Author Topic: SpaceX FH : Viasat-3 Americas (R): KSC LC-39A : 30 Apr/1 May 2023 (00:26 UTC)  (Read 202806 times)

Online scr00chy

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https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/10/04/payload-issue-delays-spacexs-next-falcon-heavy-launch-to-early-2022/

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The next commercial Falcon Heavy launch is also scheduled for the second quarter of 2022, carrying a Viasat 3 broadband communications satellite toward geostationary orbit.

Online zubenelgenubi

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Confirmation of H1 2022 launch:
SN, First ViaSat-3 pushing through pandemic challenges for 2022 launch, dated December 29.

Article written using interview with Chief Operating Officer Kevin Harkenrider: "number one priority" for ViaSat.

« Last Edit: 12/30/2021 04:52 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Astranis Space Technologies First MicroGEO Satellite Completes Final Testing and Is Ready for Launch

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Astranis Space Technologies Corp. today announced that the first MicroGEO satellite is ready for launch after successful completion of final testing.

Astranis has now completed all major tests necessary for its first MicroGEO spacecraft to be ready to ship to the launch site, including vibration and vibroacoustic tests, final solar array and antenna deployment tests, propulsion system tests, software tests, and electrical checkouts. This follows a successful thermal-vacuum, or TVAC, test campaign that was concluded late last year.

Vibration and vibroacoustic tests, collectively known as the vibe test campaign, are some of the most intense tests of structural and mechanical endurance for any spacecraft. During vibe, the vehicle was subjected to low-to-mid frequency mechanical vibrations and mid-to-high frequency acoustic vibrations simulating the extreme forces it must withstand during launch. Afterward, Astranis engineers performed a final series of software and hardware checks to ensure the payload is fully functional and the satellite remains mission-ready.

“Having passed this final sequence of tests, our first commercial satellite is now officially ready for launch,” said John Gedmark, CEO and co-founder, Astranis. “Passing these checks is always something to celebrate, but this time it’s especially meaningful because we’re building something new the world has never seen before and sending it to space for the very first time.”

When the satellite enters service later this year with capacity leased exclusively to Alaskan satellite middle-mile provider Pacific Dataport Inc. (PDI), it will have an immediate impact on bridging the state’s digital divide. The compact but powerful MicroGEO satellite is expected to triple the state’s currently available satellite bandwidth while providing true broadband speeds and reliability to consumers at roughly one-half the cost of existing services.

“Complete and ubiquitous coverage of Alaska has been our primary mission from the start and Astranis is helping us achieve that,” said Chuck Schumann, CEO, Pacific Dataport Inc. “Alaska is the largest state with the lowest population density so naturally we hear from people every day who live in very isolated places, telling us how hungry they are for fast, reliable broadband internet service. Imagine a village with few roads that is only accessible by a small airstrip. There are no cell towers, no cable, and no fiber. Affordable, reliable broadband is a generational change for a community like that and this satellite is going to help us bring this change for our entire state.”

Astranis MicroGEO satellites are 1/20 the size and cost of traditional GEO communications satellites. With a lower price tag and much shorter build times when compared to legacy satellites, Astranis provides dedicated satellite bandwidth as a service, allowing customers like PDI to connect people in places that have been overlooked, underserved, or priced-out of the market for fast, reliable broadband internet.

To learn more about how Astranis MicroGEO satellites can make affordable broadband internet a reality for unconnected people anywhere on the planet, visit Astranis.com.

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NextSpaceFlight shows this launch for Q3 of 2022
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Online scr00chy

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CEO of Pacific Dataport provided an update on upcoming FH launch:

"It should actually be ViaSat-3 Americas + 'Aurora 4A'. Arcturus is the internal Astranis name. Aurora 4A is the commercial name that is publicly known. The launch window is currently set to start on August 15th."

https://twitter.com/ElonXnet/status/1508408407790960651

When I asked about exact deployment orbit which was previously stated to be "nearly geostationary", I got this answer:

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Aurora 4A is headed to GSO at 163W.
I am not positive on V3. Somewhere around 100W.
The near GSO tag is that the drop off is not precisely at that elevation. Just a tad lower.

I guess this means it's some kind of super-sync GTO orbit, as suspected?

Online gongora

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When I asked about exact deployment orbit which was previously stated to be "nearly geostationary", I got this answer:

Quote
Aurora 4A is headed to GSO at 163W.
I am not positive on V3. Somewhere around 100W.
The near GSO tag is that the drop off is not precisely at that elevation. Just a tad lower.

I guess this means it's some kind of super-sync GTO orbit, as suspected?

I expect it to be very close to GSO, not like a typical syper-sync GTO.  There's not really any reason to put it exactly at GSO altitude.  They need to drift anyway, and keeping the second stage out of GSO would be preferred most of the time.

Online zubenelgenubi

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[Space News] Antonov shortage threatens delivery delays for the biggest satellites  [dated Apr 7]
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Viasat confirmed it is currently planning to truck its first ViaSat-3 satellite from California across the United States to Florida, where it is slated to launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy later this year. It is unclear whether the company had previously planned to fly the spacecraft across the country.
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Offline baldusi

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[Space News] Antonov shortage threatens delivery delays for the biggest satellites  [dated Apr 7]
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Viasat confirmed it is currently planning to truck its first ViaSat-3 satellite from California across the United States to Florida, where it is slated to launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy later this year. It is unclear whether the company had previously planned to fly the spacecraft across the country.

If ViaSat-3 uses most of the 4.6m dynamic envelop of the fairing, it might be quite an issue to truck it. Anything above 3.6m of height is a problem, and you have to add a complex container with environmental control on top of that. You will need a very special route avoiding bridges, power lines and even traffic lights and signs. In fact, it clearly is cheaper to airlift them on an AN-124. I wonder if certifying the Belugas is such a hassle.

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NextSpaceFlight indicates the following configuration for the Falcon Heavy boosters:
B1052.x: Side Booster, unknown recovery
B1068.1: Center Core, expendable
B1053.x: Side Booster, unknown recovery
[edit: zubenelgenubi]
« Last Edit: 04/25/2022 09:29 am by zubenelgenubi »
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NextSpaceFlight, circa April 25, shows this launch NET September 2022.



B1052.9: Side Booster, unknown recovery

B1068.1: Center Core, expendable

B1053.3: Side Booster, unknown recovery

Since I was the one updating those entires on Next... B1053's next flight is as FH side booster, it's not being converted to F9 (at least not until it flies Viasat-3).<snip>

NextSpaceFlight indicates that B1052.5 will support the launch of [Starlink 4-18].
Yep, still four more missions as F9 counting this one, then Falcon Heavy side for Viasat-3.
« Last Edit: 05/14/2022 04:30 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline GWR64

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NextSpaceFlight, circa April 25, shows this launch NET September 2022.



B1052.9: Side Booster, unknown recovery

B1068.1: Center Core, expendable

B1053.3: Side Booster, unknown recovery

Since I was the one updating those entires on Next... B1053's next flight is as FH side booster, it's not being converted to F9 (at least not until it flies Viasat-3).<snip>

NextSpaceFlight indicates that B1052.5 will support the launch of [Starlink 4-18].
Yep, still four more missions as F9 counting this one, then Falcon Heavy side for Viasat-3.

Why should 1052 be converted back again? I would rather think of the Psyche side boosters.
Maybe with 1053 as a backup if it hasn't been converted yet.

In the current report from ViaSat I did not find any information about the launch date. Which is generally not good news. But maybe I missed it.
https://investors.viasat.com/static-files/cbf95b9f-3d8d-4ea4-a2a2-cad3b3b0b09b
« Last Edit: 05/14/2022 09:54 am by GWR64 »

Online Alexphysics

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NextSpaceFlight, circa April 25, shows this launch NET September 2022.



B1052.9: Side Booster, unknown recovery

B1068.1: Center Core, expendable

B1053.3: Side Booster, unknown recovery

Since I was the one updating those entires on Next... B1053's next flight is as FH side booster, it's not being converted to F9 (at least not until it flies Viasat-3).<snip>

NextSpaceFlight indicates that B1052.5 will support the launch of [Starlink 4-18].
Yep, still four more missions as F9 counting this one, then Falcon Heavy side for Viasat-3.

Why should 1052 be converted back again? I would rather think of the Psyche side boosters.
Maybe with 1053 as a backup if it hasn't been converted yet.

In the current report from ViaSat I did not find any information about the launch date. Which is generally not good news. But maybe I missed it.
https://investors.viasat.com/static-files/cbf95b9f-3d8d-4ea4-a2a2-cad3b3b0b09b

I didn't say it has to be, I said it will be. Viasat 3 will use B1052-9 and B1053-3 as side boosters.

Also, the side boosters for Psyche will be reused and expended on the launch of Europa Clipper
« Last Edit: 05/14/2022 04:02 pm by Alexphysics »

Online scr00chy

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Also, the side boosters for Psyche will be reused and expended on the launch of Europa Clipper

Will they fly on other missions in-between Psyche and Europa Clipper?

Offline GWR64

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...

I didn't say it has to be, I said it will be. Viasat 3 will use B1052-9 and B1053-3 as side boosters.

Also, the side boosters for Psyche will be reused and expended on the launch of Europa Clipper

Ah thanks, you obviously have first hand information.

Is there a deadline for ViaSat-3 America? Except as soon as possible of course.
Considering ViaSat-3 EMEA's tight schedule, can it happen that the satellites swap the launchers?
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=46324.msg2362243#new
https://advanced-television.com/2022/04/25/itu-warns-viasat-that-time-is-tight-for-emea-launch/
« Last Edit: 05/15/2022 08:20 am by GWR64 »

Online Alexphysics

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I'm not sure how soon they need to launch this one but I do know it keeps getting delayed. SpaceX gets sued by Viasat for Starlink stuff but they can't get their stuff together to ready their satellite for launch... on a SpaceX rocket.

In any case, at a rate of a flight every month or so at the very least for B1052 you can sort of figure out that Viasat-3 is not holding too much on that September 2022 date...

Online Alexphysics

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If SpaceX is "getting sued by Viasat for Starlink stuff", then will they ever take a break from Starlink to meet the commercial and government customers' demands?

I do understand SpaceX is launching Starlink so many times to get the shells filled up soon as well as collect enough data for NASA to look over, but I personally think they should cut back a bit.

To meet customer demands, the customers need to be ready.

Offline alugobi

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then will they ever take a break from Starlink to meet the commercial and government customers' demands?
Which customers aren't getting launches because the boosters are tied up with Starlink?
« Last Edit: 05/16/2022 06:59 pm by zubenelgenubi »

Offline baldusi

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If SpaceX is "getting sued by Viasat for Starlink stuff", then will they ever take a break from Starlink to meet the commercial and government customers' demands?

I do understand SpaceX is launching Starlink so many times to get the shells filled up soon as well as collect enough data for NASA to look over, but I personally think they should cut back a bit.

To meet customer demands, the customers need to be ready.

With good/experienced LV, delays are usually either weather related or customer related. All the supply chain is stressed. Please look how they are even lacking air transport for big sats.

Online ZachS09

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Can we drop the subject please?

I already deleted my post questioning the Viasat 3 and Starlink conflict.
Liftoff for St. Jude's! Go Dragon, Go Falcon, Godspeed Inspiration4!

Tags: viasat-3 ussf-44 
 

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