SPACEX IS AWARDED LAUNCH OF GERMAN RADAR RECONNAISSANCE SATELLITE SYSTEM
Falcon 9 rocket will deliver three-satellite SARah Constellation that will serve German Ministry of Defense
Hawthorne, CA – Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) will provide the launch services for Germany’s second-generation radar reconnaissance satellite system. The satellites, provided by OHB System AG and Astrium GmbH, will replace the current constellation and will be delivered to orbit by two Falcon 9 rockets in 2018 and 2019.
"SpaceX looks forward to working with OHB and Astrium, and we appreciate their confidence in SpaceX to reliably deliver these satellites to orbit,” said Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX President and COO. “These missions are very meaningful for SpaceX as the first contracted for a European government.”
OHB will build two passive-antenna synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites, and Astrium GmbH will build a larger, phased-array-antenna satellite under contract for OHB. The three-satellite constellation will replace the current OHB-built five-satellite SAR-Lupe constellation.
The German parliament is scheduled to meet the week of June 24 to approve a billion-dollar second-generation radar reconnaissance satellite system, with spacecraft to be provided by both of Germany’s satellite prime contractors and launches by Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), industry officials said.
Thales has booked an order valued at more than 100 million euros ($136 million) for radar reconnaissance satellite payloads for a European customer.
The company did not name the customer, but industry officials have said Thales is building radar payloads for two satellites for the German Defense Ministry under a contract led by OHB AG of Bremen, Germany. A third satellite for the program, called SARaH, also under the OHB contract, is being built by Airbus.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Feb. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SolAero Technologies Corp. (SolAero), a leading provider of high efficiency solar cells, solar panels, and composite structural products for satellite and aerospace applications, announced today that it has been awarded two contracts by OHB System AG (OHB) for the design, manufacture and testing of solar array panels for two upcoming satellite missions, SARah and EnMAP. SARah is a follow-on system to the Federal Republic of Germany's SAR-Lupe that provides satellite-based radar reconnaissance.
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Aug. 22, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a contract from OHB System AG to supply the space inertial reference system for Germany's SARah satellite-based radar reconnaissance system.
Northrop Grumman will supply its Scalable Space Inertial Reference Unit-L (Scalable SIRU™-L) for sensor pointing/stabilization and attitude control on the SARah satellite-based radar reconnaissance system. This contract marks the first international application of the new Scalable SIRU™-L configuration.
Terma has been contracted by OHB System AG in Bremen, to supply power condition and distribution units for the SARah radar satellite reconnaissance system for the German federal armed forces. The SARah satellite constellation consists of three satellites of which OHB will deliver two.
Do we know approximately when these satellites will launch?
I have read Q3 and NET September, which have some overlap.
The Germany military said the second and third SARah satellites will share a ride on a Falcon 9 rocket late this year.
With SWOT and EROS-C3, this is almost certainly slipping to 2023.
NextSpaceFlight (https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/91), updated November 28:
NET January 2023
First stage landing LZ-4
http://www.spacearchive.info/vafbsked.htmMember:QuoteFEB 27 To be announced Falcon 9 SLC-4E Vehicle will launch the SARah 2 and 3 radar Earth imaging satellites into orbit
0025-EX-ST-2023 (https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=120704&RequestTimeout=1000) Mission 1439
Vandy RTLS, NET mid-February [Feb 11]
SARah 2 & 3?
Any new news, such as satellites delivered to Vandenberg for launch processing?
Launch Timehttps://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/91
NET April, 2023
NextSpaceflight (https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/91), updated April 17:
NET June 2023
https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/?page=1&search=spacex updated 8 June
August 2023
Not sure if that is based on anything or just doesn't seem soon
All three August Vandenberg Falcon 9 launch slots are spoken for:
Aug 8 UTC Starlink 6-20
Aug 17 UTC Starlink 7-1
late Aug SDA T&TL 0B
Cross-post:Latest space news article has this launch still scheduled for late August.
SN Space Development Agency shaking up how the military buys satellites (https://spacenews.com/space-development-agency-shaking-up-how-the-military-buys-satellites/) [Aug 11]QuoteAnother Falcon 9 had been scheduled to launch 13 more Tranche 0 satellites in June — 10 made by Lockheed Martin and three by York Space — but the mission has been delayed to late August.
I think the SARah and WorldView Legion launches are now NET September.
🤔
1794-EX-ST-2023 (https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=127552&RequestTimeout=1000) Mission 1366 from SLC-4E
RTLS
FCC filing for this launch has appeared, so it should be coming up soon.1794-EX-ST-2023 (https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=127552&RequestTimeout=1000) Mission 1366 from SLC-4E
RTLS
[NET September 25]
Federal Armed Forces start operational use of the satellite-based reconnaissance system SARah with the first satellite
Bremen, 5. October 2023
...
The two SARah radar satellites realized by OHB are currently close to completion and will also be launched into their target orbit in the near future. These are based on a further development of the reflector technology of the SAR-Lupe constellation. SAR-Lupe is the Federal Armed Forces' first space-based reconnaissance system and has been operated by OHB System in cooperation with OHB Digital Connect for 15 years.
The launch is not in the next few weeks, I think.
Corrected version: Bundeswehr starts partial operation of the first SARah satellite (https://www.presseportal.de/pm/147341/5619116)
05.10.2023
[...]
According to current plans, the two remaining reflector satellites will be launched into space this year to complete the SARah system.
The thread title has been updated from a launch in 2023 to NET 21 December. Source is nextspaceflight.com. Spaceflight Now also added Sarah today for a launch in December and put it before Ovzon, which is scheduled for 22 December. Starlink Group 7-9 accordingly slips from today (UTC) to 29 December.
I hope that the peeps get some Christmas time off.
NextSpaceflight (https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/91), updated December 16:
Launch NET December 21st, 2023
SARah 2 & 3
Launch Time
Thu Dec 21, 2023 12:56 GMT
170204Z DEC 23
HYDROPAC 3945/23(83).
SOUTH PACIFIC.
DNC 06.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
1440Z TO 1705Z DAILY 21 THRU 26 DEC
IN AREA BOUND BY
31-21.0S 145-01.0W, 31-20.0S 147-36.0W,
52-50.0S 148-24.0W, 52-51.00S 144-45.0W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 261805Z DEC 23.
NGA Space Debris notice.Quote from: NGA170204Z DEC 23
HYDROPAC 3945/23(83).
SOUTH PACIFIC.
DNC 06.
...
B1286/23 NOTAMN
Q) MMFR/QRPCA/IV/BO/W/000/999/
A) MMFR
B) 2312211256
C) 2312261516
D) DLY 1256-1516
E) PROHIBITED AREA FOR LAUNCH OF ROCKET FALCON 9 SARAH-2
LATERAL LIMIT: AREA FORMED BY THE UNION OF THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
30 45N 120 50W
31 02N 120 17W
30 59N 120 17W
30 36N 120 18W
30 21N 120 24W
30 45N 120 50W
MMFR
F) MSL
G) UNL
Start (PST) End (PST)
12/21 04:56am 12/21 07:16am
12/22 04:56am 12/22 07:16am
12/23 04:56am 12/23 07:16am
12/24 04:56am 12/24 07:16am
12/25 04:56am 12/25 07:16am
12/26 04:56am 12/26 07:16am
Start (PST) End (PST)
12/20 08:48am 12/20 10:26am
12/21 08:48am 12/21 10:26am
182313Z DEC 23
NAVAREA XII 877/23(18).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
1256Z TO 1516Z DAILY 22 THRU 26 DEC
IN AREA BOUND BY
30-30.00N 121-10.00W, 29-50.00N 120-52.00W,
29-51.00N 120-35.00W, 30-43.00N 120-21.00W,
31-16.00N 120-39.00W, 31-16.00N 120-52.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 261616Z DEC 23.
Stuck in traffic today…..https://twitter.com/ShorealoneFilms/status/1736988006190649719?s=20 (https://twitter.com/ShorealoneFilms/status/1736988006190649719?s=20)
I received NGA Space Debris notice. It looks like it might be effectively a Rocket Launching notice for this launch, but it runs from December 22 to 26, which would mean a one-day postponement.
Thoughts?Quote from: NGA182313Z DEC 23
NAVAREA XII 877/23(18).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
1256Z TO 1516Z DAILY 22 THRU 26 DEC
IN AREA BOUND BY
30-30.00N 121-10.00W, 29-50.00N 120-52.00W,
29-51.00N 120-35.00W, 30-43.00N 120-21.00W,
31-16.00N 120-39.00W, 31-16.00N 120-52.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 261616Z DEC 23.
I received NGA Space Debris notice. It looks like it might be effectively a Rocket Launching notice for this launch, but it runs from December 22 to 26, which would mean a one-day postponement.
This notice from the USCG District 11 weekly Local Notice to Mariners that came out today still has December 21. Times are PST; add 8 hours for UTC.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA-VANDENBERG AFB-HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS
Hazardous operations will be conducted from Vandenberg AFB, CA for Western Range 2346 from 4:26am on 21 December, 2023 until 7:16am on 25 December, 2023. Hazardous operation areas are bounded by the following coordinates:
Hazard Area A:
34-41-00N 120-42-00W
34-41-00N 120-25-00W
34-18-00N 120-25-00W
34-03-00N 120-35-00W
33-34-00N 120-36-00W
33-32-00N 120-40-00W
34-41-00N 120-42-00W (CLOSING THE FIRST POINT)
Hazard Area B:
30-30-00N 121-10-00W
29-50-00N 120-52-00W
29-51-00N 120-35-00W
30-43-00N 120-21-00W
31-16-00N 120-39-00W
31-16-00N 120-52-00W
30-30-00N 121-10-00W (CLOSING THE FIRST POINT)
Mariners are advised to remain clear of these areas for the duration of operations. For more details or comments contact Vandenberg AFB at 805-606-8825 or on VHF-FM Chan. 06 or 16.
Delay because of Firefly launch on the 20th ?The interleaving of their launch times existed a few days ago. Surely the range administration would ensure both companies knew about it, while also deconflicting the VSFB staff.
Große Dinge werfen ihre Schatten voraus! 🤗Das @BaainBw ist mit beiden #SARah Satelliten🛰️auf dem Weg zur Rakete 🚀. Am 22.12.2023 ist es dann endlich so weit. Nach Übergabe an #CIR wird das #ZAbbAufkl seine Fähigkeiten zur Aufklärung für die #Bundeswehr weiter steigern können.💪
Great things cast their shadows ahead! 🤗The @BaainBw is on the way to the rocket with both #SARah satellites🛰️. On December 22nd, 2023 the time has finally come. After handing over to #CIR, the #ZAbbAufkl will be able to further increase its reconnaissance capabilities for the #Bundeswehr.💪
Die letzten Meter bis zum geplanten Start der beiden Reflektor-Satelliten sind geschafft. Übermorgen sollen sie von der Vandenberg Space Force Base in Kalifornien/🇺🇸 aus ins All starten. Dann sind alle #SARah Aufklärungssatelliten für die #Bundeswehr im Orbit.#Beschaffungläuft
The last few meters until the planned launch of the two reflector satellites have been completed. The day after tomorrow they are scheduled to launch into space from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California/🇺🇸. Then all #SARah reconnaissance satellites for the #Bundeswehr will be in orbit.#Procurementongoing
Can anyone post here SARah logo which is seen on the fairings?QuoteGroße Dinge werfen ihre Schatten voraus! 🤗Das @BaainBw ist mit beiden #SARah Satelliten🛰️auf dem Weg zur Rakete 🚀. Am 22.12.2023 ist es dann endlich so weit. Nach Übergabe an #CIR wird das #ZAbbAufkl seine Fähigkeiten zur Aufklärung für die #Bundeswehr weiter steigern können.💪
SPACEX SARAH-2, VANDENBERG SFB, CA
PRIMARY: 12/23/2023 1256Z-1516Z
BACKUP: 12/27-30/2023 1256Z-1516Z
Will be interesting to see if they use B1082.1, which was stacked and rolled out and back for the scrubbed Starlink 7-9 mission, for SARah 2/3.
- Ed Kyle
220229Z DEC 23
NAVAREA XII 879/23(18).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
1256Z TO 1516Z DAILY 23 AND 24 DEC,
271256Z TO 271516Z DEC, AND
1256Z TO 1521Z 28 THRU 30 DEC
IN AREA BOUND BY
31-21.00S 145-01.00W, 31-20.00S 147-36.00W,
52-50.00S 148-24.00W, 52-51.00S 144-45.00W.
2. CANCEL NAVAREA XII 877/23.
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 301621Z DEC 23.
220205Z DEC 23
HYDROPAC 3982/23(83).
SOUTH PACIFIC.
DNC 06.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
1447Z TO 1703Z DAILY 23 AND 24 DEC,
271447Z TO 271703Z DEC , AND
1447Z TO 1708Z 28 THRU 30 DEC
IN AREA BOUND BY
31-21.00S 145-01.00W, 31-20.00S 147-36.00W,
52-50.00S 148-24.00W, 52-51.00S 144-45.00W.
2. CANCEL HYDROPAC 3945/23.
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 301808Z DEC 23.
220359Z DEC 23
NAVAREA XII 880/23(18).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
1256Z TO 1516Z DAILY 23, 24 AND 27 DEC,
1256Z TO 1521Z DAILY 28 THRU 30 DEC
IN AREA BOUND BY
30-43.00N 120-21.00W, 31-16.00N 120-39.00W,
31-16.00N 120-52.00W, 30-30.00N 121-10.00W,
29-50.00N 120-52.00W, 29-51.00N 120-35.00W.
2. CANCEL NAVAREA XII 877/23 AND 879/23.
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 301621Z DEC 23.//
Kinda helps to not have Jack at Starbase and instead be back in California heh
We actually tried to go livestream the past two Starlink launches from Vandenberg but there was no luck. Hopefully third time's the charm :)
SpaceX is targeting Sunday, December 24 for a Falcon 9 launch of the SARah-2 mission to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The 83-minute launch window opens at 5:11 a.m. PT.
A live webcast of this mission will begin on X @SpaceX about 15 minutes prior to liftoff. Watch live.
This is the eighth flight of the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched SDA-0A and six Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Targeting Saturday, December 23 for a Falcon 9 launch of the @ohb_se SARah-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 4 East in California → http://spacex.com/launches
#Servicetweet zum Start #SARah 2: Das "Launch Readiness Review" war erfolgreich, die @spacex #Rakete steht auf der Rampe👍 Gegen 14:11 Uhr deutscher Zeit (13:11 Uhr Zulu) sollen unsere 2 Reflektor #Satelliten ins #Weltall starten.
#Servicetweet for the launch #SARah 2: The "Launch Readiness Review" was successful @spacex #Rocket is on the ramp👍 At around 2:11 p.m. German time (1:11 p.m. Zulu) our 2 reflector #satellites are scheduled to launch into #space.
QuoteTargeting Saturday, December 23 for a Falcon 9 launch of the @ohb_se SARah-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 4 East in California → http://spacex.com/launches
Second of two bi-coastal Falcon 9 launches today.
The launch window opens at 5:41 a.m. PT.https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sarah-2
New T-0 of 5:41 a.m. PT for Falcon 9’s launch of the @ohb_se SARah-2 mission
The launch window opens at 6:10 a.m. PThttps://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sarah-2
SpaceX is targeting Sunday, December 24 for a Falcon 9 launch of the SARah-2 mission to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The 83-minute launch window opens at 5:11 a.m. PT.https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sarah-2
Standing down from launch of the @ohb_se SARah-2 mission to allow for additional pre-flight checkouts. Now targeting Sunday, December 24 for liftoff → http://spacex.com/launches
Yeah SARah-2 payload fairing and B1075 as the booster. Interestingly, the second stage is a Starlink one as it has the velcro pads for the tension rods. It must have been reassigned for this mission in the flurry of delays they've had in the last few weeks out from Vandy.
Yeah SARah-2 payload fairing and B1075 as the booster. Interestingly, the second stage is a Starlink one as it has the velcro pads for the tension rods. It must have been reassigned for this mission in the flurry of delays they've had in the last few weeks out from Vandy.
Yeah. SARah-2 payload fairing and B1075 as the booster. Interestingly, the second stage is a Starlink one as it has the Velcro pads for the tension rods. It must have been reassigned for this mission in the flurry of delays they've had in the last few weeks out from Vandy.
I wonder if they kept the standard M-Vac as well, or swapped it out with a shorty.
SpaceX is targeting Sunday, December 24 for a Falcon 9 launch of the SARah-2 mission to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The 83-minute launch window opens at 5:11 a.m. PT.
A live webcast of this mission will begin on X @SpaceX about 15 minutes prior to liftoff. Watch live.
This is the eighth flight of the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched SDA-0A and six Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Decoding a METAR
KVBG = the airfield, VSFB
240910Z = the date and time of the report. ...
01003KT = the wind conditions. ...
10SM = visibility. ...
OVC019 = cloud cover. ...
12/11 = the temperature and dewpoint. ...
A3012 = the atmospheric pressure, a.k.a. altimeter setting.
Additional Remarks:
RMK AO2A CIG 012V019 BKN V FEW SLP203 = the add-ons, which can give a more complete picture of weather conditions but can also be a little more difficult to decipher, at least for a beginner. This part will require a little more memorization or keeping a guide handy to consult.
Air Mass RGB is used to diagnose the environment surrounding synoptic systems by enhancing temperature and moisture characteristics of airmasses. Cyclogenesis can be inferred by the identification of warm, dry, ozone-rich descending stratospheric air associated with jet streams and potential vorticity (PV) anomalies. The RGB can be used to validate the location of PV anomalies in model data. Additionally, this RGB can distinguish between polar and tropical airmasses, especially along upper-level frontal boundaries and identify high-, mid-, and low-level clouds.
COUNTDOWN
HR/MIN/SEC EVENT
Completed:
00:38:00 SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load
In Progress:
00:35:00 RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins
00:35:00 1st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading begins
Remaining Events:
00:16:00 2nd stage LOX loading begins
00:07:00 Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch
00:01:00 Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks
00:01:00 Propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins
00:00:45 SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch
00:00:03 Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start
00:00:00 Falcon 9 liftoff
Nice job, Tony!
Good of you to give Steven the night off, as it's Christmas in Adelaide in 10 minutes.
Merry Christmas to all, and Congrats to SpaceX.
--Pete
I called it.
I knew the stubby M-Vac nozzle would be used for this mission.
LandedThe 100,000,000 landing. (In binary)
That's the 256 landing of an orbital stage booster.
F9/SARah-2: LIFTOFF! At 8:11am EST (1311 UTC)
Liftoff!
Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on Landing Zone 4
Falcon 9 launches the @ohb_se SARah-2 mission from California
F9/SARah-2: This will be the 96th F9 launch of '23 and the 284th single-stick F9 flight overall; booster B1075 is making its 8th flight; a successful return-to-launch-site landing would be SpaceX's 15th at Vandenberg and its 256th overall
The whole thing looked like a woodcut of a great comet in the 17th century.Excellent description!
Very cool noctilucent clouds now visible from the earlier SpaceX launch
More photos of today's Falcon 9 launch and landing
What was the "stand by" and later zulu time reads in the nets? I don't remember hearing them before.
QuoteMore photos of today's Falcon 9 launch and landing
Apparently, launch was on the minute, at :00 seconds. (Bill Harwood drops the seconds in his tweets when the launch is on the :00 seconds, assuming launch time to the second is known.)
https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/1738910288575938680QuoteF9/SARah-2: LIFTOFF! At 8:11am EST (1311 UTC)
I set my alarm and watched this from my perch appx 145 miles east of Vandenberg.
First time I saw boostback! The cauliflower of S1 exhaust fighting the thin atmosphere was amazing. Entry burn was plainly visible, with a very high angular rate of travel.
5 min in, S2 rose into sunlight. At SECO1, the plume dominated the southern sky. I followed the stage almost to horizon. The whole thing looked like a woodcut of a great comet in the 17th century.
Photos look better in a dark place.
Looks like we aren't getting public TLEs for the German SARah-2/3 spy sats. The following seems to be a rough fit to the available information:
1 58643U 23204A 23358.55277800 .00000000 +00000-0 +00000-0 0 16
2 58643 88.2738 352.1326 0003654 149.6548 0.0000 15.21102991 02
TY for the TLEs
Stage 2 Blowdown seen from a cam mounted near the Subaru telescope at Maunakea, Hawaii
Sighting epoch : 24th December 2023 04:53 HST = 24th 14:53 UTC
which is T + 102 minutes
Orbit is ~500 Km SSO inclined 88.2°
The insurance industry: from bad to worse…
The bad news for insurers may not end there. Seradata has also become aware of an issue affecting one of two SARah-Passiv radar satellites: the non-deployment of a passive radar reflector antenna after the primary deployment mechanism failed. The pair, built by OHB-System AG, are supposed to work in conjunction with a SARah-Aktiv satellite, using an actively transmitting phased array antenna. If a back-up deployment mechanism on the SARah-Passiv FM-1 radar satellite also fails to work, Seradata understands that an insurance claim for around US$120 million will be made.
...In December, two Bundeswehr spy satellites were launched into space. But they don't deliver any data from there - because they can't extend their antennas. We are now working feverishly to find a solution to the problem.
...
“Contractor is working on a solution”
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense confirmed to the newspaper: “Following the successful launch of the last two SARah satellites in December, there are delays in the commissioning. The contractor is working on a solution. We cannot make any statements regarding the details of the work carried out under the responsibility of the industry. For reasons of national security, you will certainly understand that we cannot provide you with any further details.”
...
[Google Translate] The German army has to admit that there are significant problems with one of its most important space projects. In a confidential briefing, the ministry of Boris Pistorius (SPD) informed the Bundestag that two of the three satellites launched into space at the end of last year as part of the spy program "SARah" are unable to provide radar images. The reason: "Because the antenna masts with the radar sensors cannot be unfolded."