Still wonder why the most recent Starlink launches were delayed past the first windows on their respective launch days.All SpaceX reports is "Now targeting [insert new T0 time here]". Nothing else.
Quote from: ZachS09 on 09/25/2023 06:37 pmStill wonder why the most recent Starlink launches were delayed past the first windows on their respective launch days.All SpaceX reports is "Now targeting [insert new T0 time here]". Nothing else.My guess is simply because they are not fast enough. Past 2 launches have been at nearly exactly 4 day turnaround times, really pushing it. And sometimes weather does improve as the window goes on, but not all the time, and sometimes the improvement is 10% or less.
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket is about to become a workhorse for NASA"It’s an incredible capability for our nation. We’re fortunate to have it.”by Stephen Clark - Oct 10, 2023 12:19am GMT37You can consider this the start of NASA's Falcon Heavy era. The launch of the Psyche asteroid mission this week is the opening act among five launches the space agency has directly reserved on SpaceX's heavy-lift rocket over the next few years.
So it's fair to say NASA is involved—directly or indirectly—in driving demand for nine of the 10 Falcon Heavy missions currently in SpaceX's backlog.
In the last 9.5 months, SpaceX has launched more Medium+ Lift Vehicles than all other US launch providers combined have since the beginning of 2016. Nearly 8 years ago.
Gerst, in a quesiton about supply chains, mentioned SpaceX is still aiming for about 100 launches this year, increasing to 144 (12 per month) next year.
Quote from: realnouns on 10/20/2023 01:49 pmhttps://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7253QuoteStarlink Group 7-5Launch TimeSat Oct 21, 2023 3:39 AM EDT
https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7253QuoteStarlink Group 7-5Launch TimeSat Oct 21, 2023 3:39 AM EDT
Starlink Group 7-5Launch TimeSat Oct 21, 2023 3:39 AM EDT
QuoteStarlink Group 7-6Launch TimeFri Oct 27, 2023 2:59 AM EDT
Starlink Group 7-6Launch TimeFri Oct 27, 2023 2:59 AM EDT
Based on the most recent available information, I believe these are all the non-Starlink launches targeted to launch before the end of this year:<snip>
IM-1 (NET Jan 12th) now conflicts with Ax-3 (NET Jan 10th). Is it likely Ax-3 will slip to NET late January as a result? Also, if USSF-52 launches on November 30th as currently planned, LC-39A will likely be able to support one or more launches before IM-1.
Quote from: spacenuance on 10/28/2023 01:14 amIM-1 (NET Jan 12th) now conflicts with Ax-3 (NET Jan 10th). Is it likely Ax-3 will slip to NET late January as a result? Also, if USSF-52 launches on November 30th as currently planned, LC-39A will likely be able to support one or more launches before IM-1....or Ax-3 uses SLC-40 - isn't the crew tower almost complete for use?
Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 10/28/2023 01:33 amQuote from: spacenuance on 10/28/2023 01:14 amIM-1 (NET Jan 12th) now conflicts with Ax-3 (NET Jan 10th). Is it likely Ax-3 will slip to NET late January as a result? Also, if USSF-52 launches on November 30th as currently planned, LC-39A will likely be able to support one or more launches before IM-1....or Ax-3 uses SLC-40 - isn't the crew tower almost complete for use?PACE is scheduled to launch from SLC-40 NET January 9th
Quote from: GewoonLukas_ on 10/28/2023 05:45 amQuote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 10/28/2023 01:33 amQuote from: spacenuance on 10/28/2023 01:14 amIM-1 (NET Jan 12th) now conflicts with Ax-3 (NET Jan 10th). Is it likely Ax-3 will slip to NET late January as a result? Also, if USSF-52 launches on November 30th as currently planned, LC-39A will likely be able to support one or more launches before IM-1....or Ax-3 uses SLC-40 - isn't the crew tower almost complete for use?PACE is scheduled to launch from SLC-40 NET January 9thPACE is going to SSO, are we sure it's not going out of Vandenberg?
Currently targeting launch on January 9th and shipment to Florida in November.QuoteThe PACE Team is working closely with SpaceX and NASA Launch Services Program team at Kennedy Space Center in Florida to coordinate preparations for the PACE launch scheduled for 9 January 2024. PACE’s ride to Florida, both the transporter and shipping container, completed road testing and certification. Come November, PACE will exit through the Goddard gates and head south for its date with a Falcon 9!https://pace.oceansciences.org/docs/PACENewsletter_August2023_FINAL.pdf
The PACE Team is working closely with SpaceX and NASA Launch Services Program team at Kennedy Space Center in Florida to coordinate preparations for the PACE launch scheduled for 9 January 2024. PACE’s ride to Florida, both the transporter and shipping container, completed road testing and certification. Come November, PACE will exit through the Goddard gates and head south for its date with a Falcon 9!
Still whispers, but it looks like Sentinel-1C, which is currently scheduled to be launched aboard Vega C in 2024, will be launched aboard Falcon 9. It will likely first be announced that it will be launched aboard the Vega C return to flight mission. However, not only will Vega C likely not make the late 2024 deadline but it’s also considered unlikely that it will have the performance on the return to flight mission for S1C, as it's at the high end of the vehicle's performance envelope. When the contract was initially signed in 2022, S1C was slated to be launched in the first half of 2023. Image credit: IABG
Quote from: GWR64 on 07/01/2023 08:32 am<snip>What does that mean? Will Sentinel 1C now also be transferred to the Falcon-9?Aside from the Sentinel-1B replacement, how long will Sentinel-1A's fuel reserves last?Do the EU already have to think about the launch of Sentinel-1D?Speculate that the decision to transferred has been made, but not yet announced.EU don't want to be without an operational Sentinel-1, when the replacement is in storage in a clean room. It will be too embarrassing.
<snip>What does that mean? Will Sentinel 1C now also be transferred to the Falcon-9?Aside from the Sentinel-1B replacement, how long will Sentinel-1A's fuel reserves last?Do the EU already have to think about the launch of Sentinel-1D?
https://twitter.com/stephenclark1/status/1721904544639295983QuoteThierry Breton, the EU's internal market commissioner, confirmed today that the European Commission has reached a 180 million euro ($192m) deal with SpaceX for two Falcon 9 launches set for April and July next year, each deploying two Galileo navigation satellites.QuoteThe agreement is still pending the conclusion of a security review, since it will involve the first-ever export of a Galileo satellite outside of European territory.
Thierry Breton, the EU's internal market commissioner, confirmed today that the European Commission has reached a 180 million euro ($192m) deal with SpaceX for two Falcon 9 launches set for April and July next year, each deploying two Galileo navigation satellites.
The agreement is still pending the conclusion of a security review, since it will involve the first-ever export of a Galileo satellite outside of European territory.
In theory Falcon 9 should have the capabilty to send those satellites with ASDS recovery and as for the price, it looks right around the same price as the ones for GPS missions flown on Falcon 9.
