instruments, production shutdowns during the covid pandemic and a shortage of Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft used to transport spacecraft from the factory to the launch site.Jablonsky said the new technology in the Legion satellites also caused additional delays. “It’s a first of its kind, complicated space program,” he said. “It’s a very exquisite type of technology.”As the launch date nears, he said, “it’s been more about finalizing all of the preflight checks, completing the flight software and getting all of our last testing before we go downrange and put them on a rocket.”[...]
Quote from: OceanCat on 01/28/2023 08:40 amFleet Space plans to launch three 12U and one 41U satellite on a Falcon 9 NET January 2023. Deployment altitude 550-600 km, inclination 45 degrees. This is the second application I found targeting 45 degrees inclination. The first one lists clearly periodic rideshare missions. Looks like Transporters are going to 45 degrees inclination occasionally, right?The filing was made in Aug 2022.This line from the ODAR gives quite a clue:"SpaceX Falcon 9 (Maxar satellite dedicated launch)"Worldview Legion is split between SSO and 45-degrees.
Fleet Space plans to launch three 12U and one 41U satellite on a Falcon 9 NET January 2023. Deployment altitude 550-600 km, inclination 45 degrees. This is the second application I found targeting 45 degrees inclination. The first one lists clearly periodic rideshare missions. Looks like Transporters are going to 45 degrees inclination occasionally, right?The filing was made in Aug 2022.
All three August Vandenberg Falcon 9 launch slots are spoken for:Aug 8 UTC Starlink 6-20Aug 17 UTC Starlink 7-1late Aug SDA T&TL 0BCross-post:Quote from: spacenuance on 08/11/2023 01:25 pmLatest space news article has this launch still scheduled for late August. SN Space Development Agency shaking up how the military buys satellites [Aug 11]QuoteAnother Falcon 9 had been scheduled to launch 13 more Tranche 0 satellites in June — 10 made by Lockheed Martin and three by York Space — but the mission has been delayed to late August.I think the SARah and WorldView Legion launches are now NET September.🤔
Latest space news article has this launch still scheduled for late August. SN Space Development Agency shaking up how the military buys satellites [Aug 11]QuoteAnother Falcon 9 had been scheduled to launch 13 more Tranche 0 satellites in June — 10 made by Lockheed Martin and three by York Space — but the mission has been delayed to late August.
Another Falcon 9 had been scheduled to launch 13 more Tranche 0 satellites in June — 10 made by Lockheed Martin and three by York Space — but the mission has been delayed to late August.
The launch of the six-satellite Legion constellation is years behind schedule due to supplier problems and other setbacks. Maxar in recent months has declined to provide updates on when the first Legion satellites will get to orbit. Having these satellites in operation is key to the future of the company, which currently relies on three legacy WorldView and one GeoEye optical imaging satellites. According to industry sources, further delays are expected in the Legion program.
I hope this launch happens soon, but . . . Maxar Technologies to reorganize under two separate businesses [Sept 20]QuoteThe launch of the six-satellite Legion constellation is years behind schedule due to supplier problems and other setbacks. Maxar in recent months has declined to provide updates on when the first Legion satellites will get to orbit. Having these satellites in operation is key to the future of the company, which currently relies on three legacy WorldView and one GeoEye optical imaging satellites. According to industry sources, further delays are expected in the Legion program.
Open question: Launch delayed into 2024?Edit December 13: Still no news--I suspect yes.
World Defense Show 2024: Maxar on course to have six observation satellites in orbit this year14th February 2024Technology and satellite company Maxar has said it expects to launch two Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) observation satellites within the next four months with another four in the second half of the year to create its WorldView Legion constellation.[...]The satellites will orbit at 450km, each measuring 3mx2mx2m without solar array and weighing approximately 625kg, with an expected lifespan of 10 years. The constellation will provide up to 15 revisits per day with a daily collection capacity of five million square kilometres.
[NLT June]
The company announced March 18 that the first two of six planned high-resolution WorldView Legion satellites have arrived at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, paving the way for liftoff as soon as April aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
First Two WorldView Legion Satellites Arrive at Launch Base03.18.2024Two WorldView Legion satellites built by Maxar Space Systems for Maxar Intelligence arrived and are preparing for launch at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. These satellites will ride a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket into orbit as soon as April.These are the first two of six planned WorldView Legion satellites, which will enhance Maxar Intelligence’s constellation by delivering industry-leading resolution and accuracy. When all six WorldView Legion satellites are launched, it will triple Maxar Intelligence’s capacity to collect 30 cm-class and multispectral imagery. The full Maxar constellation of 10 electro-optical satellites will image the most rapidly changing areas on Earth as frequently as every 20 to 30 minutes, from sunup to sundown.“WorldView Legion will extend the quality and capability of our industry-leading constellation, redefining Earth observation constellation performance and providing customers with unprecedented access to timely, actionable insights that help drive mission success,” said Dan Smoot, Maxar Intelligence CEO.These Maxar Space Systems-built satellites are the first MAXAR 500™ SERIES BUSES to complete production at the company’s satellite manufacturing locations in Palo Alto and San Jose, California. The Maxar 500 series bus is a mid-size platform that can be tailored for multiple missions and orbits. As part of the WorldView Legion program, Maxar invested to create a bus with better stability, agility and pointing accuracy; future Maxar 500 customers can benefit from this technology for their missions.[...]
Our first two WorldView Legion satellites are being prepared for a mid-April launch. Once operational, they’ll provide high-resolution #satelliteimagery for our customers’ critical missions. See what’s coming: https://maxar.com/worldview-legion #ittakesalegion
