"Following next month’s launch, our cadence with SpaceX should move more rapidly as launch frequency is planned to increase to approximately one launch every five to six weeks or so. In fact, our sixth launch is currently scheduled for a quick turnaround at the end of April, that will be a rideshare with the JPL German Grace satellites in which we’ll utilize half of the payload to launch five Iridium NEXT satellites alongside the two Grace satellites which will be mounted on the dispenser above ours."
Tagnan:@IridiumBoss approximately what time will Iridium 5 launch at? Close to sunset/sunrise or no?Matt Desch:7:20am pst. That’s about 25 minutes after sunrise. Hard to terrorize Southern California that way, but we’ll do our best...Dark Energy:It is PST or PDT? I think you change the clocks on the 11th there in America, right?Matt Desch:How ‘bout we do it this way?: 14:19:49 UTC
Gunter Krebs:@IridiumBoss Can you tell me already the satellite numbers of the upcoming fifth mission?Matt Desch:Sure. Planned at this time: SV140, SV142, SV143, SV144, SV145, SV146, SV148, SV149, SV150, SV157.---Alessandro Lovesio:Is Plane 4 basically done or some work/swaps/deorbits is still needed there?Matt Desch:10 of 11 slots are filled with NEXT satellites so almost complete. SV128 is drifting to plane 4 from plane 3 to replace the remaining Block 1 sat (SV35).
" Right now, it looks like our NEXT launch will be the morning of Thursday, March 29, essentially 5 weeks from now, though we're still confirming that date. The 10 satellites for that launch are shipping to Vandenberg now and the first and second Falcon 9 stages are already onsite and being processed at the base. This launch again will use a flight-proven first stage. It will be the 10th flight of a refurbished rocked by SpaceX. We have history with this particular first stage. It successfully launched our third batch of satellites in October.
The economic viability argument... dead and buried.
Quote from: AncientU on 02/26/2018 03:07 pmThe economic viability argument... dead and buried.Not really, so far they proved "only" that it is not more costly than using new boosters.
Iridium network update: our first 2 drifters from Launch 1 (105 & 108) were activated today, bringing the total to 34 Iridium NEXT sats now in operation (over 50% of 66 in constellation!). 3 more drifters also planned to be in service before next launch on March 29. Onward!
Quote from: Mader Levap on 02/28/2018 11:21 amQuote from: AncientU on 02/26/2018 03:07 pmThe economic viability argument... dead and buried.Not really, so far they proved "only" that it is not more costly than using new boosters. Never underestimate the ability of naysayers to move goalposts.
Quote from: Robotbeat on 03/03/2018 04:20 amQuote from: Mader Levap on 02/28/2018 11:21 amQuote from: AncientU on 02/26/2018 03:07 pmThe economic viability argument... dead and buried.Not really, so far they proved "only" that it is not more costly than using new boosters. Never underestimate the ability of naysayers to move goalposts.Few years ago I heard so much about how much prices will drop once SpaceX starts regularly recover and reuse stages. Are you denying that they so far didn't dropped prices significantly (or in fact at all at moment of typing these words - still 62 mln $)?Nowadays SpaceX fans explain that they don't have to do it right now since they are already cheapest, they have to recoup investment, finance BFR/BFS and similar excuses. Textbook goalpost moving.
There's probably a better thread for you to conflate price and cost.
Retweeted by Iridium:QuoteLes dix satellites de la cinquième grappe d’#IridiumNEXT sont arrivés à Vandenberg. Lancement prévu à la fin du mois sur un #Falcon9 de @SpaceX. @IridiumComm @Thales_Alenia_Shttps://twitter.com/StefanBarensky/status/973177015791706113Microsoft Translation:QuoteThe ten satellites of the fifth cluster @IridiumNEXT have arrived at Vandenberg. Scheduled launch at the end of the month on a @Falcon9 de #SpaceX. #IridiumComm @Thales_Alenia_S
Les dix satellites de la cinquième grappe d’#IridiumNEXT sont arrivés à Vandenberg. Lancement prévu à la fin du mois sur un #Falcon9 de @SpaceX. @IridiumComm @Thales_Alenia_S
The ten satellites of the fifth cluster @IridiumNEXT have arrived at Vandenberg. Scheduled launch at the end of the month on a @Falcon9 de #SpaceX. #IridiumComm @Thales_Alenia_S
that's not an Iridium NEXT satellite
Quote from: AncientU on 03/12/2018 12:34 pmthat's not an Iridium NEXT satelliteThe black cylinder looks like an Iridium dispenser though...