Author Topic: SpaceX FH : USSF-52 (X-37B OTV-7) : KSC LC-39A : 28/29 December 2023 01:07 UTC  (Read 195578 times)

Offline Chris Bergin

Discussion thread for the USSF-52 (formerly AFSPC-52) mission, X-37B OTV-7.

NSF Threads for USSF-52 : Discussion
NSF Articles for USSF-52 :

Launch 29 December 2023, at 01:07:00 UTC (28 December 8:07 pm EST) on Falcon Heavy from LC-39A.



https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1009912924356440065



http://www.losangeles.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1557227/air-force-awards-afspc-52-launch-services-contract-to-spacex/
Quote
The Air Force has announced the award of an Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) launch service contract.  Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) has been awarded a $130 million firm-fixed price contract for launch services to deliver Air Force Space Command (AFSPC)-52 satellite to the intended orbit.  The contract provides the Government with a total launch solution for this mission, which includes launch vehicle production, mission integration and launch operations.  This mission is planned to be launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

This is the fifth competitive procurement under the current Phase 1A strategy.  These launch service contract awards strike a balance between meeting operational needs and lowering launch costs through reintroducing competition for National Security Space missions.

“The competitive award of this EELV launch service contract directly supports Space and Missile Systems Center’s (SMC) mission of delivering resilient and affordable space capabilities to our Nation while maintaining assured access to space,” said Lt. Gen. John Thompson, Air Force program executive officer for Space and SMC commander.

AFSPC-52 is a classified mission projected to launch in late Fiscal Year 2020.

The Air Force Space Command's Space and Missile Systems Center, located at the Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the U.S. Air Force's center of excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems. Its portfolio includes the Global Positioning System, military satellite communications, defense meteorological satellites, space launch and range systems, satellite control networks, space based infrared systems, and space situational awareness capabilities.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1557205/
Quote
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), Hawthorne, California, has been awarded a $130,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract, for launch services to deliver the Air Force Space Command-52 satellite to its intended orbit.  This launch service contract will include launch vehicle production and mission, as well as integration, launch operations and spaceflight worthiness activities.  Work will be performed in Hawthorne, California; Kennedy Space Center, Florida; and McGregor, Texas, and is expected to be completed by September 2020.  This award is the result of a competitive acquisition, and two proposals were received.  Fiscal 2018 space procurement funds in the amount of $130,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award.  The Contracting Division, Launch Systems Enterprise Directorate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8811-18-C-0003). (Awarded June 20, 2018)

Previous discussion here :
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43266.msg1728038#msg1728038
« Last Edit: 12/29/2023 07:44 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline yokem55

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#SpaceX has won a competitively-awarded #AirForce launch contract for the AFSPC-52 flight. The mission will utilize a #FalconHeavy rocket. Mission will launch by Sept. 2020 from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. Statement from Gwynne Shotwell below... https://t.co/a5ka2ov20L

https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1009912924356440065

Offline jpo234

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What was the alternative? Atlas 5 or a Delta IV?
You want to be inspired by things. You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great. That's what being a spacefaring civilization is all about. It's about believing in the future and believing the future will be better than the past. And I can't think of anything more exciting than being out there among the stars.

Offline russianhalo117

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What was the alternative? Atlas 5 or a Delta IV?
previously listed on the NSF US schedule as flying on an Atlas V 500 series with other sites listing it as an AV551.
« Last Edit: 06/21/2018 10:37 pm by russianhalo117 »

Offline WindnWar

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Contract is valued at $130 million.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1557205/
Quote
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), Hawthorne, California, has been awarded a $130,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract, for launch services to deliver the Air Force Space Command-52 satellite to its intended orbit.  This launch service contract will include launch vehicle production and mission, as well as integration, launch operations and spaceflight worthiness activities.  Work will be performed in Hawthorne, California; Kennedy Space Center, Florida; and McGregor, Texas, and is expected to be completed by September 2020.  This award is the result of a competitive acquisition, and two proposals were received.  Fiscal 2018 space procurement funds in the amount of $130,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award.  The Contracting Division, Launch Systems Enterprise Directorate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8811-18-C-0003). (Awarded June 20, 2018)

I wonder what the competition bid, though since they didn't win we won't know.
« Last Edit: 06/22/2018 02:21 am by gongora »

Offline WindnWar

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For comparison the last two awards AFSPC-8 and AFSPC-12 were to ULA for a combined price of $354 million.

Offline yokem55

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So the question is, what kind of Falcon Heavy flight does $130 million buy? All 3 cores recovered, or exended core?

Offline russianhalo117

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So the question is, what kind of Falcon Heavy flight does $130 million buy? All 3 cores recovered, or exended core?
Q; All 3 cores recovered, or exended core?
A: Was not stated.

Offline gongora

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Previous discussion here :
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43266.msg1728038#msg1728038

Interesting choice, the requirements seemed borderline for F9. Good win for SpaceX.

Offline wannamoonbase

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Nice, congrats SpaceX.

The FH is a beautiful thing to see flying. 
Wildly optimistic prediction, Superheavy recovery on IFT-4 or IFT-5

Offline Michael Baylor

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So the question is, what kind of Falcon Heavy flight does $130 million buy? All 3 cores recovered, or exended core?
The requirements seem to suggest that this was borderline doable on a Falcon 9 expendable. Therefore, I am guessing that this will be a fully recoverable Falcon Heavy launch. However, all three of the cores will be brand new plus the other AF requirements (thus the higher price).
« Last Edit: 06/21/2018 11:39 pm by Michael Baylor »

Offline envy887

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So the question is, what kind of Falcon Heavy flight does $130 million buy? All 3 cores recovered, or exended core?
The requirements seem to suggest that this was borderline doable on a Falcon 9 expendable. Therefore, I am guessing that this will be a fully recoverable Falcon Heavy launch. However, all three of the cores will be brand new plus the other AF requirements (thus the higher price).

F9 B4 has already easily exceed the performance requirements of the RFP reference, with the supersync delivery of Intelsat 35e at 6700 kg.

Offline WindnWar

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Is it possible that the reference orbit requires delivery to the specified requirements without using a supersync orbit? If so would that require a coast longer than possible with Falcon 9 to be able to achieve that orbit?


Offline russianhalo117

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Previous discussion here :
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43266.msg1728038#msg1728038

Interesting choice, the requirements seemed borderline for F9. Good win for SpaceX.
originally i think it was to be a transfer orbit and could now be direct insertion

Offline envy887

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Previous discussion here :
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43266.msg1728038#msg1728038

Interesting choice, the requirements seemed borderline for F9. Good win for SpaceX.
originally i think it was to be a transfer orbit and could now be direct insertion

Could be, but I doubt it for $130 million.

Offline Michael Baylor

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originally i think it was to be a transfer orbit and could now be direct insertion
That would make a Delta IV Heavy bid slightly more likely on ULA's part. It really on the payload mass though.

Offline Lar

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So the question is, what kind of Falcon Heavy flight does $130 million buy? All 3 cores recovered, or exended core?
The requirements seem to suggest that this was borderline doable on a Falcon 9 expendable. Therefore, I am guessing that this will be a fully recoverable Falcon Heavy launch. However, all three of the cores will be brand new plus the other AF requirements (thus the higher price).

So SpaceX will get some cores to reuse elsewhere. Customers asking (and paying extra for) brand new cores means money in their pocket.
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Offline gongora

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Even if it's not direct insertion they could have bid more than the minimum required performance.  The solicitations sometimes say they can buy extra performance to allow for longer lifetime, secondary payloads, etc.

Offline Nomadd

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Previous discussion here :
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43266.msg1728038#msg1728038

Interesting choice, the requirements seemed borderline for F9. Good win for SpaceX.
originally i think it was to be a transfer orbit and could now be direct insertion

Could be, but I doubt it for $130 million.
Why? Would they have to give up the core? They advertise four times that payload to GTO.
« Last Edit: 06/22/2018 02:50 am by Nomadd »
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Offline Brovane

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So the USAF certified the FH for EELV payloads after only one flight?   ???    SpaceX hasn't even flown the launch the USAF procured as a FH demo yet. 
"Look at that! If anybody ever said, "you'll be sitting in a spacecraft naked with a 134-pound backpack on your knees charging it", I'd have said "Aw, get serious". - John Young - Apollo-16

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