edit: FCC just posted the exhibits link for 0515 but I don't have time now to look through it if someone else wants to cut and paste the purpose.
SpaceX anticipates that the Ground-to-Air testing will require four to six weeks to complete.Example test sequence for new antenna:1. Wait for satellite to rise to 40 degrees elevation over test site2. Initiate broadband test from ground3. Perform broadband test with earth stations (either on ground or airborne)4. Satellites set below 40 degrees elevation as viewed from test site5. Satellite disables Ku-band broadband system
Specifically, Boeing points to the fact that SpaceX’s NGSO authorization to operate in the V-band included 4,425 satellites operatingat LEO altitudes and another 7,518 satellites operating in very-low-Earth orbit (“VLEO”). Boeing asserts that this was actually two NGSO systems rather than one. Yet SpaceX’s V-band constellation was proposed as a single integrated NGSO system, and was authorized as such, including a single performance bond with milestones that apply to “the maximum number of proposed space stations” in both LEO and VLEO orbits.
Document added to my post above. I mostly found it interesting as a clarification that SpaceX does have two separate constellations of payloads that will share the ~4000 LEO satellites (assuming the V-Band constellation actually gets built and those frequencies are added to the LEO satellites).
VLEO constellation does have separated deployment deadlines. More of it the deadline is not final because V band is not regulated. When it will happen SpaceX will send another amendment which will be accepted. It is more 2022 than 2020 and the deployment will have to be counted from that time.
That is why I pointed that counting 7k satellites in the current SpaceX deployment numbers is misleading. And that is why I pointed that the absence of the amendments and SpaceX "objections" on VLEO constellation means that the SpaceX themselves have no idea what to do with all this. It is postponed.
REQUEST FOR EXTENSION OF SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITYOn May 9, 2019, the Commission granted SpaceX Services, Inc. (“SpaceX Services”) Special Temporary Authority (“STA”) to operate its gateway earth stations for up to 60 days to communicate with the first tranche of non-geostationary orbit (“NGSO”) satellites launched by its sister company, Space Exploration Holdings, LLC (“SpaceX”), on May 24, 2019. SpaceX Services respectfully requests that the Commission extend that STA for an additional 60 days for the reasons discussed below.SpaceX Services currently has applications pending for Ku-band gateway earth stations in six locations: North Bend, WA; Conrad, MT; Merrillan, WI; Greenville, PA; Redmond, WA; and Hawthorne, CA. It has operated these earth stations pursuant to the STA for nearly two months, and has received no complaints from any other authorized spectrum user. The operation of these earth stations has enabled SpaceX Services to communicate with the SpaceX NGSO satellites and conduct in-orbit testing during the orbit-raising phase. While much of that phase is now complete, there are still some satellites that have yet to reach their authorized altitude of 550 km. In addition, there are two spacecraft that are being intentionally deorbited in order to assess performance during this phase of the mission. Extending the STA would allow SpaceX to continue to monitor the operational status of its satellites to ensure proper functioning and determine operational capabilities. Accordingly, extension of the STA will continue serve the public interest by enhancing space safety and promoting the health and safety of SpaceX’s NGSO constellation.
Additionally, a request to modify the orbital spacing of SpaceX's 550 km tranche in order to expand coverage of the US without adding satellites or changing altitude/inclination. Just starting to read.https://fcc.report/IBFS/SAT-MOD-20190830-00087
Through extensive study of orbital formations and spacecraft performance, SpaceX has identified a system architecture that will enable deployment in a way that will provide robust broadband service to more Americans more quickly. Based on the success of its revolutionary deployment process, SpaceX has confirmed its ability to populate three planes with a single launch. By then reorganizing the same satellites at the same altitude, SpaceX can place coverage and capacity more evenly and rapidly across more of the U.S., accelerating broadband service to middle and southern states, as well as to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
With this application, SpaceX seeks to modify its license to implement that system architecture. It involves only an adjustment of the orbital spacing of SpaceX’s satellites operating at the 550 km altitude, increasing the number of orbital planes while commensurately decreasing the number of satellites in each plane. As summarized in Table 1, it would simply increase the number of orbital planes from 24 to 72, with a corresponding decrease in the number of satellites in each plane from 66 to 22. This adjustment would not change the total number of satellites, operational altitude, or inclination of the orbital planes. Nor would the modification change the radio frequency characteristics of the individual satellites or the beneficial orbital debris mitigation characteristics of their operation at this lower altitude.
At 550 km the minimum sats. is 11 for minimum visibility with no resilience. Doubling that to 22 gives full redundancy.
Quote from: ThomasGadd on 08/31/2019 01:54 amAt 550 km the minimum sats. is 11 for minimum visibility with no resilience. Doubling that to 22 gives full redundancy.Is that for 20 degree minimum elevation?
Engaging with astronomical community to get measurements and ideas on lowering albedo of the satellites.350km injection orbit.Deorbit by lowering perigee to 300km, then maintain enough fuel for conjuction avoidance while it passively deorbits.Satellites after the first deployment still planned to be fully demisable.
Is it cheap or faster to do this verses both to 300 km?
Quote from: ThomasGadd on 09/01/2019 04:07 pmIs it cheap or faster to do this verses both to 300 km? Only dropping the perigee is slower but uses less fuel. If they have more fuel left they can drop perigee even lower.
