Author Topic: SpaceX F9 : USA 328-331 / Globalstar FM15 : SLC-40 : 19 June 2022 (04:27 UTC) (Read 101062 times)

wannamoonbase · « **Reply #20 on:** 06/07/2022 06:52 pm »

Quote from: Alexphysics on 06/07/2022 06:33 pm

The landing zone doesn't even correspond to that kind of orbital inclination like Starlink, it's like 30 to 50km more to the north, similar to the last few GPS mission landing coordinates (in fact really close to landing coordinates for SV05). I do know that the launch carries government payloads which is in part why it's supposed to be so secretive mission. Apart from that my guess is that Globalstar is launching on this one as rideshare because if it was purchased commercially then SpaceX says on its PUG that they reserve the rights to put on your launch whatever other payload they can put on if there's spare capacity.

That's my 1.24 rubles

There is more to this story and that is fine, I respect national security needs.

Still very exciting, will be interesting to see what they show or tell us. No web cast at all would be cloak and dagger-ish. As long as everything goes well with launch and recovery.

Zed_Noir · « **Reply #21 on:** 06/07/2022 07:47 pm »

Do we have any information on the disposal of the upper stage for this launch?

raptorx2 · « **Reply #22 on:** 06/08/2022 09:18 pm »

Wasn't Zuma destined for a 51 degree inclination vs. 52 degree for GSAT? Zuma was lost on Jan. 2018. So 4 years ago. Just about right for a new build, and we would assume that Zuma was very important to the DOD. Perhaps Northrup agreed to build a replacement and SpaceX agreed to a replacement flight? (with SpaceX building the dispenser this time) The sudden appearance of this flight on the manifest seems very "Zumaish"? And contrary to reports. Globalstar only has this single spare available. It was the "Original Proto FM" in Phase 1 of the contract. Phase 1 included 25 satellites, 24 FM's and a single "Proto-FM"/spare. 24 were launched x6 on 4 Soyuz 2010-2013. The second 24 in Phase 2 were canceled by Thales mostly out of spite. Thales held 6 sets of "Long lead time" parts for 6 more satellites, and Globalstar announced a "definitive contract" with Thales to build 6 more FM's in late 2011. Well, I guess Thales didn't feel the same way, and Thales denied that such a contract existed. Obviously, the relationship between Globalstar and Thales was very, very poor. So there were never 6 more "spares" built. This Proto-FM has been in "ground storage" for the last 12 years. The relationship between Thales and Globalstar was so contentious that it is rumored that Globalstar has hired an independent company to perform pre-launch testing for this FM. Thales refused to revisit it. My speculation is that SpaceX and Globalstar are/were in negotiations for the launch of their new constellation in 2025/2026 timeframe which was recently revealed with MDA as the manufacturer.

https://investors.globalstar.com/news-releases/news-release-details/globalstar-signs-contract-mda-new-satellites

So perhaps SpaceX threw Globalstar a "pot sweetener" to add this lone old, (most likely uninsured) relic of a spare on the manifest. No guarantees. Could end up back in the ocean. That is my guess.

raptorx2 · « **Reply #23 on:** 06/08/2022 09:45 pm »

First Stage Core?? Perhaps 1069.1 is the most obvious choice here. Last launched in late December (CRS-24), and currently shows a Starlink Mission in August as it's next flight. If this core is selected, then the importance of the flight becomes evident.

Alexphysics · « **Reply #24 on:** 06/08/2022 10:13 pm »

Quote from: raptorx2 on 06/08/2022 09:45 pm

First Stage Core?? Perhaps 1069.1 is the most obvious choice here. Last launched in late December (CRS-24), and currently shows a Starlink Mission in August as it's next flight. If this core is selected, then the importance of the flight becomes evident.

B1069-2 is flying on Starlink Group 4-26 as its next mission

raptorx2 · « **Reply #25 on:** 06/08/2022 11:17 pm »

Yes, of course. I noted the August Starlink mission assignment in my original post. But, the mid-June Globalstar launch does not indicate a Booster assignment. So take a look down the available boosters for a mid-June Launch. A couple with 11+ roundtrips unassigned. Only 1069.1 which last launched in December (6 months ago due to damage on hard landing), or 1073.1 launched 25 days ago seem as qualified for a "Zumaish" type of mission. It is all pure speculation, but they need an available booster on the East Coast. The list is fairly short, and according to the current (?) assignment list, we think they planned on bringing 1069 back on line for an August launch. So either 1069 or 1073 seem the most likely candidates. Now that I think about it. Perhaps 1073 is the more likely candidate as they used it as a new booter for a Starlink mission as a qualifying run?

Alexphysics · « **Reply #26 on:** 06/08/2022 11:35 pm »

Just because we don't know the booster for this mission it doesn't mean it is not assigned, SpaceX assigns boosters well ahead of time and they obviously know the booster. B1069's second launch is in August on that Starlink mission. It's not a candidate for this mission because then that Starlink mission would be its third launch not its second launch.

raptorx2 · « **Reply #27 on:** 06/08/2022 11:43 pm »

Got it. If it were 1069, then SpaceX would indicate the August launch as it's 3rd 1069.3 launch, even though there was no 1069.2 on the manifest. Got it.

zubenelgenubi · « **Reply #28 on:** 06/09/2022 08:16 am »

No booster assignment yet for this government satellite + Globalstar-2 launch in mid June--which one might it be?

Rotating forward the boosters by oldest available after previous recovery, but not already assigned, gives us: 1073.2 (May 14), 1052.6 (May 18), and perhaps 1061.9 (May 25).

As 1073.2 has a low number of previous flights, and it has had the most time, of any available boosters, to finish any refurbishments required, then, by my deduction, it will perform this launch.

By the same deduction, 1052.6 will launch SES-22.

It's up to the owner of the unidentified satellite as to whether they choose to pay for a Static Fire.

Static Fire for the above, if no one pays for it? My predictions.

No: 1052.6, 1061.9, 1073.2

No Static Fire means the booster is first and only transported to the pad, with payload stacked, a day or less before liftoff.

Edit June 15: It's 1061.9--shorter turn-around!--one of this year's operational improvements.

DeanG1967 · « **Reply #29 on:** 06/10/2022 12:03 pm »

Didn't Globalstar Inc win a government contract for the Missile Defense Agency a while back? Could this launch be tied to that?

Conexion Espacial · « **Reply #30 on:** 06/11/2022 08:49 pm »

NextSpaceFlight indicates that the launch will be on June 19 at 04:30 UTC.

Rondaz · « **Reply #31 on:** 06/14/2022 01:22 pm »

Just Read the Instructions droneship has departed Port Canaveral for the upcoming Globalstar-2 (+others) mission.

Tug Finn Falgout is towing.

https://twitter.com/SpaceOffshore/status/1536693394461933568

Josh_from_Canada · « **Reply #32 on:** 06/15/2022 06:19 am »

NextSpaceFlight lists the booster as B1061

Rondaz · « **Reply #33 on:** 06/15/2022 11:06 am »

And SpaceX droneship Just Read the Instructions being towed out to sea by tug Finn Falgout..

https://twitter.com/Harry__Stranger/status/1536887622697512961

Nosu · « **Reply #34 on:** 06/15/2022 06:46 pm »

targeting 04:25 UTC per

Quote

a Falcon 9 from pad 40 will launch the Globalstar FM15 communication satellite June 19 around 12:25am EDT

http://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Guide.html

Rondaz · « **Reply #35 on:** 06/15/2022 07:55 pm »

Three Falcon 9 launches are scheduled for this weekend!

Friday: Starlink 4-19 (12:08 EDT)
Saturday: SARAH1 + others (06:50 PDT)
Sunday: Globalstar-2 + others (TBD)

https://twitter.com/spacex360/status/1537106489944465410

zubenelgenubi · « **Reply #36 on:** 06/16/2022 12:51 am »

Cross-post:

Quote from: kdhilliard on 06/15/2022 10:46 pm

Notable remarks from Wednesday morning's WDR press conference.

CBT = Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Launch Director for Exploration Ground Systems
JF = James Free, Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development

35:27 CBT: Response to Q from Eric Berger re potential interference from SpaceX's Globalstar FM15 Falcon 9 launch from SLC-40 early (00:40) Sunday morning:
* Will not be an issue.

zubenelgenubi · « **Reply #37 on:** 06/16/2022 12:58 am »

Quote from: Nosu on 06/15/2022 06:46 pm

Quote
a Falcon 9 from pad 40 will launch the Globalstar FM15 communication satellite June 19 around 12:25am EDT
http://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Guide.html

NextSpaceFlight also now states a 04:25 UTC launch. [June 15 update]

su27k · « **Reply #38 on:** 06/16/2022 05:44 am »

Isn't it unusual that it's a few days away from launch and we still don't know the name of the primary payload? Even Zuma was leaked a month ahead. Either SpaceX really up the game in terms of infosec, or people just don't care anymore (oh well it's another launch of the week...)

Bean Kenobi · « **Reply #39 on:** 06/16/2022 09:22 am »

Quote from: su27k on 06/16/2022 05:44 am

Isn't it unusual that it's a few days away from launch and we still don't know the name of the primary payload? Even Zuma was leaked a month ahead. Either SpaceX really up the game in terms of infosec, or people just don't care anymore (oh well it's another launch of the week...)

Maybe because Globalstar sat is finally the only payload. It seems the US gov payload is based on nothing real, just speculation based on the fact there was no other information available.