Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 : Intelsat 35e : July 5, 2017 : DISCUSSION  (Read 182563 times)

Offline gongora

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NSF Threads for Intelsat 35e : Discussion / Updates / L2 Coverage May-June, July-August / Party
NSF Articles for Intelsat 35e :
   SpaceX returns two boosters, fires up a third for Static Fire test
   SpaceX launch surge moves on to Falcon 9 launch with Intelsat 35e

Successful launch on July 5, 2017 at 7:38pm EDT (2338 UTC) from LC-39A at Cape Canaveral.  First stage was expendable Falcon 9 S/N 1037.

Other SpaceX resources on NASASpaceflight:
   SpaceX News Articles (Recent)
   SpaceX News Articles from 2006 (Including numerous exclusive Elon interviews)
   SpaceX Dragon Articles
   SpaceX Missions Section (with Launch Manifest and info on past and future missions)

   L2 SpaceX Section
« Last Edit: 08/16/2017 03:27 pm by gongora »

Offline gongora

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Boeing contract announcement (July 8, 2014)
Quote
Boeing to Build Intelsat 35e EpicNG Satellite
Agreement is Intelsat’s ninth order for Boeing 702MP satellite

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., July 8, 2014 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] will build the Intelsat 35e Epic Next Generation satellite for Intelsat, the world’s leading provider of global satellite services and Boeing’s largest commercial satellite customer. This also marks Intelsat’s ninth order for a satellite based on Boeing’s 702MP (medium power) platform.

“Our mission is to provide satellite-based infrastructure that can support our customers’ increasing demands for bandwidth – from broadband connections for commercial planes to broadcasts of ultra-high definition television signals,” said Thierry Guillemin, Intelsat executive vice president and chief technical officer. “As a result, we challenge our satellite manufacturers to deliver innovative designs and technology on time and on budget.

“Intelsat has a long history with Boeing,” Guillemin continued, “and our relationship continues to grow given Boeing’s ability to deliver satellites that meet our demanding design and performance specifications.”

Intelsat’s EpicNG satellites are designed to address wireless and fixed telecommunications, enterprise, mobility, video and government applications that require broadband infrastructure. A complementary high throughput overlay to the Intelsat fleet, the Intelsat EpicNG platform will utilize multiple frequency bands and other features to enable customers to meet specific needs. The high degree of flexibility of the Intelsat EpicNG platform will allow Intelsat’s broadband, media, mobility and government customers to use their existing hardware and realize greater cost efficiencies.

The Intelsat EpicNG satellites are being assembled on the Boeing 702MP platform, which features the same high-performance capabilities as the Boeing 702HP (high power) model, but with a substantially updated satellite bus structure and simplified propulsion system. In addition, the 702MP is compatible with the Atlas, Ariane, Sea Launch, Falcon and Proton launch vehicles.

“Boeing has provided satellites to Intelsat for many years,” said Craig Cooning, president of Boeing Network & Space Systems. “As Intelsat celebrates the 50th anniversary of its founding this year, we’re pleased to continue our collaboration with the building of the newest satellite, IS-35e. The Boeing-built Intelsat EpicNG 702MPs will help take Intelsat to the next level, ensuring a bright future for one of our most trusted partners.”

Intelsat, headquartered in Luxembourg, became the first satellite services provider to order the 702MP, contracting with Boeing in 2009 for four spacecraft. In 2012, Boeing and Intelsat announced that the fourth satellite from this original order would become the first to carry the EpicNG suite of capabilities. In 2013, Boeing and Intelsat announced an additional order for four Intelsat EpicNG satellites. The first Intelsat EpicNG spacecraft is scheduled for launch in the second half of 2015. 

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $33 billion business with 56,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

# # #

Contact:       

Paula Shawa
Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems
Office: +1 310-364-7362
Mobile: +1 714-290-3975
[email protected]

This satellite will not use electric orbit raising.

SpaceFlight NOW: SES agrees to launch satellite on ‘flight-proven’ Falcon 9 rocket (August 30, 2016)
(Yes, I'm aware the headline is for a different launch.  The article mentions multiple launches.)
Quote
Intelsat, one of the world’s largest geostationary satellite operators alongside SES, has one launch reserved on a newly-built Falcon 9 rocket in the first quarter of 2017, when the Intelsat 35e satellite will launch from Cape Canaveral.

FCC granted Intelsat their Launch and Operating Authority for Intelsat 35e on Oct 5, 2016 Intelsat 35e on FCC site

Intelsat 35e page on Intelsat site
Intelsat 35e on Gunter's Space Page
« Last Edit: 10/11/2016 09:15 pm by gongora »

Offline gongora

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Intelsat Announces Third Quarter 2016 Results
Quote
The company has three satellite launches scheduled for 2017: Intelsat 32e, an Intelsat EpicNG Ku-band payload in the first quarter of 2017; Intelsat 35e in the second quarter of 2017, providing that there are no changes to SpaceX’s launch manifest as a result of its recent anomaly; and Intelsat 37e in the fourth quarter of 2017.

Offline gongora

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Intelsat 35e FCC Application
Quote
March 14, 2017

Re: Request for Special Temporary Authority to Conduct In-Orbit Testing of Intelsat 35e;
Call Sign S2959

Dear Ms. Dortch:
Intelsat License LLC (“Intelsat”) herein requests a grant of Special Temporary Authority (“STA”) for 90 days, beginning May 25, 2017, to conduct in-orbit testing (“IOT”) of the Intelsat 35e satellite (Call Sign S2959) at 33.0º W.L. and to drift the satellite to its permanent location of 34.5° W.L. Intelsat 35e is scheduled to be launched no earlier than May 15, 2017. The IOT period is expected to last approximately 45 days and the drift to 34.5° W.L. is expected to last approximately five days.

Offline Norm38

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I'm curious to see when this ends up being scheduled. If SpaceX can hold to the two week pace as set, this should launch at the end of June, same as Iridium. How close together can they conduct east and west coast launches?

Offline macpacheco

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I'm curious to see when this ends up being scheduled. If SpaceX can hold to the two week pace as set, this should launch at the end of June, same as Iridium. How close together can they conduct east and west coast launches?
The critical aspect is man power.
Once the Iridium launch vehicle arrives at Vandy, a smaller crew can do the processing there over a longer period. I would assume SpaceX is training a half staff second crew so it can process payloads at LC39A/LC40 in parallel and send the smaller crew to Vandy where there's a launch there.
Everything else is duplicate.
SpaceX large launch backlog gives this second crew a certainty they will be kept busy.

Rockets arrive at the launch site as a some assembly required kit. This assembly can be done ahead of receiving the payload. There is also the payload processing like fueling the satellite, attaching the payload adapter mating the whole stack together after the static fire.

Extra crews will also be required if SpaceX intends to do 3 or 4 launches a month from the same pad.

I don't intend to truly answer your question, but rather try to poke other people that might know something about this...
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Offline Mike_1179

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There is also the payload processing like fueling the satellite, attaching the payload adapter mating the whole stack together after the static fire.


I thought that payload processing also involves testing to ensure nothing was damaged in transit and that it is still performing as expected up until launch. These test rigs are each custom (racks, wiring bundles, connectors, software) which needs to be created / tested before payload testing can start.

That being said, a custom test rig for each payload every two weeks is a heavy lift. Yes you can re-use things for similar payloads (duplicate Iridium sats, a comsat based on the same E3000 platform, etc) but all this requires manpower on hand too.

Offline macpacheco

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There is also the payload processing like fueling the satellite, attaching the payload adapter mating the whole stack together after the static fire.


I thought that payload processing also involves testing to ensure nothing was damaged in transit and that it is still performing as expected up until launch. These test rigs are each custom (racks, wiring bundles, connectors, software) which needs to be created / tested before payload testing can start.

That being said, a custom test rig for each payload every two weeks is a heavy lift. Yes you can re-use things for similar payloads (duplicate Iridium sats, a comsat based on the same E3000 platform, etc) but all this requires manpower on hand too.
Unless such a rig is needed for more than a day per launch, there's plenty of time to ship if back and forth. Or if the rig is needed for a longer period, then perhaps having two is a good idea. Anyhow, doesn't make it the pacing item. Manpower is the pacing item.
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Offline deruch

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That type of testing is done by the payload teams (i.e. the customer or satellite manufacturer) not SpaceX.  SpaceX is just providing support for connections to their systems/products.
« Last Edit: 05/11/2017 08:05 pm by deruch »
Shouldn't reality posts be in "Advanced concepts"?  --Nomadd

Offline Jakusb

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Anybody care to speculate what to make of this response to my question? ;)

Quote
Jacob Willig‏ @jacobw35  3h
@INTELSAT Will Intelsat 35e fly on flight proven Facon 9?

Quote
Replying to @jacobw35
Yes! We are not flying on a reusable rocket

https://twitter.com/INTELSAT/status/866755826475839492

Offline macpacheco

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Anybody care to speculate what to make of this response to my question? ;)

Quote
Jacob Willig‏ @jacobw35  3h
@INTELSAT Will Intelsat 35e fly on flight proven Facon 9?

Quote
Replying to @jacobw35
Yes! We are not flying on a reusable rocket

https://twitter.com/INTELSAT/status/866755826475839492
Quick google search says launch mass will be over 6 tons. It actually says 6.6 tons !
I'm assuming this will be an expendable launch on a new booster.
This suggests a full Block IV stack, another burn to depletion launch, but with sub sync insertion.
Ignoring the pity of throwing another booster away. This launch will be exciting !

Holy moly ! If this baby can be delivered to GTO-1800 m/s a lot of jaws will drop !

But the answer from @INTELSAT was the least useful information to produce my speculation  ;D ;D ;D

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelsat_35e
« Last Edit: 05/22/2017 09:47 pm by macpacheco »
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Offline rockets4life97

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So, an expendable flight of the B1031 (first flight CRS-10)? or an expendable flight a new booster?

Offline stcks

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Quote
Replying to @jacobw35
Yes! We are not flying on a reusable rocket

 ???  ???  ???

I can't think of a more confusing response...

Offline macpacheco

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So, an expendable flight of the B1031 (first flight CRS-10)? or an expendable flight a new booster?
Pretty sure this is a new booster. If Intelsat were on the reused bandwagon, either themselves or SpaceX would have looked for some extra PR about it !
Specially considering the large mass. Even a full Block IV booster will have to sweat (a lot) to put this to GTO-1800m/s !
« Last Edit: 05/22/2017 09:59 pm by macpacheco »
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Offline Jakusb

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So, an expendable flight of the B1031 (first flight CRS-10)? or an expendable flight a new booster?
Pretty sure this is a new booster. If Intelsat were on the reused bandwagon, either themselves or SpaceX would have looked for some extra PR about it !
Specially considering the large mass. Even a full Block IV booster will have to sweat (a lot) to put this to GTO-1800m/s !

There is some reason to consider that this launch has been postponed to post june as the next 2 new cores are seen with re-use hardware.
Unless either this launch will use a core with re-use hardware, or it will be postponed, OR it will use a flight proven core... ;)
Hence my question to hopefully get some clues to which is the case...

edit:
And expending a re-used (Block-3) core does make more sense then expending a brand new (Block-4?) one...
« Last Edit: 05/22/2017 10:04 pm by Jakusb »

Offline rockets4life97

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Pretty sure this is a new booster. If Intelsat were on the reused bandwagon, either themselves or SpaceX would have looked for some extra PR about it !

Considering there are 2 to 3 planned launches until Intelsat, I expect the PR would come a little closer to the launch date.

Offline TrueBlueWitt

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So, an expendable flight of the B1031 (first flight CRS-10)? or an expendable flight a new booster?
Pretty sure this is a new booster. If Intelsat were on the reused bandwagon, either themselves or SpaceX would have looked for some extra PR about it !
Specially considering the large mass. Even a full Block IV booster will have to sweat (a lot) to put this to GTO-1800m/s !

Checked Multiple sites... Shows this as 6000kg vs 6078 for inmarsat

Offline Flying Beaver

Boeing specs show 6100kg MAX for 720MP bus used by 35e.

Watched B1019 land in person 21/12/2015.

Offline russianhalo117

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Boeing specs show 6100kg MAX for 720MP bus used by 35e.


those are general specs. Mass can be higher or lower than the specs based on Customer needs.

Offline Flying Beaver

Boeing specs show 6100kg MAX for 720MP bus used by 35e.


those are general specs. Mass can be higher or lower than the specs based on Customer needs.

Exactly.

The 'identical' Intelsat 33e (EpicNG, BSS 720MP bus, launched last year) had a launch mass of 6.6t. This seems to be where 6.6 tons is coming from. Would be good reasoning to assume 35e is the same.
Watched B1019 land in person 21/12/2015.

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