There are 114 payloads on this flight, including CubeSats, microsats, picosats, and orbital transfer vehicles carrying spacecraft to be deployed at a later time.
Tomorrow.io is developing two demonstration satellites, Tomorrow-R1 and Tomorrow-R2, to test a
radar payload on orbit, work through calibration and validation of the instrument, and provide
sample data for analysis. The two satellites are identical small ESPA-class satellites, approximately 75
kg in mass, and approximately 50 cm x 50 cm x 100 m in size. The payload is being developed by
Tomorrow.io, and the spacecraft bus is being developed by Astro Digital. The spacecraft will have full
functionally to cease emission upon command. The satellites are scheduled to launch in October 2022
on a SpaceX Transporter mission with an orbit of 550 km altitude sun synchronous orbit (LTDN 9:30).
The LTDN is not critical to the mission, nor is the initial altitude of 550 km, and thus these parameters
will be driven by the launch vehicle (rideshare) or in coordination.
The payload is a Ka-band (35.75 GHz) weather radar that will operate between 35.5 and 36.0 GHz in
a monostatic configuration. The radar uses volume backscatter to profile precipitation vertically
throughout the atmosphere and uses scatterometry to measure parameters of the ocean surface.
The radar is pulse-to-pulse reconfigurable on-orbit, and thus can utilize a variety of underlying
sampling techniques and waveforms. The sampling resolution of the radar is approximately 5 km x 5
km horizontally, and 250 m vertically. The radar utilizes a 1.2 m fixed parabolic cassegrain antenna.
UNSW Canberra-based air traffic management startup Skykraft has announced the planned upcoming launch of a second tranche of its satellites aboard a SpaceX rocket, scheduled for October 2022.
...
The June mission will feature a 300-kilogram craft, carrying an unspecified number of its own small satellites, plus planned payloads for Australian National University (ANU), CSIRO, Valiant, University of Melbourne, and Swinburne University.
By this application, Hedron Space Inc. (“Hedron”) (formerly Analytical Space, Inc.) seeks Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) authorization to conduct a demonstration satellite mission in support of the company’s long-term goal of building an in-orbit data relay satellite network that will enable near real-time knowledge of the Earth’s surface for Earth imaging systems by increasing average data offload rates and providing a continuous low-latency link for other satellite operators.1 The Cornicen mission is Hedron’s third satellite demonstration mission2 and is partially funded by the Department of Defense, Department of the Air Force, Space and Missile Systems Center under contract number FA8808-20-C-0016 P00003.
The Cornicen mission will demonstrate a new type of satellite service. Through formation flying, Cornicen will serve as an in-orbit communications relay for a partner Maxar Legion satellite (“Maxar Satellite”).3 Cornicen will also demonstrate experimental hardware and software developed by Hedron and the MITRE Corporation (“MITRE”), involving the Frequency-scaled Ultra-wide Spectrum Element (“FUSE”) payload and conduct tests of radiofrequency (“RF”) sensing capabilities of signals having no communications content (i.e., S-band radar) or for which MITRE is authorized to transmit. Hedron partners will each independently seek authority to transmit to Cornicen, as part of the experimental demonstrations.
Transporter mission schedules
https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1501307339651141637
his request is for a companion license and is related to the NTIA spectrum authorization filing for
the PACE-2 mission. PACE-2 is a NASA Ames Research Center 6U spacecraft. It is the second
spacecraft in the PACE series and serves as a pathfinder for the subsequent PACE tech demos. The
objective of the PACE-2 mission is to demonstrate the functionality and performance of the
improved PACE-2 avionics, EPS, ADCS, Propulsion, and Comm systems, and test the SEEKER image
analysis payload. PACE-2 orbit is 525km circular, 97.5 deg Inclination (SSO).
...
As described in the PACE-2 filing, the CubeSat will launch no earlier than October 2022 and is
expected to be in operation for not more than 8 months. NASA Ames will notify the FCC of the
dates of actual operation once those dates have been firmly established.
VR-5 has a planned launch on a Falcon 9 rideshare in October 2022. VR-5 will be
affixed directly to the Falcon 9 vehicle and deployed into a targeted sun-synchronous orbit with
approximately a ~97.5 degree inclination and an insertion orbit between 500 to 600 km circular
orbit.7 After separation from the launch vehicle, VR-5 will undergo commissioning and, upon
completion, will deploy payloads 2 to payload 7.
After those initial payload deployments, VR-5 will conduct orbital maneuvers to reach a
538 km circular sun-synchronous orbit with a ~97.5 degree inclination. VR-5 will then deploy
payload 8 (ZEUS-1) and subsequently commence hosted payload operations.
Afterwards, VR-5 will conduct further orbit maneuvers and inclination adjustments to a
targeted 538 km x 350 km elliptical orbit with a ~98 degree inclination.
Following the mission success of Alba Cluster 3 & 4 in the new year, Alba Orbital and AMSAT-EA (Spain) today announced a rideshare agreement to launch another PocketQube satellite (‘URESAT-1’) on-board Alba Cluster 6 in Q4 2022, a project managed by AMSAT-EA, a non-profit amateur radio association, on behalf of Union de Radioaficionados Españoles (URE), the Spanish Radio League Association. The mission is scheduled to fly via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle using Alba Orbital’s flight-proven AlbaPod to deploy the pico-satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
Intensive work is underway to make URESAT-1 available before the end of the year. If all goes according to plan, URESAT-1 will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in October.
A French startup has raised an initial round of funding to begin testing of solar sails it believes can sharply reduce the cost of deep space missions.
Paris-based Gama announced March 22 it raised 2 million euros ($2.2 million) in seed funding to start work on solar sails, including a demonstration mission it plans to launch in October. The funding came from the French public investment bank BPI, the French space agency CNES and several private investors.
The funding will allow the company to complete its first spacecraft, Gama Alpha, which is scheduled to launch in October on a SpaceX rideshare mission. The six-unit cubesat, using a bus provided by NanoAvionics, will test the deployment of a solar sail with an area of 73.3 square meters.
Transporter-6 NET October 2022
Radar imaging startup PredaSAR is preparing to deploy its first satellite on the SpaceX Transporter 6 rideshare, projected to launch in October.
The company is planning a constellation of 96 radar satellites “to be fully deployed by the end of 2026,” Michael Moran, senior vice president of defense and intelligence systems at Terran Orbital Corp., told SpaceNews.
Satellite operator Prométhée has contracted mission integrator NanoAvionics to build the first nanosatellite for the French company’s planned constellation of Earth observation nanosatellites and image analysis platform. “ProtoMéthée-1” will be based on NanoAvionics’ flight-proven 16U nanosatellite bus M16P.
In addition to the satellite with onboard camera and propulsion, NanoAvionics will also provide Prométhée with full mission services – testing, integration, launch, licensing, and initial satellite operations. The “ProtoMéthée-1” is intended to be launched towards the end of 2023 in low Earth orbit (LEO).
Another possible payload?QuoteSatellite operator Prométhée has contracted mission integrator NanoAvionics to build the first nanosatellite for the French company’s planned constellation of Earth observation nanosatellites and image analysis platform. “ProtoMéthée-1” will be based on NanoAvionics’ flight-proven 16U nanosatellite bus M16P.
In addition to the satellite with onboard camera and propulsion, NanoAvionics will also provide Prométhée with full mission services – testing, integration, launch, licensing, and initial satellite operations. The “ProtoMéthée-1” is intended to be launched towards the end of 2023 in low Earth orbit (LEO).
https://nanoavionics.com/news/nanoavionics-builds-first-nanosatellite-for-promethees-earth-observation-constellation/
https://www.geometricspace.ca/launch/1
https://www.geometricspace.ca/launch/1
This is delayed from Transporter-5.
Geometric-1If launch time is EDT, then = 20:24 UTC
Launch Date: Oct. 1, 2022, 4:24 p.m.
ESPA Ring port integration mission on SpaceX's Falcon 9 Rocket. We will deliver 12 x 6U CubeSats to Low Earth Orbit on this launch. Please contact us to reserve an allocation.
New filing for Vigoride-5
SAT-LOA-20220504-00047 (https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/ib/forms/reports/swr031b.hts?q_set=V_SITE_ANTENNA_FREQ.file_numberC/File+Number/%3D/SATLOA2022050400047&prepare=&column=V_SITE_ANTENNA_FREQ.file_numberC/File+Number)
Another possible payload?QuoteSatellite operator Prométhée has contracted mission integrator NanoAvionics to build the first nanosatellite for the French company’s planned constellation of Earth observation nanosatellites and image analysis platform. “ProtoMéthée-1” will be based on NanoAvionics’ flight-proven 16U nanosatellite bus M16P.
In addition to the satellite with onboard camera and propulsion, NanoAvionics will also provide Prométhée with full mission services – testing, integration, launch, licensing, and initial satellite operations. The “ProtoMéthée-1” is intended to be launched towards the end of 2023 in low Earth orbit (LEO).
https://nanoavionics.com/news/nanoavionics-builds-first-nanosatellite-for-promethees-earth-observation-constellation/
It says "The “ProtoMéthée-1” is intended to be launched towards the end of 2023 in low Earth orbit (LEO)", so can't be this launch which is to happen at the end of 2022.
Launcher announced May 16 that the first flight of its Orbiter vehicle, which will be on SpaceX’s Transporter-6 rideshare mission in October, will deploy satellites for six customers and carry hosted payloads for four others.
Three of the satellite customers are startups developing cubesats: Skyline Celestial, Innova Space and NPC Spacemind. Two others are student cubesat projects at Cal Poly Ponoma and Stanford University. Launcher did not disclose the identity of the sixth satellite customer.
The hosted payload customers include Cesium Astro, which will fly its Nightingale phased-array Ka-band communications system on the Orbiter vehicle. Other hosted payload customers include TRL11, a space technology startup; Beyond Burials, which offers space memorial services; and an undisclosed customer.
Launcher Announces Customers for Orbiter’s Inaugural Flight
Hawthorne, California
|
May 16, 2022
HAWTHORNE, CA, May 16, 2022 – Launcher, the space logistics company focused on providing access to anywhere in space at the lowest cost, today announced the customers on the first flight of its satellite transfer vehicle and hosted payload platform Orbiter. Orbiter’s first mission, SN1, is scheduled to reach orbit in October 2022 on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Transporter-6 rideshare launch. Launcher’s customers, spanning academia, startups and established industry leaders, demonstrate the growing demand for orbit transfer and hosted payload services.
The list of Orbiter’s first flight customers includes:
Deployed Spacecraft
Skyline Celestial - Develops Earth's most capable and affordable personal satellites for the next generation of space exploration.
Innova Space - Designs pico-satellites and nanosatellites that aim to change the world with greater IoT connectivity. Their upcoming constellation of approximately 100 picosatellites optimized for IoT communications will provide a highly secure, bi-directional connection to any IoT device on Earth in minutes.
NPC Spacemind - A versatile Italian space company with the vision of becoming a one-stop shop for innovative products and space projects.
Bronco Space | Cal Poly Pomona – The Bronco Space student-run space research group will be launching PROVES – Yearling. Yearling will be Cal Poly Pomona’s second space mission and is intended primarily as an educational venture by giving students access to a “lab bench in space.” Yearling will also be testing new technologies to enable lower cost CubeSat architectures that are equipped with novel Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning compute capabilities alongside a satellite-to-satellite networking demonstration with the Stanford Student Space Initiative.
Stanford Student Space initiative - Stanford’s student-run organization with the mission of giving future leaders of the space industry the hands-on experience and broader insight they need to realize the next era of space development.
Undisclosed customer
Hosted Payloads
CesiumAstro - Orbiter will host CesiumAstro’s Nightingale active phased array payload which will demonstrate advanced phased array communication capabilities including beam optimization, dynamic waveform switching, and dynamic link optimization on orbit. Nightingale is a full-stack, multi-mission communication system enabling high data rate Ka-band communications in a small form factor for small satellite applications spanning LEO, Cislunar and Lunar environments.
Undisclosed customer - Orbiter to provide power and communications.
Beyond Burials - Offers affordable space memorial experiences that help family members celebrate their loved ones in a unique, meaningful, and inspiring way.
TRL11 - Provides technology solutions for the New Space Economy and addresses the most demanding challenges and opportunities arising from the rapid growth of space-based assets.
SpaceX Falcon 9 Rideshare Lift off (Photo Courtesy of SpaceX)
On SpaceX Transporter flights, Orbiter can carry up to 400 kg of payload mass in the form of small and cube satellites. Additionally, Orbiter can support components and payloads by providing power, communications, and other commodities. Orbiter is equipped with a chemical propulsion system that uses ethane and nitrous oxide propellants, and the vehicle will initially provide up to 500 meters per second of delta-v, or change in velocity. Orbiter is designed to integrate with SpaceX Transporter 24-inch ports and maximize the available volume to its customer payload.
Due to in-house design and production of the majority of the structure, propulsion, and avionics components, Orbiter is offered to its customers at an industry-leading price of $400,000 per dedicated vehicle (excluding SpaceX flight cost). Launch and orbit transfer services are also offered to Orbiter rideshare customers at a per kilogram price of $8,000-$25,000 (including SpaceX flight cost), depending on mission requirements.
Illustration: Orbiter performing propulsive maneuvers
“We are honored to have a broad range of customers joining us on Orbiter’s first flight, including academia, early-stage companies, and more established ones. We are especially pleased to host two of these payloads on a long-duration mission– proving Orbiter’s viability and utility as a hosted satellite platform.” stated Launcher Head of Product and Business Development David Caponio.
Orbiter provides unique value to its customers by allowing them to quickly reach nearby rideshare orbits and precisely insert each spacecraft into its proper mission orbit in the most efficient way possible. The delta-v provided by Orbiter can be used to adjust altitude, inclination, and LTDN (Local Time of Descending Node) as well as local anomaly tailoring to distribute small spacecraft quickly and evenly along an entire orbital plane. Given the low additional cost for Orbiter above the SpaceX rideshare price, delta-v can be imparted to each customer spacecraft at a lower cost than implementing or expanding spacecraft resident propulsion systems. This lowers the overall capital cost of each spacecraft and extends its lifetime by maximizing the propellant remaining after reaching its proper mission orbit.
When Orbiter completes its transfer mission, the platform continues to host components and payloads for up to two years. This enables both early-stage and mature space companies to increase the heritage and technology readiness of their payload or components without the added cost of a dedicated spacecraft and ground operations infrastructure. Using the shared resources available from Orbiter, these services are provided in a more efficient manner.
“Our customers on Orbiter’s inaugural flight this October illustrate the market need for transfer and hosted payload services, which we are proud to deliver at the lowest price in the industry.” stated Max Haot, CEO of Launcher.
Below is a summary of the Orbiter’s current flight manifest:
Mission Launch Date
Orbiter SN1 October 1, 2022 (Full)
Orbiter SN2 January 1, 2023 (Selling Capacity)
Orbiter SN3 April 1, 2023 (Selling Capacity)
Orbiter SN4 October 1, 2023 (Selling Capacity)
To book a flight to orbit for your satellite or hosted payload, visit launcherspace.com/book or email [email protected].
This is our first demonstration mission, which goal primarily is to verify the performance of two optical payloads: an EO telescope and a system for auto-inspection of satellites. The mission preparation began in June 2021, and the mission launch is scheduled for October 2022 aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. Our optical payload will be launched aboard a CubeSat 6U satellite designed and developed by our partners, German Orbital Systems.
Possible payload
rumor is CE-SAT 1D and 1E are launching in October on a rideshare (no specific mention of launch provider, but...)
MILESTONE: Orbiter SN1 integration has started in our clean room. This flight hardware will reach orbit via SpaceX rideshare in October carrying the payloads of our first 10 customers. Everything in this assembly (excluding fasteners) is designed and manufactured in house
The YAM-5 satellite bus will be manufactured and supplied by LeoStella. The bus design derived from the heritage design that LeoStella has produced for BlackSky Global, an Earth observation company. The satellite is 3-axis stabilized, achieves beam steering via body steering of the bus, and does not employ any form of propulsion.
The YAM-5 satellite hosts the following customer or experimental payloads:
A customer furnished flight computer
A longwave infrared camera
A sensing payload
An experimental S-band payload transmitting in the 2240-2290 MHz band and receiving in the 2067-2110 MHz band.
An S-band Internet of Things (IoT) payload that transmits and receives in the 2400-2483.5 MHz band
Initial Orbit
Apogee: 525 km nominal ± 25 km
Perigee: 525 km nominal ± 25 km
Target Inclination: 97.6° ± 0.1°
LTDN: ~9:30 +60 minutes
We can’t wait for @spacex’s Falcon 9 rocket to bring Orbiter to space this October. Today, our team visited SpaceX to pass an important test for our in-house developed, low cost 24”separation ring (Available for sale as a component - inquire at [email protected])
Orbiter SN1 integration in progress. Our first ever spacecraft– we love it when a plan comes together. 🌎🚀🛰
Momentus First Demonstration Mission Update #3 (https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220613005786/en/Momentus-First-Demonstration-Mission-Update-3)
Momentus’ plans for additional launches of the Vigoride vehicle later this year and in 2023 remain as stated in the Q1 earnings call on May 10, 2022, with agreements signed with SpaceX for launches on upcoming Transporter missions in 2022 and 2023, including Transporter 6 currently targeted for November 2022. We are working to incorporate improvements identified during the current mission on the other Vigoride vehicles that we plan to fly in space during these missions.
I wonder why there is such a long gap. They did three Transporter missions in the first half of the year and now there is a 6-month gap.IIRC, the "Transporter" Program was initially declared as "3 launches per year".
My memory of the original frequency was they were looking at once per year... let's see, yes, here's where they changed to more frequently:I wonder why there is such a long gap. They did three Transporter missions in the first half of the year and now there is a 6-month gap.IIRC, the "Transporter" Program was initially declared as "3 launches per year".
The third Transporter launch of 2021 was delayed from "late 2021" to "Jan 2022".
Of course, if it turns out that demand for cubesat rides is much higher than three Falcon-9 a year - then SpaceX may consider more dedicated cubesat launches. Looks like this is not the case yet.
https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1166875475446247427QuoteUpdate from @SpaceX on its recently announced Smallsat Rideshare program:
3 annual missions now, up from 1 per year, after feedback from customers.
The KSF 3A to 3D "Observer Mission" satellites that had been scheduled for Transporter 5 were delayed to Transporter 6 as "a vibration issue was detected with its original deployment method".
https://www.spaceconnectonline.com.au/satellites/5485-vibration-issue-delays-kleos-satellite-launch
"The launch will now take place on SpaceX’s Transporter-6 mission and expand its offering from 12 to 16 satellites."
Launcher’s first spacecraft, Orbiter SN1, is readying for its ride to orbit later this year aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-6 mission.
The orbital transfer vehicle will include six deployed spacecraft and four hosted payloads.
Learn more → launcherspace.com/orbiter
(Photo: Me for @launcher, taken in Hawthorne, CA earlier this month)
: GEOMETRIC-1 is a train constellation rideshare mission, consisting of three ~10 kg 6U class satellites (GENMAT-1, NOCLIP-1, and MOXY-1) using a common spacecraft bus intended to reach a stable low altitude (~550 km) high inclination (~89 degrees) Sun Synchronous Orbit lunar Orbit (SSO) on the SpaceX Transport 6 Launch (NET Late October/November 2022) and operate for up to two years. A fourth satellite (ACS-1) has been deferred to the SpaceX Transporter 7 or later launch.
...
GENMAT-1 Technology Development, Demonstration and Deployment focused on correlated geodetic mineralogical data acquisition. GENMAT-1 is a 6U CubeSat equipped with a hyperspectral imager.
...
NOCLIP-1 Technology Development, Demonstration and Deployment focused on sharing the Overview Effect sensory experience through Virtual Reality. NPOCLIP-1 is a 6U CubeSat equipped with a wide field 4K resolution camera optimized for the sensory experience.
...
MOXY-1 Technology Development, Demonstration, and Deployment mission focused on Distributed Ledger Technology & Imaging. MOXY-1 is a 6U CubeSat equipped with internal imaging sensors and screen to display and share/advertise digital tokens in space.
0811-EX-CN-2022 Geometric Energy CorporationQuote: GEOMETRIC-1 is a train constellation rideshare mission, consisting of three ~10 kg 6U class satellites (GENMAT-1, NOCLIP-1, and MOXY-1) using a common spacecraft bus intended to reach a stable low altitude (~550 km) high inclination (~89 degrees) Sun Synchronous Orbit lunar Orbit (SSO) on the SpaceX Transport 6 Launch (NET Late October/November 2022) and operate for up to two years. A fourth satellite (ACS-1) has been deferred to the SpaceX Transporter 7 or later launch.
...
GENMAT-1 Technology Development, Demonstration and Deployment focused on correlated geodetic mineralogical data acquisition. GENMAT-1 is a 6U CubeSat equipped with a hyperspectral imager.
...
NOCLIP-1 Technology Development, Demonstration and Deployment focused on sharing the Overview Effect sensory experience through Virtual Reality. NPOCLIP-1 is a 6U CubeSat equipped with a wide field 4K resolution camera optimized for the sensory experience.
...
MOXY-1 Technology Development, Demonstration, and Deployment mission focused on Distributed Ledger Technology & Imaging. MOXY-1 is a 6U CubeSat equipped with internal imaging sensors and screen to display and share/advertise digital tokens in space.
This company still seems a bit odd. It will be interesting to see if they get their paperwork done in time.
Maverick Space Systems is the mission integrator.
And what's with the "Sun Synchronous Orbit lunar Orbit (SSO)"?
Momentus Space LLC (“Momentus”) hereby amends its pending application and requests authority to include a UHF beacon on its Vigoride-5 (“VR-5”) spacecraft. The beacon transmissions will contain data from GPS receivers onboard the spacecraft and will be used to facilitate the acquisition of the satellite after deployment, thereby reducing the probability that Momentus will not be able to communicate with the spacecraft as a result of any anomalies.
...
Momentus also updates its concept of operations to reflect the installation of a failsafe deployment timer, which has a battery backup for the Payload Management Unit.5 The timer system commences upon deployment and begins a countdown that will trigger the release of the single deployable payload6 onboard VR-5 after 7 days.7 In the event that the VR-5 bus experiences a failure and Momentus is unable to command the deployment of the customer payload, the timer system provides a failsafe deployment mechanism.
Momentus' plans for additional launches of the Vigoride vehicle later this year and in 2023 remain as stated in the Q1 earnings call on May 10, 2022, with agreements signed with SpaceX for launches on upcoming Transporter missions in 2022 and 2023, including Transporter-6 currently targeted for November 2022.
Momentus has identified the root cause of the anomalies experienced during the initial Vigoride demonstration mission. The Company convened an Independent Review Team of highly experienced space experts who reviewed the root cause findings of Momentus engineers and concurred with their findings. Momentus has made good progress in implementing corrective actions on the Vigoride-5 vehicle that the Company plans to fly on the SpaceX Transporter-6 mission.
Launcher’s first Orbiter transfer vehicle and hosted payload platform successfully completes vibration test 🛰 ✅ https://www.launcherspace.com/updates/launchers-first-orbiter-transfer-vehicle-and-hosted-payload-platform-successfully-completes-vibration-test
This second satellite is now slated to fly with two other Lynk spacecraft on a SpaceX Transporter 6 mission slated for December, Miller said.
https://spacenews.com/direct-to-cell-startups-welcome-musks-arrival/
[SN August 29]QuoteThis second satellite is now slated to fly with two other Lynk spacecraft on a SpaceX Transporter 6 mission slated for December, Miller said.
December?https://spacenews.com/direct-to-cell-startups-welcome-musks-arrival/
[SN August 29]QuoteThis second satellite is now slated to fly with two other Lynk spacecraft on a SpaceX Transporter 6 mission slated for December, Miller said.
Contradicted by:
SFN Launch Schedule (https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/) updated August 31:
November launch
The latest Vigoride that will fly on the @SpaceX Transporter-6 mission recently completed vibration testing @experiorlabs. Thank you to our team of smiling engineers who ushered the spacecraft through this important phase of pre-flight testing.
Request to Extend Launch Deadline
Umbra Lab, Inc. (“Umbra”) requests a sixty-day extension of Condition #21 of its license (Call
Sign S3095),1 requiring launch of all satellites by January 13, 2023. Additional time is required
due to launch delays beyond Umbra’s control.
Umbra is authorized to launch and operate six satellites under its License. Umbra has successfully
launched three of its six authorized satellites and plans to launch two more satellites on the
upcoming rideshare mission scheduled for December 2022. Condition #21 of the License provides
that “[t]his license will be null and void for any satellites not launched before January 13, 2023”
(the “Launch Period”). Umbra is not able to meet the requirement for its sixth satellite due to a
delay in the launch (until February 15, 2023), imposed by the launch services provider and beyond
Umbra’s control. In an abundance of caution to allow for further minor launch delays, Umbra
requests an extension, until March 14, 2023, of the deployment deadline specified in Condition
#21.
Umbra understands that the Launch Period requirement is based on 47 C.F.R. §25.122(c)(2) and
was imposed to ensure that all authorized satellites deorbit within six (6) years. Umbra will be able
to comply with 47 C.F.R. §25.122(c)(2), regardless of launch date, by deorbiting the satellite
within six (6) years using the propulsion system. Moreover, Umbra will not operate the satellite
past the end of the License term (January 13, 2028). The later launch is not expected to materially
shorten the satellite’s lifetime, if at all. Under nominal conditions, the satellite would still have
nearly five (5) years to operate, which is close to the maximum expected mission lifetime for the
satellite.
Given the modest extension of the Launch Period and Umbra’s ability to ensure that the satellite
demises within the six-year License term through active deorbiting, Umbra submits that this brief
extension of time is justified. Further, grant of this extension is in the public interest2 because it
would allow Umbra to continue providing its government and commercial customers with highquality
SAR imagery at a time when such imagery is in high demand as a result of world events.
The Albanian government signed the $6 million (6.2 million euros) deal with Satellogic USA Inc. of North Carolina, the prime minister’s office said.
The agreement will give Albania priority access to two satellites - to be named Albania-1 and Albania-2 - that are expected to be part of Satellogic’s upcoming launch with SpaceX.
ROAD TO ORBITER SN1 LAUNCH (DEC 6 on SpaceX): This week, we integrated one of our customer payload on Orbiter - Beyond Burials with their Shooting Star Memorial payload carrying the remains of people from around the world. Beyondburials.com
ROAD TO ORBITER SN1 LAUNCH: Today we integrated the cubesat 🛰 of our customer @BroncoSpace from @calpolypomona - inside the deployer (with integrated video cameras and recorder) of our partner TRL11 (trl11.com) 🚀
ROAD TO ORBITER SN1 LAUNCH: This week, we integrated one of our customer payload on Orbiter - Beyond Burials with their Shooting Star Memorial payload carrying the remains of people from around the world. Beyondburials.com
Looks like GHOSt was delayed and moved to this mission [Transporter-7]:
https://twitter.com/OrbitalSidekick/status/1584600743654305794
ROAD TO ORBITER SN1 LAUNCH (NET DEC VIA SPACEX): Last week, we integrated the two @innova_space IOT CubeSats with Orbiter. We thank them for flying with us. 🛰🚀🌎
https://amsat-dl.org/satelliten-geplant/QuoteQBUA01 Dezember 2022 SpaceX Falcon-9
(Transporter 6 mission) 70cm GMSK-Downlink National Technical University of Ukraine
BDSAT-2 Dezember 2022 SpaceX Falcon-9
(Transporter 6 mission) 70cm Downlink Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC)
https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/5067883/0/novedades-en-la-nasa-catalana-el-govern-lanzara-su-segundo-nanosatelite-el-6-de-diciembre-desde-florida/ [Oct 11]
Google translate:QuoteThe Government of the Generalitat will launch its second nanosatellite, the 'Menut', into orbit on December 6 from Cape Canaveral in Florida (United States), with a Falcon 9 rocket from the American company SpaceX. It will be through the Space Agency of Catalonia, also known as the 'Catalan NASA'.
SN Momentus upbeat about second Vigoride mission (https://spacenews.com/momentus-upbeat-about-second-vigoride-mission/) [Nov 10]QuoteThe Vigoride 5 mission will be launched into a sun-synchronous orbit with an initial altitude of about 500 kilometers. It will deploy a single satellite from a Singapore-based company, Qosmosys. That company has released few details about the satellite, which it calls Zeus-1, other than it will carry an unspecified “scientific payload” as well as “artworks.”
Vigoride will then remain in orbit for several months, operating a hosted payload provided by Caltech’s Space Solar Power Project.
NextSpaceFlight (https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7015), updated November 12?:
Launch NET December
Follow-on to delays of the previous Eutelsat 10B and HAKUTO-R launches from SLC-40.
Momentus’ Vigoride Spacecraft Arrives @SpaceX Launch Site for Second Demonstration Mission
businesswire.com/news/home/2022…
📸: Vigoride during vibration test campaign conducted and completed before shipment to launch site.
Momentus’ Vigoride Spacecraft Arrives at SpaceX Launch Site for Second Demonstration Mission
November 17, 2022 06:31 AM Eastern Standard Time
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Momentus Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTS) ("Momentus" or the "Company"), a U.S. commercial space company that offers transportation and other in-space infrastructure services, today announced that its Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicle (OSV) arrived at Cape Canaveral, Florida, for its second demonstration mission targeted to launch aboard the SpaceX Transporter-6 mission in December.
“We have higher confidence going into our second mission, and we look forward to sending our second OSV to orbit soon.”
The Vigoride OSV will undergo final flight preparations and be integrated with the Falcon 9 launch vehicle over the coming weeks. The priorities of this mission include hosting a customer payload for Caltech, delivering a CubeSat to orbit for Qosmosys, and testing Vigoride’s performance in space.
“We learned a lot during our first Vigoride mission in May, and we applied those lessons and made enhancements to our integration and testing processes, and improvements to the vehicle,” said Momentus Chief Executive Officer John Rood. “We have higher confidence going into our second mission, and we look forward to sending our second OSV to orbit soon.”
The Vigoride OSV flying in December is a next-generation configuration. It includes improvements such as a modular payload bay that allows the Company to swap customer payload capability for additional propellant to enable longer duration missions, a more efficient structural design, and enhanced payload-hosting capabilities.
The Microwave Electrothermal Thruster on this Vigoride is also a next-generation system. The MET uses water as a propellant and produces thrust by expelling very hot gases through a rocket nozzle. However, unlike a conventional chemical rocket engine, which creates heat through a chemical reaction, the MET heats propellant using microwave energy. The non-toxic water propellant enables simpler, safer, and less expensive operations on Earth, and more sustainable in-space services.
AAC Clyde Space has delivered the first Kelpie satellite to Cape Canaveral, Florida, in preparation for its planned launch onboard the SpaceX Transporter 6 mission expected in December 2022. The 3U EPIC nanosatellite will deliver data to the U.S. company ORBCOMM Inc., a global provider of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, under an exclusive Space Data as a Service (SDaaS) deal. It is planned to be followed by the launch of a second Kelpie satellite in the first half of 2023.
The project will leverage a SDaaS model in which AAC Clyde Space owns and operates the satellites to deliver Automatic Identification System (AIS) data exclusively to ORBCOMM and its government and commercial customers, which is used for ship tracking and other maritime navigational and safety efforts. The state-of-the-art satellite weighs just 4 kg and features an advanced antenna concept developed by Oxford Space Systems to maximize AIS detections of all message types.
"The Kelpie satellite is one of the most innovative satellites AAC Clyde Space has ever built. It hosts advanced low-noise core avionics for reliable, high-performance space data handling as well as the company's first payload development. Our joint mission with an established, leading data services company like ORBCOMM represents a major milestone for AAC Clyde Space in solidifying our strategic move to a Space Data as a Service model," says AAC Clyde Space CEO Luis Gomes.
"Through the Kelpie mission focused on enhancing our global AIS data services, ORBCOMM's government and commercial customers will benefit from more comprehensive global coverage and enhanced performance as well as the highest expected vessel detection rates in the industry over the long term," says Greg Flessate, ORBCOMM's SVP of Government and AIS.
Currently, the group owns and operates a constellation of four satellites dedicated to SDaaS through its U.S. subsidiary AAC SpaceQuest. In addition to the Kelpie satellites, AAC Clyde Space plans to enhance its constellation with two satellites in the fourth quarter of 2023. Moreover, AAC Clyde Space has won a contract to deliver hyperspectral data from an additional three satellites, bringing the total number of satellites owned by the group for SDaaS purposes to eleven.
The two Kelpie satellites will join the other satellites in the constellation, dedicated to delivering AIS data used in maritime operations, and will support many applications, including domain awareness, search and rescue, environmental monitoring and maritime intelligence. ORBCOMM processes over 30 million AIS messages from more than 200,000 vessels per day for government and commercial customers to deliver a complete situational picture of global vessel activity.
And a Falcon 9 will launch the Transporter-6 smallsat rideshare mission on mid-December TBD
Blackjack (4x smallsat)?
Do we have a source for this/these?Blackjack (4x smallsat)?
NOCLIP
The @maverick_space integration facility in California has processed the NOCLIP satellite owned/operated by @POINTBLANK_LLC (designed/built by @ExoboticsUK) as part of the Geometric-1 Mission to Earth Orbit by @GeometricEnergy
NOCLIP is now on the way to Cape Canaveral, Florida!
Geometric Energy Corporation (GEC)
The @maverick_space integration facility in California has processed the @Moxyio
satellite owned/operated by @GeometricEnergy (designed/built by @ExoboticsUK) for http://XiProtocol.io on the Geometric-1 Mission to Earth Orbit
MOXY is now on the way to Cape Canaveral, Florida!
Albania will have priority access to two satellites, which will be named “Albania-1” and “Albania-2”, that are expected to join Satellogic’s fleet in its upcoming satellite launch with SpaceX.
Albania secures 2 satellites to monitor territory from space (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/albania-secures-2-satellites-to-monitor-territory-from-space/2022/09/29/3df542a2-4009-11ed-8c6e-9386bd7cd826_story.html)QuoteThe Albanian government signed the $6 million (6.2 million euros) deal with Satellogic USA Inc. of North Carolina, the prime minister’s office said.
The agreement will give Albania priority access to two satellites - to be named Albania-1 and Albania-2 - that are expected to be part of Satellogic’s upcoming launch with SpaceX.
And a Falcon 9 will launch the Transporter-6 smallsat rideshare mission on mid-December TBD, in the daytime EST.
Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide (https://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Guide.html), updated November 27:QuoteAnd a Falcon 9 will launch the Transporter-6 smallsat rideshare mission on mid-December TBD.
Momentus’ Vigoride Spacecraft Integrated with @SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch Vehicle🚀
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221130006176/en/Momentus’-Vigoride-Spacecraft-Integrated-with-SpaceX-Falcon-9-Launch-Vehicle
📸: Vigoride-5 Orbital Service Vehicle at Momentus HQ before being shipped to Cape Canaveral for integration with launch vehicle.
Momentus’ Vigoride Spacecraft Integrated with SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch Vehicle
Launch Targeted for December
December 01, 2022 07:17 AM Eastern Standard Time
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Momentus Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTS), a U.S. commercial space company that offers transportation and other in-space infrastructure services, has completed the integration of its Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicle (OSV) on the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle that will be used for the Transporter-6 mission targeted for launch in December.
“We aim to provide the infrastructure services to advance how humanity uses and explores space”
This flight will mark Momentus’ second demonstration mission of its Vigoride OSV. Mission priorities include hosting Caltech’s Space-based Solar Power Project payload, deploying Qosmosys’ Zeus-1 payload, and testing Vigoride’s performance in space.
“We aim to provide the infrastructure services to advance how humanity uses and explores space,” said Momentus Chief Executive Officer John Rood. “Like the early railroads, highways, and commercial air travel connected people and ideas and enabled movement and growth, space infrastructure will enable the same. Our second demonstration mission is the next step of many to come as we work toward bringing reliable space infrastructure services to market to support energy needs on Earth and in space, communications, remote sensing, and sustainability initiatives like debris removal.”
Both the Vigoride OSV and its Microwave Electrothermal Thruster (MET) are next-generation systems that are enhanced from the previous versions that flew on the Company’s first demonstration mission earlier this year.
“We made improvements to our systems following continued ground testing, and after applying the lessons we learned from our first mission,” said Rood. “Our goal is to put our latest Orbital Service Vehicle through its paces in space, test its capabilities, and add more experience with how our technology performs in space so we can continue to improve our systems to meet the future needs of our customers.”
Launch date of Transporter-6: Dec 22, 2022
A Falcon 9 will launch the Transporter-6 smallsat rideshare mission on December TBD at 10:00 a.m. EST.= 15:00 UTC
Approximate time of day of launch; a rough match for launch at ~15:00 UTC:
Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide (https://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Guide.html), updated November 30 evening EST:QuoteAnd a Falcon 9 will launch the Transporter-6 smallsat rideshare mission on mid-December TBD, in the daytime EST.
Launch date of Transporter-6: Dec 22, 2022
What's your source?
Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide (https://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Guide.html), updated December 6:QuoteA Falcon 9 will launch the Transporter-6 smallsat rideshare mission on December TBD at 10:00 a.m. EST.= 15:00 UTCApproximate time of day of launch; a rough match for launch at ~15:00 UTC:
Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide (https://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Guide.html), updated November 30 evening EST:QuoteAnd a Falcon 9 will launch the Transporter-6 smallsat rideshare mission on mid-December TBD, in the daytime EST.
Provide a permalink for your public source as SpaceX lists NET December 2022 on rideshare calendar:Launch date of Transporter-6: Dec 22, 2022
What's your source?
SpaceX
Tomorrow-R1 (weather radar)
2020-EX-ST-2022
85kg, built by Astro Digital with Corvus-XL bus
Tomorrow-R2 on this flight
VIENNA, Va., Dec. 14, 2022 — Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR) (“Spire” or “the Company”), a leading global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, will launch six satellites on the SpaceX Transporter-6 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station no earlier than January 2023. The satellites will demonstrate advancements and new capabilities for Spire’s weather and aviation solutions.
Spire will launch two demonstration satellites carrying next-generation Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) payloads, which collect aircraft position data. The satellites will expand Spire’s existing ADS-B constellation and play an integral role in improving coverage and latency for the Company’s aviation products. They will demonstrate sophisticated technology for global aircraft tracking, including an advanced antenna design based on years of in-orbit ADS-B payload experience and state-of-the-art inter-satellite links. The satellites will be Spire’s first to have propulsion systems on board. The multipurpose satellites will also carry payloads to monitor Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals for vessel tracking data and for Space Services customer Myriota, a provider of global Internet of Things (IoT) service from satellites.
One of the satellites on the launch will fly a polarimetric radio occultation (PRO) payload that collects data on precipitation profiles and patterns. The mission will validate PRO sensitivity to precipitation using several global navigation satellite systems as signals of opportunity. This will be the first step towards the assimilation of PRO data into weather models, which will enhance the value and accuracy of global weather forecasts along with the weather variables currently gathered by Spire’s constellation. The PRO payload, which will be the first launched by a private company, was designed as part of the ESA InCubed Programme, a co-funding program focused on developing innovative and commercially viable products and services that generate or exploit the value of Earth observation imagery and dataset. This activity is supported by the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA). Spire is the largest producer of radio occultation data, which is leveraged by government agencies like NOAA, NASA, ECMWF, and EUMETSAT to drive global weather predictions.
“We at ESA are very happy with the efficiency, focus, and speed of implementation of this activity, and if we can see it resulting in measurement data and processing results for systematic evaluation of their assimilation into numerical weather prediction, that will be a rewarding completion,” said Thomas Burger, ESA Technical Officer for Spire.
“Satellites and payloads are continuing to get smaller and more powerful,” said Jeroen Cappaert, Spire CTO and Co-founder. “We’re capitalizing on this rapid pace of innovation and miniaturization to continue to enhance our constellation with cutting-edge technology that drives new applications of satellite data. The applications we’re demonstrating for aviation tracking and precipitation data will play a crucial role in solving some of the greatest challenges we face on Earth, such as overcoming climate change with more accurate weather forecasting and bringing transparency to the supply chain.”
The Company is also launching three satellites to replenish its fully deployed constellation of more than 100 multipurpose satellites. Spire designs and builds its satellites entirely in house at its manufacturing facility in Glasgow. The Company has built and launched more than 150 satellites, carrying over 500 years of spaceflight heritage across its fleet.
The satellites are manifested on the mission through a multi-launch agreement between Spire and Exolaunch, which includes access to the Transporter missions through Exolaunch’s long-term launch arrangements with SpaceX. Exolaunch, a global provider of launch, in-space logistics and deployment services, will also provide Spire with deployment and integration services.
Geometric Energy Corporation (GEC) is launching the Geometric-1 Mission to Earth Orbit on December 22, 2022 as part of the Transporter-6 rideshare launched by SpaceX on a Falcon 9 out of Cape Canaveral, Florida. However, due to communications with the US Government, the Geometric-1 ESPA Port will now only be launching US Government payloads with Maverick Space, and the commercial payloads of MOXY-1, NOCLIP-1, and GENMAT-1 will be re-manifested on a Transporter series mission launch by SpaceX on a Falcon 9 as part of the newly announced Geometric-2 Mission to Earth Orbit in 2023.
Cornicen (40kg microsat, Hedron Space)Launch pdf dated November 16.
Hedron Space 0024-EX-CN-2022
Maxar 0724-EX-CN-2022 (ISL test with Worldview Legion)
MITRE 0577-EX-CN-2022 (ground station)
Launch date of Transporter-6 was moved to Jan 02, 2023.
Launcher’s Orbiter SN1 spacecraft undergoing final checkouts in Cape Canaveral, Florida ahead of its upcoming ride to orbit on SpaceX’s Transporter-6 mission
(Photo: me for @launcher)
Launcher’s Orbiter SN1 spacecraft undergoing final checkouts in Cape Canaveral, Florida ahead of its upcoming ride to orbit on SpaceX’s Transporter-6 mission
(Photo: me for @launcher)
If you are thinking about federal civil servants, they can take an "in-lieu-of" holiday later in the week or be paid double time for working the holiday as part of a 5-day work week (or both). That's my recollection as an ADP timekeeping manager.Launch date of Transporter-6 was moved to Jan 02, 2023.
Just FYI... January 2 is a Federal Holiday. Would SpaceX still try to launch that day?
Orbiter SN1 is going to space next month on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket (Transporter-6). Here’s how we mated it to the vehicle at the payload processing facility in Cape Canaveral, FL.
271323Z DEC 22
NAVAREA IV 1399/22(11,26).
STRAITS OF FLORIDA.
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
021456Z TO 021520Z JAN 23, ALTERNATE
1456Z TO 1520Z DAILY 03 THRU 08 JAN 23
IN AREAS BOUND BY:
A. 28-39.11N 080-37.76W, 28-38.00N 080-28.00W,
28-29.00N 080-18.00W, 28-00.00N 080-04.00W,
27-57.00N 080-07.00W, 28-13.00N 080-25.00W,
28-26.48N 080-33.24W.
B. 25-57.00N 079-17.00W, 26-01.00N 079-07.00W,
25-40.00N 078-46.00W, 25-13.00N 078-40.00W,
25-09.00N 078-53.00W, 25-23.00N 079-07.00W,
25-39.00N 079-13.00W, 25-43.00N 079-13.00W,
25-47.00N 079-13.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 081620Z JAN 23.//
290036Z DEC 22
HYDROPAC 3726/22(61).
INDIAN OCEAN.
SOUTHERN INDIAN OCEAN.
DNC 03.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
1709Z TO 1728Z DAILY 02 THRU 08 JAN 23
IN AREA BOUND BY
28-43.00S 067-35.00E, 29-08.00S 065-25.00E,
41-03.00S 068-21.00E, 40-39.00S 070-51.00E,
28-43.00S 067-35.00E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 081828Z JAN 23.
NGA notice.
This NGA Space Debris notice looks like it is probably associated with this launch.
The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Transporter-6 smallsat rideshare mission from pad 40 onJanuary 2at 9:56 a.m. EST.
Cape Canaveral/Kennedy Space Center, FL temporary restriction:
From January 02, 2023 at 1426 UTC to To January 02, 2023 at 1520 UTC
Altitude: From the surface up to and including 18000 feet MSL
https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_2_0163.html
Likely:Transporter-6 (rocketlaunch.live/launch/transpo…)
Cape Canaveral/Kennedy Space Center, FL temporary restriction:
From January 02, 2023 at 1426 UTC to To January 02, 2023 at 1520 UTC
Altitude: From the surface up to and including 18,000ft
https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_2_0170.html
Likely:Transporter-6 (rocketlaunch.live/launch/transpo…)
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=transporter-6
There you go, all payloads listed.
302151Z DEC 22
NAVAREA IV 1411/22(11,26).
STRAITS OF FLORIDA.
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
031456Z TO 031520Z JAN 23, ALTERNATE
1456Z TO 1520Z DAILY 04 THRU 08 JAN 23
IN AREAS BOUND BY:
A. 28-39.11N 080-37.76W, 28-38.00N 080-28.00W,
28-29.00N 080-18.00W, 28-00.00N 080-04.00W,
27-57.00N 080-07.00W, 28-13.00N 080-25.00W,
28-26.48N 080-33.24W.
B. 25-57.00N 079-17.00W, 26-01.00N 079-07.00W,
25-40.00N 078-46.00W, 25-13.00N 078-40.00W,
25-09.00N 078-53.00W, 25-23.00N 079-07.00W,
25-39.00N 079-13.00W, 25-43.00N 079-13.00W,
25-47.00N 079-13.00W.
2. CANCEL NAVAREA IV 1399/22
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 081620Z JAN 23.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=transporter-6
There you go, all payloads listed.
Well, all the publicly acknowledged payloads separating directly from the second stage listed :-)
Launcher’s first mission patch. “Orbiter SN1” scheduled to fly next Tuesday, January 3 2023 on SpaceX Transporter-6. 🚀🌎🛰
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=transporter-6
There you go, all payloads listed.
Well, all the publicly acknowledged payloads separating directly from the second stage listed :-)
Well yeah ofc. Momentus and Orbiter payloads are public. Epic's and D-Orbit ones not for now. I guess they'll disclose them, D-Orbit usually does.
Albania secures 2 satellites to monitor territory from space (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/albania-secures-2-satellites-to-monitor-territory-from-space/2022/09/29/3df542a2-4009-11ed-8c6e-9386bd7cd826_story.html)QuoteThe Albanian government signed the $6 million (6.2 million euros) deal with Satellogic USA Inc. of North Carolina, the prime minister’s office said.
The agreement will give Albania priority access to two satellites - to be named Albania-1 and Albania-2 - that are expected to be part of Satellogic’s upcoming launch with SpaceX.
Removed Payoads:
Guardian-Alpha (3U, OrbAstro, United Kingdom)
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=transporter-6B1060.15
There you go, all payloads listed.
SpaceX is targeting 9:56 a.m. ET (14:56 UTC) on Tuesday, January 3 for Falcon 9’s launch of the Transporter-6 mission to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched GPS III-3, Turksat 5A, Transporter-2, Intelsat G-33/G-34 and 10 Starlink missions. Following stage separation, Falcon 9 will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Transporter-6 is SpaceX’s sixth dedicated smallsat rideshare mission. There will be 114 payloads on this flight, including CubeSats, microsats, picosats, and orbital transfer vehicles carrying spacecraft to be deployed at a later time.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about 10 minutes prior to liftoff.
LAUNCH, LANDING, AND DEPLOYMENT
All Times Approximate
HR/MIN/SEC EVENT 00:01:12 Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket) 00:02:17 1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO) 00:02:20 1st and 2nd stages separate 00:02:28 2nd stage engine starts 00:02:33 1st stage boostback burn begins 00:03:20 1st stage boostback burn ends 00:03:46 Fairing deployment 00:06:44 1st stage entry burn begins 00:07:07 1st stage entry burn ends 00:07:58 1st stage landing burn begins 00:08:23 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO) 00:08:30 1st stage landing 00:55:20 2nd stage engine restarts (SES-2) 00:55:22 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2) 00:58:24 KuwaitSat-1 deploys 00:58:34 BDSat-2 deploys 00:58:35 SharedSat 2211 deploys 00:58:44 LEMUR 2 EMMACULATE deploys 00:58:55 LEMUR 2 FUENTETAJA-01 deploys 00:59:51 ConnectaT1.2 deploys 01:00:00 GAMA Alpha deploys 01:00:01 BRO-8 deploys 01:00:12 Menut deploys 01:00:18 Huygens deploys 01:00:24 LEMUR 2 DISCLAIMER deploys 01:00:35 STAR VIBE deploys 01:00:55 LEMUR 2 STEVEALBERS deploys 01:01:11 ISILAUNCH Kleos KSF3-A deploys 01:02:02 Birkeland deploys 01:02:07 SPACEBEE-156/167 deploys 01:02:47 LEMUR 2 MMOLO deploys 01:02:54 ISILAUNCH Kleos KSF3-B deploys 01:03:25 ISILAUNCH Kleos KSF3-C deploys 01:04:47 LEMUR 2 PHILARI deploys 01:05:02 ISILAUNCH Kleos KSF3-D deploys 01:05:03 First Flock 4Y deploys 01:05:11 EWS RROCI deploys 01:05:12 SpaceBD ISILAUNCH PolyItan from Kiev deploys 01:05:14 Second Flock 4Y deploys 01:05:23 Guardian-alpha deploys 01:05:25 Third Flock 4Y deploys 01:05:36 Fourth Flock 4Y deploys 01:05:40 SpaceBD Sony Sphere-1 deploys 01:05:50 ISILAUNCH ClydeSpace NSLSat-2 deploys 01:06:30 ISILAUNCH Sternula-1 deploys 01:06:35 Fifth Flock 4Y deploys 01:06:45 Sixth Flock 4Y deploys 01:06:58 Seventh Flock 4Y deploys 01:07:50 Eighth Flock 4Y deploys 01:08:33 Ninth Flock 4Y deploys 01:08:45 10th Flock 4Y deploys 01:09:17 11th Flock 4Y deploys 01:09:28 12th Flock 4Y deploys 01:09:38 13th Flock 4Y deploys 01:10:24 14th Flock 4Y deploys 01:10:42 15th Flock 4Y deploys 01:10:55 16th Flock 4Y deploys 01:11:21 17th Flock 4Y deploys 01:11:32 18th Flock 4Y deploys 01:11:43 19th Flock 4Y deploys 01:12:30 20th Flock 4Y deploys 01:12:41 21st Flock 4Y deploys 01:12:53 22nd Flock 4Y deploys 01:13:26 23rd Flock 4Y deploys 01:13:36 24th Flock 4Y deploys 01:13:54 25th Flock 4Y deploys 01:14:40 26th Flock 4Y deploys 01:14:50 27th Flock 4Y deploys 01:15:40 28th Flock 4Y deploys 01:15:52 29th Flock 4Y deploys 01:16:38 30th Flock 4Y deploys 01:16:49 31st Flock 4Y deploys 01:17:40 32nd Flock 4Y deploys 01:17:50 33rd Flock 4Y deploys 01:18:41 34th Flock 4Y deploys 01:18:52 35th Flock 4Y deploys 01:19:42 36th Flock 4Y deploys 01:19:46 Lynk Tower 3 deploys 01:20:00 Albania 1 deploys 01:20:02 Lync Tower 4 deploys 01:20:42 YAM-5 deploys 01:21:48 NewSat 34 deploys 01:22:03 Albania 2 deploys 01:22:58 X22 deploys 01:23:04 X21 deploys 01:23:46 First Umbra deploys 01:23:50 Second Umbra deploys 01:24:47 NewSat 35 deploys 01:24:59 ION SCV-007 GLORIOUS GRATIA deploys 01:26:05 ION SCV-008 FIERCE FRANCISCUS deploys 01:26:11 Launcher Orbiter SN1 deploys 01:27:31 X27 deploys 01:27:34 Skykraft 1 deploys 01:28:10 Vigoride 5 deploys 01:28:54 CHIMERA LEO 1 deploys 01:31:10 EOS SAT-1 deploys
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=transporter-6
There you go, all payloads listed.
Well, all the publicly acknowledged payloads separating directly from the second stage listed :-)
Well yeah ofc. Momentus and Orbiter payloads are public. Epic's and D-Orbit ones not for now. I guess they'll disclose them, D-Orbit usually does.
SpaceX lists only 1 Skykraft object, which is the dispenser, when there are 5 Skykraft satellites inside.
There are only 2 Newsats listed : nrs 34 and 35, when "Albania 1" and "Albania 2" are also Newsats (nrs 32 and 33, since last launched was nr 31, and we already knew there would be 4 Newsats on Transporter-6).
I think X-21, X-22 and X-27 are in fact Iceye satellites.
There is also SSPD which is a hosted payload on Vigoride 5.
Unknown payloads to me (no website or social media found) : Sony Sphere 1, Sternula 1 and Eos Sat 1.
It’s official! 🚀 We're launching 3 more radar imaging satellites with the @SpaceX Transporter-6 mission on Tuesday.
Our VP of Space Systems, Terence Lee, explains what’s so unique about this launch and why it is important for ICEYE.
I think that x-xx are spacebees by checking https://www.nanosats.eu/database.
QuoteIt’s official! 🚀 We're launching 3 more radar imaging satellites with the @SpaceX Transporter-6 mission on Tuesday.
Our VP of Space Systems, Terence Lee, explains what’s so unique about this launch and why it is important for ICEYE.
I think it has gone unnoticed in this thread that SpaceX changed their Transporter mission patch design for this launch.
Our next launch with @SpaceX has just been confirmed 🚀. Tuesday, at 2:56PM UTC, four additional NewSats will join our constellation, bringing the total satellites in orbit to 30 spacecraft.
Well, the cat is out of the bag on this one...
We are proud to announce the launch of CHIMERA LEO 1 onboard the SpaceX Transporter-6 Rideshare mission NET Jan 3rd 2023!
Meet our mission patch, and stay tuned for more updates and pictures from our payload processing campaign!
Cape Canaveral/Kennedy Space Center, FL temporary restriction:
From January 03, 2023 at 1456 UTC to To January 03, 2023 at 1520 UTC
Altitude: From the surface to space https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_3_0004.html
As we get closer to the launch, see our high-resolution radar image of SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL.
The @SpaceX Transporter-6 mission is expected to be launched from here on Tuesday at 14:56 UTC, delivering 3 ICEYE #SAR satellites into orbit!
https://twitter.com/launcher/status/1608945438627098624QuoteLauncher’s first mission patch. “Orbiter SN1” scheduled to fly next Tuesday, January 3 2023 on SpaceX Transporter-6. 🚀🌎🛰
I think it has gone unnoticed in this thread that SpaceX changed their Transporter mission patch design for this launch.
Flexible antenna's made from chopped up tape measures. "Skycraft" will embark on another proof of concept launch this week on SpaceX Transporter 6. A planned constellation of 200 satellites enter commercial ops in 2024, making aviation safer.
Discussion thread for SpaceX's January 2023 dedicated rideshare flight.Is SSO parameters are known?
NSF Threads for SpaceX Transporter-6 : Discussion (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=52372.0)
Discussion thread for SpaceX Rideshare Program (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=48741.0)
Launch targeting 3 January 2023, 14:56 UTC (9:56 am EST) on Falcon 9 (booster 1060-15) from SLC-40 to SSO. First stage landing will be at LZ-1. Fairing recovery is expected from the water.QuoteThere are 114 payloads on this flight, including CubeSats, microsats, picosats, and orbital transfer vehicles carrying spacecraft to be deployed at a later time
As the clock strikes midnight, we'll be counting down to the launch of Pushan Alpha, A Space Weather Testbed on the SpaceX Transporter 6. Join us as we make strides in space and ring in the new year in style. #SpaceX #PushanAlpha #HappyNewYear
030234Z JAN 23
NAVAREA IV 15/23(26,27).
OLD BAHAMA CHANNEL.
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
CUBA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
1455Z TO 1555Z DAILY 03 THRU 08 JAN
IN AREA BOUND BY
23-12.00N 079-30.00W, 23-17.00N 079-29.00W,
23-23.00N 079-26.00W, 23-28.00N 079-21.00W,
23-32.00N 079-13.00W, 23-33.00N 079-02.00W,
23-30.00N 078-52.00W, 23-22.00N 078-46.00W,
23-10.00N 078-47.00W, 23-03.00N 078-55.00W,
22-59.00N 079-05.00W, 23-01.00N 079-16.00W,
23-05.00N 079-26.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 081655Z JAN 23.
An additional NGA Space Debris notice (in addition to the one for stage 2 reentry).
Discussion thread for SpaceX's January 2023 dedicated rideshare flight.Is SSO parameters are known?
NSF Threads for SpaceX Transporter-6 : Discussion (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=52372.0)
Discussion thread for SpaceX Rideshare Program (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=48741.0)
Launch targeting 3 January 2023, 14:56 UTC (9:56 am EST) on Falcon 9 (booster 1060-15) from SLC-40 to SSO. First stage landing will be at LZ-1. Fairing recovery is expected from the water.QuoteThere are 114 payloads on this flight, including CubeSats, microsats, picosats, and orbital transfer vehicles carrying spacecraft to be deployed at a later time
Ready for launch? We are!
Tune in to watch our CHIMERA LEO 1 spacecraft fly to space tomorrow at 9:56 AM ET, and catch a glimpse of the business end of our tug below!
youtu.be/lSRXacd8wU8
Possible Payloads:
QBUA01
Possible Payloads:
QBUA01
Could this be the same thing as PolyItan HP-30? They're both Ukrainian and previous PolyItan sat(s) had the QBUA01 callsign: https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=42732
MDQSAT-1A "Dibu Martinez" & "Juana Uzurduy" (2x 2P?, Innova Space, Argentina, IoT)
The contract covers the launch and deployment of FUTURA-SM1 and FUTURA-SM3, a
3U and a 6U CubeSats respectively, which will be integrated into NPC Spacemind’s
proprietary CubeSat dispensers. The dispensers will be installed inside ION Satellite
Carrier, a versatile orbital transfer vehicle designed, manufactured, and operated by DOrbit, for in-orbit validation.
[..]
NPC Spacemind’s satellites are scheduled for flight in Q4 2022 onboard ION SCV008.
- Alba Orbital should be providing pocketqubes through the Alba Cluster 7A mission (mentioned on Twitter, see below) with 5 customers (while the Alba Cluster 7 mission is going to fly on Transporter-7)
https://mobile.twitter.com/AlbaOrbital/status/1603369369504915456
- Alba Orbital should be providing pocketqubes through the Alba Cluster 7A mission (mentioned on Twitter, see below) with 5 customers (while the Alba Cluster 7 mission is going to fly on Transporter-7)
https://mobile.twitter.com/AlbaOrbital/status/1603369369504915456
That Alba Orbital tweet could be for the next flight?
Innova Space probably took up 2/3 of the deployer, so I'd guess Alba Orbital stuck one of their own sats to fill it. (You can clearly see the AlbaPod deployer in all of the Launcher pics)
Bob is positioned 600 km downrange, North of Cuba, to recover the fairing for the SpaceX launch this morning
Happy New Year to all our partners and friends!!! Your support and the team's hard work will soon pay off:
In just two days, on 1/2/23 at 6:55am PST, our first two designs will finally launch to Low Earth Orbit on SpaceX's Transporter-6 mission.
Shown here (in bright red) is our Smart Cubesat Dispenser that also includes a ~2U experimental hosted payload called SAVER, alongside the other constituents aboard Launcher's space tug known as Orbiter, being lifted to mate on the Falcon 9 upper stage (not shown)
SpaceX Falcon 9 B1060-15 is set to open 2023 with the launch of the Transporter-6 mission with 114 satellites on board! This veteran booster is set to return to LZ-1 (RTLS).
Overview:
nasaspaceflight.com/2023/01/spacex…
NSF Livestream:
youtube.com/watch?v=OXJ6lE…
T-1 hour until Falcon 9 launches 114 spacecraft to orbit. Weather is 90% favorable for liftoff → spacex.com/launches
Staging 1-2. Boostback for the booster.
SpaceX Falcon 9 B1060-15 landing at LZ-1! And the crowd goes wild!
youtube.com/watch?v=OXJ6lE…
New record for number of deployment events?
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=transporter-6QuoteLAUNCH, LANDING, AND DEPLOYMENT
All Times Approximate
HR/MIN/SEC EVENT [...] [...] 00:55:20 2nd stage engine restarts (SES-2) 00:55:22 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2) 00:58:24 KuwaitSat-1 deploys 00:58:34 BDSat-2 deploys 00:58:35 SharedSat 2211 deploys 00:58:44 LEMUR 2 EMMACULATE deploys 00:58:55 LEMUR 2 FUENTETAJA-01 deploys 00:59:51 ConnectaT1.2 deploys 01:00:00 GAMA Alpha deploys 01:00:01 BRO-8 deploys 01:00:12 Menut deploys 01:00:18 Huygens deploys 01:00:24 LEMUR 2 DISCLAIMER deploys 01:00:35 STAR VIBE deploys 01:00:55 LEMUR 2 STEVEALBERS deploys 01:01:11 ISILAUNCH Kleos KSF3-A deploys 01:02:02 Birkeland deploys 01:02:07 SPACEBEE-156/167 deploys 01:02:47 LEMUR 2 MMOLO deploys 01:02:54 ISILAUNCH Kleos KSF3-B deploys 01:03:25 ISILAUNCH Kleos KSF3-C deploys 01:04:47 LEMUR 2 PHILARI deploys 01:05:02 ISILAUNCH Kleos KSF3-D deploys 01:05:03 First Flock 4Y deploys 01:05:11 EWS RROCI deploys 01:05:12 SpaceBD ISILAUNCH PolyItan from Kiev deploys 01:05:14 Second Flock 4Y deploys 01:05:23 Guardian-alpha deploys 01:05:25 Third Flock 4Y deploys 01:05:36 Fourth Flock 4Y deploys 01:05:40 SpaceBD Sony Sphere-1 deploys 01:05:50 ISILAUNCH ClydeSpace NSLSat-2 deploys 01:06:30 ISILAUNCH Sternula-1 deploys 01:06:35 Fifth Flock 4Y deploys 01:06:45 Sixth Flock 4Y deploys 01:06:58 Seventh Flock 4Y deploys 01:07:50 Eighth Flock 4Y deploys 01:08:33 Ninth Flock 4Y deploys 01:08:45 10th Flock 4Y deploys 01:09:17 11th Flock 4Y deploys 01:09:28 12th Flock 4Y deploys 01:09:38 13th Flock 4Y deploys 01:10:24 14th Flock 4Y deploys 01:10:42 15th Flock 4Y deploys 01:10:55 16th Flock 4Y deploys 01:11:21 17th Flock 4Y deploys 01:11:32 18th Flock 4Y deploys 01:11:43 19th Flock 4Y deploys 01:12:30 20th Flock 4Y deploys 01:12:41 21st Flock 4Y deploys 01:12:53 22nd Flock 4Y deploys 01:13:26 23rd Flock 4Y deploys 01:13:36 24th Flock 4Y deploys 01:13:54 25th Flock 4Y deploys 01:14:40 26th Flock 4Y deploys 01:14:50 27th Flock 4Y deploys 01:15:40 28th Flock 4Y deploys 01:15:52 29th Flock 4Y deploys 01:16:38 30th Flock 4Y deploys 01:16:49 31st Flock 4Y deploys 01:17:40 32nd Flock 4Y deploys 01:17:50 33rd Flock 4Y deploys 01:18:41 34th Flock 4Y deploys 01:18:52 35th Flock 4Y deploys 01:19:42 36th Flock 4Y deploys 01:19:46 Lynk Tower 3 deploys 01:20:00 Albania 1 deploys 01:20:02 Lync Tower 4 deploys 01:20:42 YAM-5 deploys 01:21:48 NewSat 34 deploys 01:22:03 Albania 2 deploys 01:22:58 X22 deploys 01:23:04 X21 deploys 01:23:46 First Umbra deploys 01:23:50 Second Umbra deploys 01:24:47 NewSat 35 deploys 01:24:59 ION SCV-007 GLORIOUS GRATIA deploys 01:26:05 ION SCV-008 FIERCE FRANCISCUS deploys 01:26:11 Launcher Orbiter SN1 deploys 01:27:31 X27 deploys 01:27:34 Skykraft 1 deploys 01:28:10 Vigoride 5 deploys 01:28:54 CHIMERA LEO 1 deploys 01:31:10 EOS SAT-1 deploys
Liftoff of Falcon 9 and Transporter-6 with 114 payloads headed to orbit — including @launcher’s first-ever spacecraft, Orbiter SN1
You cannot win them all. Autotrack was doing well, tracking the booster all the way until entry burn shutdown. But, the early morning sunlight made the booster the same color as the sky. Neural net did not detect it. Problem will be corrected by adding additional training data.
Staging
Falcon 9 B1060 returns to land at Cape Canaveral after launching Transporter-6
A tint of green is seen at the tip of the flame as the center merlin engine reignites for landing burn at SpaceX Landing Zone 1
Falcon 9 leaving a visible shockwave during decent to Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. #Transporter6 #Falcon9 #RTLS
While we are waiting for deployment, the choreography of the launch of 114 cube-sats is quite impressive. I notice the cabling leading down to the second stage. Does SpaceX control the release of each individual, or does it just send a signal to the Sat Containers, and then the owner of the cube-stats containers orchestrates the deployments?
SpaceX launches Transporter-6 at 9:56 AM ET from SLC-40. This was B1060's 15th mission and second LZ-1 landing.
📷: Me for
@SuperclusterHQ
Rideshare deployment sequence complete
Vigoride-5 separation confirmed! Thanks for the ride @SpaceX!
A gorgeous 1st launch and landing of 2023 as SpaceX launched the Transporter-6 mission. Some onlookers enjoying the booster landing moments before sonic booms rocked Cape Canaveral.
Learn about what's onboard @nasaspaceflight: nasaspaceflight.com/2023/01/spacex…
Liftoff of Transporter-6!
I couldn't have posed the public any better if I tried.
Falcon 9 stage separation during Transporter-6
I'm counting 114 without another spacecraft for NPC Spacemind on the Orbiter tug.
.@SpaceX has successfully launched a new #Ukrainian satellite PolytITAN-HP-30 into orbit
A scientific experiment will be carried out on the satellite to study the effectiveness of heat pipes as the main element of spacecraft thermal stabilization systems.
Falcon9 descending: you can see #SpaceX Falcon9 at the bottom of its contrail as it falls towards Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station this morning.
We are thrilled to announce that our Shared Sat mission, Platform-2 has been successfully launched into orbit! Safe deployment confirmed and commissioning started. Congrats to our partners, customers, and team #spaceiscloserthanyouthink
Falcon 9 launches Transporter-6, carrying 114 smallsats into orbit on the first Cape Canaveral launch of 2023
Falcon 9 carried 114 spacecraft to orbit that were set to deploy across 82 deployments, 78 of which have been confirmed. Teams are continuing to review data, though it may take customers some time to provide additional information on the status of their payloads
Falcon 9 launches SpaceX’s sixth dedicated smallsat rideshare mission – completing our 200th successful launch!
Launch success! We've made contact with all 36 SuperDove satellites launched this morning!
Great work, team @Planet!
Thx for the ride, @SpaceX!🚀
Great 1st day back in the office! Welcome to 2023! 😎
Flock 4y has successfully reached orbit and made contact with our mission ops team! These SuperDoves will now go to collect daily data of our changing earth. Learn about Flock 4y’s specs & mission in our blog: go.planet.com/flock-4y
Today, we launched our 2nd demo flight w/@SpaceX. Following deployment from Falcon 9, we established contact w/Vigoride on its first orbital pass & confirmed that both solar arrays are deployed, & the vehicle is generating power & charging its batteries.
CelesTrak has ephemeris-based SupGP data for all 36 FLOCK 4Y satellites deployed on today's #Transporter6 mission: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/table.php?FILE=planet These should help somewhat in the process of elimination for identifying other payloads.
Exciting day for the Launcher team:
• Smooth ride to orbit with SpaceX 🚀
• Deployment with our 24” separation system ⚙️
• First contact with Orbiter, our first spacecraft, achieved! 🛰️
Stay tuned as we continue configuring Orbiter for the next phase of its first mission.
A Planet SkySat captured Falcon 9 booster B1060-15 on Landing Zone 1 at 15:15:53 UTC. This was just 11 minutes after the booster landed during the Transporter-6 mission which flew 114 payloads to orbit.
View the interactive image on @Soar_Earth here: https://soar.earth/maps/14076?basemap=Google+Hybrid 🗺️
It’s official!🚀
On January 3rd, the @strocast satellite constellation grew with the launch of four 3U #nanosatellites aboard @SpaceX #Transporter6 mission with @dorbit.
➡️Read the Astrocast highlights of this successful 🛰️launch: https://www.astrocast.com/news/astrocast-satellite-iot-network-grows-to-18-commercial-satellites/
#NewSpace #Falcon9
The Astrocast Satellite IoT Network Grows to 18 Commercial Satellites in Space
4 January 2023
On Tuesday, January 3rd 2023, Astrocast launched four more Astrocast 3U nanosatellites aboard D’Orbit’s ION Satellite Carrier aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which lifted off on Transporter-6 rideshare mission. SpaceX’s Transporter-6 mission carried 114 payloads, making it the second-largest rideshare mission ever launched. The Transporter-6 rideshare mission took place from the launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS).
This launch means yet another milestone accomplished for the Astrocast nanosatellite IoT network in 2022, now consisting of a commercial constellation of 18 satellites in space, making Astrocast one of the TOP 30 satellite operators by the number of satellites in orbit and one of the TOP 3 European low Earth orbit commercial satellite operators. These additional satellites also improve the capacity and reliability of our network, which provides direct-to-satellite and highly secured connectivity to customers around the globe.
The Astrocast network went live in January 2021 with the launch of 5 nanosatellites that were commissioned to serve our commercial customers. Later in June 2021, another 5 satellites were successfully deployed on the SXRS-5 Spaceflight mission onboard SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, and only last month, Astrocast launched four Astrocast 3U satellites aboard India’s PSLV-C54 mission with Spaceflight.
Working towards deploying our full constellation by 2025, the Astrocast Satellite IoT Service was commercially announced in February 2022, and it offers a Cost-effective, Bidirectional, and Comprehensive service to tackle global IoT connectivity challenges in remote areas of the world.
The exact moment Astrocast’s four nanosatellites separated from SpaceX Falcon9 rocket thanks to D-Orbit’s ION platform.
Jan 4, 2023
All original video tracking, not SpaceX or NASA. It was great to have clear skies!! Thanks to Ed Geiger and Pete Carstens for awesome tracking!!
NSF SpaceX launches Starlink 4-15 mission, expands booster fleet (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/05/spacex-starlink-4-15/) [May 14]QuoteOn the other hand, booster B1060 is set to be temporarily retired once it reaches 15 flights later this year; this is understood to be for a deep-dive examination of its systems and components to better understand how to refurbish and reuse boosters up to 20 flights.
Apparently, this is not meant to be a complete overhaul but rather just a study into what it takes to efficiently and cheaply refurbish and keep using Falcon 9 boosters beyond the 15-flight mark. After this, the booster will return to the fleet with aims to fly it up to the 20-flight mark by next year.
...
According to the researchers, the TAU-SAT3 satellite, which was developed at the Center for Nanosatellites at Tel Aviv University's Faculty of Engineering, is a scientific breakthrough and is intended to pave the way towards demonstrating optical and quantum communication from space using tiny satellites.
...
SpaceX - Awesome Views Boost Back to Landing - 01-03-2023 Transporter 6
https://youtube.com/watch?v=FEYOPvvAGq8QuoteAll original video tracking, not SpaceX or NASA. It was great to have clear skies!! Thanks to Ed Geiger and Pete Carstens for awesome tracking!!
SpaceX's Bob returns to @PortCanaveral with a full-fairing catch after the Transporter-6 mission... celebrating with a victory spin and crane wave.
Shared via @NASASpaceflight Space Coast Live... courtesy @SpaceOffshore
Here's a real-time clip so you can actually see the two fairing halves. 😅
Booklet linked in a post above says it's TAUSAT2, not 3.
https://www.dorbit.space/_files/ugd/64a0e4_0efacfab15a0450aa54cd757885a53b8.pdf
Booklet linked in a post above says it's TAUSAT2, not 3.
https://www.dorbit.space/_files/ugd/64a0e4_0efacfab15a0450aa54cd757885a53b8.pdf
Yes, as TAUSat 3 was launched on 21 December 2021 in SpX-24.
https://www.jpost.com/science/article-692041
However, Gunter says the mission was cancelled!
https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/tausat-3.htm
STAR SPHERE
STAR SPHERE is a project to bring space closer to all and to discover the "space perspectives" to provide an opportunity to think about the global environment and social issues. On Jan. 3, 2023(PST), a remote controllable nano-satellite "EYE" equipped with a camera capable of shooting from space, was launched. Sony will exhibit the "Space Shooting Lab," an experimental simulator that proposes a "space" for experiential photography from space that STAR SPHERE plans to offer in the future, and a mock-up of a nano-satellite equipped with Sony camera equipment.
Onboard view from Falcon 9’s flight to space and back during smallsat rideshare mission
Second Star to the Right includes the deployment of a total of nine satellites, from NPS Spacemind, Astrocast, Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and the Tel Aviv University (both onboard through a contract with ISIS Space), and AAC Clyde Space (for Orbcomm). The mission also includes in orbit validation of third-party hosted payloads by the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, Genergo, scamsat and a hosted payload from an undisclosed customer.
NPC Spacemind’s satellites are scheduled for flight in Q4 2022 onboard ION SCV008.
The exact moment our 4 Astrocast’s #nanosatellites separated from SpaceX Falcon9 rocket thanks to D-Orbit’s Ion platform!
The DRAGO-2 infrared camera, the second instrument developed by the Instituto Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC) for Earth observations, is already in orbit around the planet after its launch yesterday from the Estación de la Cape Canaveral Space Force in Florida (USA).
In this regard, the Astrophysics Center indicated in a note on Wednesday that the camera was integrated into the ION-SCV 007 Glorious Gratia satellite carrier of the Italian company D-Orbit, and was launched yesterday aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from the SpaceX.
Launching My first Satellite Sharjah-Sat-1 today onboard SpaceX Transporter 6 mission. Sharjah-Sat-1 is equiped with two paylods: 1) an Improved X-Ray Detector to perform space weather research. 2) a dual camera system that will take low reaolution images of Sharjah and the United Arab Emirates.
Sharjah-Sat-1 will be placed on a transfer vehicle (ION SCV-008) targeting 550 Km at a Sun Synchronous Orbit. the first signal is expected at the 14th of January 2023. 11 days post deployment.
@SpaceX faring migration season is surprisingly short as I saw these two flying south a few days ago but they are already on the final leg north returning to their roost. I expect it will soon be faring mating season.
Well... @NASASpaceflight let me loose on the YouTube channel again.😅
You can see a ton of interesting things in that single-take RTLS video SpaceX released yesterday, so we tossed together a quick vid pointing some out. Please be nice.
➡️
It's been almost a week since launch, but no news about the fate of Orbiter SN1.
Does anyone know its status?
Quote from: LauncherExciting day for the Launcher team:
• Smooth ride to orbit with SpaceX 🚀
• Deployment with our 24” separation system ⚙️
• First contact with Orbiter, our first spacecraft, achieved! 🛰️
Stay tuned as we continue configuring Orbiter for the next phase of its first mission.
https://twitter.com/launcher/status/1610466241294262273
Can we confirm that this mission is Fully successful?? I don't think all deployments were successfully executed. If it's the case then, spacex's success streak has been broken then!!!Some will be released from deployed satellites months afterwards. It could take upto a year to officially determine any official outcomes.
Sorry I needed to be clear!! Deployments by SpaceX. Are all 82 deployments confirmed??Can we confirm that this mission is Fully successful?? I don't think all deployments were successfully executed. If it's the case then, spacex's success streak has been broken then!!!Some will be released from deployed satellites months afterwards. It could take upto a year to officially determine any official outcomes.
If SpaceX sent a signal to the deployer then it's successful for SpaceX. Almost all of the payloads use third party deployers on these missions.if there's a SpaceX wiring issue. One possibilities of spacex being the culprit.
CelesTrak has GP data for 30 objects from the deployment of 82 payloads from the #Transporter6 launch (2023-001) of Jan 3 at 1456 UTC. Latest data is available at: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/table.php?INTDES=2023-001
A comparison of the @18thSDS GP data to the Planet SupGP data shows 14 unique matches from these 30 objects: celestrak.org/NORAD/elements…. We will continue to provide these comparisons to help with the process of elimination for the remaining objects.
❗️Mission Update❗️ION SCV008 Fierce Franciscus successfully released🎯Tausat-2, a 2U sat by @TelAvivUni, onboard ION via a contract with @isis_space
✅Acquisition of the signal confirmed! 🍀Good luck with your mission and thanks for flying with ION! #inorbitnow #wearedorbit
D-Orbit@D_Orbit·
1m
❗️Mission Update❗️ION SCV008 Fierce Franciscus successfully released🎯Sharjah-Sat-1, the 1st #CubeSat mission of
@SaasstSharjah, in collab. w/ ITU-SSDTL and SU, onboard ION through a contract with @isis_space
✅https://linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7021122039914577920
❗️Mission Update❗️On Jan.18, 2023, ION SCV008 Fierce Franciscus successfully released FUTURA-SM1, a #satellite by
@NSpacemind, into its operational orbit🎯
✅Acquisition of the signal confirmed
🍀Good luck with your mission and thanks for flying with ION!
https://linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7021771497950130176
Mission Update - On Jan. 20, 2023, ION SCV008 Fierce Franciscus successfully released FUTURA-SM3, a #sat by @NSpacemind, into its operational orbit. On the same day, it was also successfully tested SMPOD12XL-3X, a device belonging to the family of NPC Spacemind #CubeSat deployers
Of the payloads I haven't assigned to an integrator yet...
RROCI is almost certainly integrated by Maverick and may have been the only thing on that port.
Assigning KuwaitSat-1, GAMA Alpha, Birkeland and Huygens to Exolaunch would match their count of 28 Cubesats.
Looks like Chimera has an Exolaunch separation ring, so would be the 9th microsat in their count.
That leaves Umbra, Lynk, and EOS. I'm a bit surprised EOS wouldn't be going through someone like ExoLaunch, but I think the others were on their own ports for the previous Transporter launch.
I'm still assuming Pushan Alpha is either on Orbiter or Chimera.
Pushan is a guardian deity. I am wondering if Pushan alpha is really Guardian alpha and Digi are just a hosted customer on it...
The Jan 3 Transporter-6 launch carried (we think) 114 payloads of which 101 so far deployed;13 still aboard tug satellites. Of the 101, 70 have so far been identified, whch is good progress. But importantly no id yet for several of the tugs (Skykraft, SCV007, Orbiter, Chimera)
New object cataloged from the Transporter 6 launch:
55107 / 2023-001DC
Appears to have been deployed from ION SCV007 "Glorious Gratia" around 12h UTC Mar 1.
Hey @D_orbit which sat is this?
https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1631759229982785536QuoteNew object cataloged from the Transporter 6 launch:
55107 / 2023-001DC
Appears to have been deployed from ION SCV007 "Glorious Gratia" around 12h UTC Mar 1.
Hey @D_orbit which sat is this?
Celestrak has an ID:
2023-001DC 55107 AAC-AIS-SAT-1 UK
❗️Mission Update❗️Our flight operations team successfully completed a 120km-orbit raising, positioning ION SCV 007 Glorious Gratia into its new destination orbit ✅ 🎯 Once there, ION successfully released Kelpie-1, a 3U EPIC CubeSat designed and built by @AACClydeSpace
Kelpie-1 will deliver AIS data exclusively to @ORBCOMM_Inc and its government & commercial customers, under an exclusive Space Data as a Service deal. The #sat features: proprietary low-noise bus architecture, multiple SDR payloads, and advanced antenna concept by @OxfordSpace
Water-based sat propulsion startup @paleblue_global reports 2 minutes of test ops of its 1.4kg/9x12.1x12.1cm inaugural unit on @Sony -owned Eye satellite launched January. Full ops to start in April to move sat into its target orbit.
0634-EX-CN-2023
ROCCI-2 from Orion Space, 18kgQuoteThe first RROCI satellite launched on Transporter 6 on January 3, 2023, but it was never deployed from the launch vehicle, so RROCI is not on orbit. It met its demise when the launch vehicle returned to earth.
...
After the demise of RROCI, the US Space Force issued a follow-on contract to Atmospheric to build, launch, and operate RROCI-2. Atmospheric had some additional components to be able to build a second satellite, which it is doing on an expedited timeframe. Atmospheric recognizes that the federal review process of satellite applications can be lengthy, however, the launch slot in January 2024 is available, and so Atmospheric is trying to finish all of the engineering and regulatory work in time to meet the December 2023 integration date for the launch in January 2024.
“We have been doing multiple burns that raise the orbit of the spacecraft. Without propulsion, the spacecraft’s altitude decreases by about 50 meters per day. Now that we have been performing these burns, the spacecraft’s altitude has increased by nearly a kilometer and is growing,” said Momentus Chief Executive Officer John Rood. “We have been increasing the frequency of these burns and we are raising the orbit to a target value of 538 km circular altitude. We will use this orbit to release the Zeus satellite for our Qosmosys customer – marking the first time Momentus will achieve a custom orbital delivery service.”
Momentus has incrementally been increasing the duration of each MET firing and has reached its goal of 5-minute firings. The electrical power system, including batteries and solar arrays have been supporting the high power (1000+ Watts) operation of the MET. The spacecraft's heat management system has operated effectively, keeping all critical component temperatures well below their maximum thresholds.
Orbital Focus @OrbitalFocus
Iceye X-22 is also among the missing
Space-Track shows 2x Iceye but the company announced three sats on theflight
Jonathan McDowell @planet4589
Yes, not counting that because I've had it privately confirmed that it didn't separate.
The Vigoride-5 satellite's (modest) orbit raising using an H2O thruster, e.g. as reported in this article by @dvorsky, can be seen in this plot based on the TLE data.
I was going through the payloads of this launch once again and I have some doubts:
- has it been confirmed that the US government payloads manifested through Maverick Space were just hosted ones?
I was going through the payloads of this launch once again and I have some doubts:
- has it been confirmed that the US government payloads manifested through Maverick Space were just hosted ones?
I'm not aware of any payloads manifested through Maverick being hosted ones? One of them (RROCI) didn't separate from the launch vehicle.
https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1647940329570541574QuoteOrbital Focus @OrbitalFocus
Iceye X-22 is also among the missing
Space-Track shows 2x Iceye but the company announced three sats on theflightQuoteJonathan McDowell @planet4589
Yes, not counting that because I've had it privately confirmed that it didn't separate.
ICEYE has now deployed 27 satellites since 2018, including both commercially available and dedicated customer missions. ICEYE plans to launch four additional SAR satellites in 2023.If you add up all the launched ICEYE satellites, you get 28.
Epic Aerospace used a Carbonix separation systemThanks, EXOlaunch names Epic Aerospace in a Tweet as customer. :-[
A ground station filing for continued support of Vigoride 5 mentions RROCI not getting deployed (they were supporting both missions).
A ground station filing for continued support of Vigoride 5 mentions RROCI not getting deployed (they were supporting both missions).
The ZEUS 1 Vigoride payload also was not identified by Space-Track. Complete failure of the tug?
A ground station filing for continued support of Vigoride 5 mentions RROCI not getting deployed (they were supporting both missions).
The ZEUS 1 Vigoride payload also was not identified by Space-Track. Complete failure of the tug?
I had given up on the four Astrocast satellites on the @d_orbit ION SCV008 tug which was launched in January, but two new objects from the launch have just been cataloged which appear to have separated from ION on around Nov 28 and Dec 5 - they are likely two of the Astrocasts.
And http://Space-Track.org confirms the two objects are Astrocast-0401 and -0402.
On January 3, 2023, the SpaceX Transporter-6 launch vehicle arrived at an approximately 528 km circular orbit. VR-5 separated from the launch vehicle shortly thereafter. For several months, VR-5 underwent commissioning and preliminary testing. During this stage, Momentus began to see RCS thruster degradation.
For the next phase (stage 5 of the CONOPS), Momentus had intended to conduct orbit raise maneuvers to achieve a 538 km circular SSO orbit. Unfortunately, because of the continued degradation of the RCS thrusters, Momentus eventually suffered loss of controllability in all three axes. Momentus could, nonetheless, maneuver VR-5. However, such efforts required considerable, additional technical planning and engineering resources to adjust for the lack of attitude control. During this stage, Momentus was able to raise the orbit of VR-5 from approximately 522 km to 524 km over approximately one month.
Because VR-5 could not practicably reach the intended 538 km orbit within a reasonable period of time and without substantial expenditure of engineering and other resources, Momentus ceased its orbit-raising efforts and deployed ZEUS-1 at approximately a 524 km circular orbit in May 2023. Momentus also did not pursue stage 7 of the proposed CONOPS, to raise the orbit further to a 541 km circular orbit.
The impairment of the RCS thrusters did not prevent the operations of the hosted payload. However, because of this and other unrelated issues, the hosted payload testing required more time to conduct. As a result, on April 7, 2023, Momentus sought an additional 120 days to complete its mission. By mid-November 2023, Momentus had completed its primary missions. Because the spacecraft was still operational, Momentus determined that there were benefits from continuing to operate VR-5 for additional testing and demonstration purposes. As a result, Momentus sought authority to extend operations for an additional year.
At the time, Momentus believed it had sufficient company resources to engage in the additional technical planning and engineering necessary to adjust for the failure of RCS thrusters and loss of attitude control and complete the final stage (stage 9) of the proposed CONOPS, i.e., reduce the perigee of VR-5 to 350 km, within the extended period of the license term.
Moreover, because VR-5 had completed its primary missions, and the extension of its operations was intended only for testing and demonstration purposes, Momentus would not earn any revenue to cover the ~$80k per month cost to use ground stations to actively deorbit VR-5. Indeed, incurring such costs for an additional anticipated eight-month period would have depleted significant operating capital.
As a result of these factors, Momentus determined that terminating the operations of the VR-5 spacecraft was the prudent course of action both for safety and financial resource reasons. Accordingly, on February 2, 2024, Momentus placed VR-5 in a safe state with sensors, propulsion system, and payloads powered down and in a minimum power-generation configuration. Momentus also notified the 18th Space Defense Squadron that the satellite was inactive. As of that date, the VR-5 satellite was at approximately a 518 km orbit and is expected to naturally deorbit within 5 years.