Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 : NROL-87 : SLC-4E Vandenberg : 2 February 2022 (20:27 UTC)  (Read 70812 times)

Offline woods170

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Discussion thread for the NROL-87 mission.

NSF Threads for NROL-87 : Discussion
NSF Articles for NROL-87 :

February 2, 2022 on Falcon 9 at 20:27 UTC (12:27pm PST), on new booster 1071 from Vandenberg SFB SLC-4E to SSO (Sun-Synchronous Orbit).

Quote
SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, February 2 for Falcon 9’s launch of NROL-87 to orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The instantaneous launch window is at 12:18 p.m. PST (20:18 UTC), and a backup opportunity is available on February 3 at 12:18 p.m. PST (20:18 UTC).

Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.



https://spacenews.com/air-force-awards-739-million-in-launch-contracts-to-ula-and-spacex/
Quote from: Sandra Erwin
The U.S. Air Force has divided $739 million in launch contracts between United Launch Alliance and SpaceX for six national security missions slated for 2021-2022. The contracts, awarded under the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, were announced Tuesday evening by Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center.
SpaceX will receive $297 million  to launch AFSPC-44, NROL-85, and NROL-87.

Earlier discussion on the contract is in the EELV Phase 1A-6 Thread.
« Last Edit: 02/02/2022 06:47 pm by gongora »

Offline vaporcobra

Here's the specific table from the RFP (attachment 5).

Offline soltasto

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : NROL-87 : SLC-4E Vandenberg : NET 2021
« Reply #2 on: 02/24/2019 12:37 pm »
The corresponding orbit is: 512.7km x 512.7km x 97.4°

Offline Phillipsturtles

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : NROL-87 : SLC-4E Vandenberg : NET 2021
« Reply #3 on: 04/28/2020 01:00 pm »
Could this launch be the first of the Next Generation Electo-Optical series? The targeted orbit doesn't seem to match with any other existing NRO satellites.

Offline Jansen

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Offline Jansen

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« Last Edit: 05/17/2021 06:48 pm by Jansen »

Offline gongora

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https://www.nro.gov/News/News-Articles/Article/2658542/nro-returns-to-virginias-space-coast-with-nrol-111/

Quote
NROL-111 is NRO’s final scheduled launch for 2021. In 2022, NRO is scheduled to start the year with two launches from New Zealand in January and February, NROL-162 and NROL-199. Also in February, NROL-87 is scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Three additional NRO missions are planned for later in 2022.

Offline zubenelgenubi

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Cross-post with image attached; launch circa February 2, 2022:
Presented by Col. Melone at today's [September 7] SPRSA meeting
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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Cross-posts:
Mission 1494 from Vandy NET late January with no droneship listed.  NROL-87?  RTLS?

1981-EX-ST-2021

<snip>
SFN Launch Schedule, updated January 10.

Also, NROL-87 is listed in February, no date.

Apparently, plenty of room for a Vandenberg Starlink launch beforehand, if SpaceX desires.



In addition, given the two first stages currently in use at Vandenberg, 1051.12 and 1063.4, I suspect that 1063.4 will be used for the NRO launch; as the NRO is an "external" customer, and 1051 will be the first booster used for the twelfth time.

I therefore suspect 1051.12 will be used for the next Vandenberg Starlink launch (if it's in the near future).



Vandenberg SFB launch schedule for the immediate future:
2022 Launched:
№ – Date - Satellite(s) - Rocket - Launch Site - Time (UTC)

February 2 NET Jun 2021/NLT Dec 2021 NET 2022 Feb ~Feb 2 Feb - NROL-87 - Falcon 9-139 140 (1071.1 L? 1063.4) - Vandenberg SLC-4E - 20:27:36 16:37 to 21:38 19:07-21:38 20:18
(Sun-synchronous orbit satellites: launch at approximately the same time of day year-round)

2022 Scheduled:
№ – Date - Satellite(s) - Rocket - Launch Site - Time (UTC)

NET February 14 NET Sept 2021 Oct 2021 NET Nov 2021 NET Dec 2021 NET Jan 2022 - Starlink 4-11? 2-3 2-TBD TBD (x52 x51? xTBD) (flight TBD/high-inclination flight 3 polar flight 1?) [v1.5 TBD v2.0 L3 L-TBD] - Falcon 9 (1063.4? 1063.4? 1051.12? S) - Vandenberg SLC-4E
(mid-inclination Starlink: launch 20-22 minutes earlier/day)

Changes on November 19th, 2020
Changes on May 17th, 2021
Changes on May 28th, 2021
Changes on June 15th, 2021
Changes on July 23rd, 2021
Changes on July 27th, 2021
Changes on August 15th, 2021
Changes on September 1st, 2021
Changes on September 7th, 2021
Changes on September 11th, 2021
Changes on October 22nd, 2021
Changes on November 5th, 2021
Changes on November 24th, 2021
Changes on December 10th, 2021
Changes on December 14th, 2021
Changes on December 15th, 2021
Changes on December 19th, 2021
Changes on January 7th, 2022
Changes on January 10th, 2022
Changes on January 19th, 2022
Changes on January 22nd, 2022
Changes on January 26th, 2022
Changes on January 27th, 2022
Changes on January 28th, 2022
Changes on February 1st, 2022
Changes on February 2nd, 2022
zubenelgenubi
« Last Edit: 02/20/2022 06:03 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Conexion Espacial

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In addition, given the two first stages currently in use at Vandenberg, 1051.12 and 1063.4, I suspect that 1063.4 will be used for the NRO launch; as the NRO is an "external" customer, and 1051 will be the first booster used for the twelfth time.

I therefore suspect 1051.12 will be used for the next Vandenberg Starlink launch (if it's in the near future).
I understand that for the NROL-87 mission the B1071 could be used and it would be its first and only launch.
In addition, it was seen that it was going to California 4 weeks ago.
https://twitter.com/bluemoondance74/status/1472740560742010883
« Last Edit: 01/17/2022 06:43 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Rekt1971

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In addition, given the two first stages currently in use at Vandenberg, 1051.12 and 1063.4, I suspect that 1063.4 will be used for the NRO launch; as the NRO is an "external" customer, and 1051 will be the first booster used for the twelfth time.

I therefore suspect 1051.12 will be used for the next Vandenberg Starlink launch (if it's in the near future).
I understand that for the NROL-87 mission the B1071 could be used and it would be its first and only launch.
In addition, it was seen that it was going to California 4 weeks ago.
https://twitter.com/bluemoondance74/status/1472740560742010883

Why would it be B1071's only launch?

Offline Conexion Espacial

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In addition, given the two first stages currently in use at Vandenberg, 1051.12 and 1063.4, I suspect that 1063.4 will be used for the NRO launch; as the NRO is an "external" customer, and 1051 will be the first booster used for the twelfth time.

I therefore suspect 1051.12 will be used for the next Vandenberg Starlink launch (if it's in the near future).
I understand that for the NROL-87 mission the B1071 could be used and it would be its first and only launch.
In addition, it was seen that it was going to California 4 weeks ago.
https://twitter.com/bluemoondance74/status/1472740560742010883

Why would it be B1071's only launch?
Because for the NROL-87 mission, the booster will not be recovered (regardless of which one is used), the FCC license does not indicate a first stage recovery.
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Offline Josh_from_Canada

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Because for the NROL-87 mission, the booster will not be recovered (regardless of which one is used), the FCC license does not indicate a first stage recovery.
No drone ship is listed could imply that it's a RTLS mission. Have previous RTLS missions had first stage recovery listed in the FCC license?
Launches Seen: Atlas V OA-7, Falcon 9 Starlink 6-4, Falcon 9 CRS-28,

Offline Conexion Espacial

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Because for the NROL-87 mission, the booster will not be recovered (regardless of which one is used), the FCC license does not indicate a first stage recovery.
No drone ship is listed could imply that it's a RTLS mission. Have previous RTLS missions had first stage recovery listed in the FCC license?
This is the license where recovery is not mentioned:
https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=112053
This is a license where first stage recovery is mentioned:
https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=110399
This Sentinel-6A Michael Freilich mission license also does not mention a landing, however, the feedback I have received is that for NROL-87 the first stage will not be recovered.
« Last Edit: 01/19/2022 09:44 pm by Conexion Espacial »
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Offline Skyrocket

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Because for the NROL-87 mission, the booster will not be recovered (regardless of which one is used), the FCC license does not indicate a first stage recovery.
No drone ship is listed could imply that it's a RTLS mission. Have previous RTLS missions had first stage recovery listed in the FCC license?

Missions with no droneships still add a note whether "experimental recovery" is included
1845-EX-ST-2021   Mission 1574   FL   Yes (CSG-2?)
1811-EX-ST-2021   Mission 1709   FL   Not Mentioned (O3b mPOWER 4-6?)
1981-EX-ST-2021   Mission 1494   CA   Not Mentioned (NROL-87?)
2038-EX-ST-2021   Mission 1574   FL   Yes (thought to be Transporter 3)



If Mission 1709 is O3b mPOWER 4-6, then it is an expendable mission. This would support the notion, that NROL-87 is also expendable.

Offline Conexion Espacial

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Because for the NROL-87 mission, the booster will not be recovered (regardless of which one is used), the FCC license does not indicate a first stage recovery.
No drone ship is listed could imply that it's a RTLS mission. Have previous RTLS missions had first stage recovery listed in the FCC license?

Missions with no droneships still add a note whether "experimental recovery" is included
1845-EX-ST-2021   Mission 1574   FL   Yes (CSG-2?)
1811-EX-ST-2021   Mission 1709   FL   Not Mentioned (O3b mPOWER 4-6?)
1981-EX-ST-2021   Mission 1494   CA   Not Mentioned (NROL-87?)
2038-EX-ST-2021   Mission 1574   FL   Yes (thought to be Transporter 3)



If Mission 1709 is O3b mPOWER 4-6, then it is an expendable mission. This would support the notion, that NROL-87 is also expendable.
Also, in the post that you replicate where the four missions are, we can confirm that in Transporter-3 the ground landing was used and will be used in the CSG-2 mission.
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Offline Huskymaniac

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Is Feb 2nd a hard date like DART was or is it a more normal launch where there are frequent windows?

Offline zubenelgenubi

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See up-thread here.
February 2 was never a firm date.
Is Feb 2nd a hard date like DART was or is it a more normal launch where there are frequent windows?
« Last Edit: 01/19/2022 01:00 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Conexion Espacial

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The launch of the NROL-87 mission is scheduled for February 2 at 16:37 UTC.https://twitter.com/natreconofc/status/1483919831636316160?s=21
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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The launch of the NROL-87 mission is scheduled for February 2 at 16:37 UTC.
Five hours, one minute seems to be a long launch window.  Ah, well.
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