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#120
by
gongora
on 18 Sep, 2016 15:36
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SAT-MOD-20150802-00053 E S2912
Grant of Authority Effective Date: 09/15/2016
Modification 06/15/2016 - 02/28/2029
Planet Labs Inc.
Nature of Service: Earth Exploration Satellite Service
On September 15, 2016, the Satellite Division granted a previously deferred portion of the application of Planet Labs Inc. to modify its
authorization to construct, deploy and operate a system of technically identical non-geostationary orbit Earth Exploration Satellite Service satellites. Policy Branch Information Actions Taken, Public Notice, DA 16-688, rel. June 17, 2016. Specifically, Planet Labs license was modified to permit, as part of its authorization to construct, deploy and operate up to 600 technically identical NGSO EESS satellites, the deployment and operation of fifty six satellites in a 450 x 720 km orbit. The satellites will transmit remote sensing and telemetry data to fixed earth stations in the 8025-8400 MHz (space-to-Earth) frequency band, receive command signals in the 2025-2110 MHz (Earth-to-space) frequency band, and may use the 401-402 MHz (space-to-earth) and 449.75-450.25 MHz (Earth-to-space) frequency bands for early-phase and emergency-backup telemetry, tracking, and command operations, as well as for ranging and orbit determination on a non-emergency basis throughout the mission lifetime.
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#121
by
gongora
on 20 Oct, 2016 18:02
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On Oct. 14 the FCC approved Spire's satellites for the Sherpa mission, but still hasn't approved the Sherpa mission itself:
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#122
by
gongora
on 26 Oct, 2016 17:52
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FCC finally issued the grant for SHERPA operation (pdf attached).
Several conditions on the grant, such as not deploying unless they reach the correct orbit. No new payloads have been added, although eXCITe is carrying a small satellite called SeeMee that will deploy 3 weeks later. The grant notes that the individual payloads can't be integrated onto SHERPA until they have their own licensing in order.
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#123
by
zubenelgenubi
on 26 Oct, 2016 21:25
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FCC finally issued the grant for SHERPA operation (pdf attached).
Several conditions on the grant, such as not deploying unless they reach the correct orbit. No new payloads have been added, although eXCITe is carrying a small satellite called SeeMee that will deploy 3 weeks later. The grant notes that the individual payloads can't be integrated onto SHERPA until they have their own licensing in order.
Could the FCC licensing process delay the launch, to allow most or all payloads to receive their licenses?
Or cause payloads that fail to receive licensing by payload close-out time to be left on the ground?
Who makes the operational decision?
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#124
by
gongora
on 26 Oct, 2016 21:38
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FCC finally issued the grant for SHERPA operation (pdf attached).
Several conditions on the grant, such as not deploying unless they reach the correct orbit. No new payloads have been added, although eXCITe is carrying a small satellite called SeeMee that will deploy 3 weeks later. The grant notes that the individual payloads can't be integrated onto SHERPA until they have their own licensing in order.
Could the FCC licensing process delay the launch, to allow most or all payloads to receive their licenses?
Or cause payloads that fail to receive licensing by payload close-out time to be left on the ground?
Who makes the operational decision?
Most of the payloads should be licensed by now (about 2/3 of the payloads are from Planet and Spire, they have their licenses). Some of the amateur/university payloads don't need as much licensing. BlackSky has already launched one of their sats on PSLV so their license must be done. I assume anything still lacking a license when integration time rolls around will just be replaced with a mass simulator. The flight is already over a year behind their initial schedule, I don't think they'd delay it more over one or two of the cubesats.
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#125
by
gongora
on 27 Nov, 2016 15:17
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SES-STA-20150824-00549 E Date Effective: 11/22/2016
On November 22, 2016, Spaceflight Inc. was granted special temporary authority to operate a fixed earth station in North Pole, AK for 180 days, beginning November 23, 2016 to provide space operation communications to the SHERPA spacecraft as it deploys small spacecraft in low Earth orbit over the course of a twelve-hour operational period using the following center frequencies: 401.5 MHz (space-to-Earth) and 450.2 MHz (Earth-to-space).
SES-STA-20150824-00550 E (same thing for fixed earth station in Tukwila, WA)
SES-STA-20150824-00551 E (same thing for fixed earth station in Wallops Island, VA)
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#126
by
russianhalo117
on 29 Nov, 2016 20:41
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SES-STA-20150824-00549 E Date Effective: 11/22/2016
On November 22, 2016, Spaceflight Inc. was granted special temporary authority to operate a fixed earth station in North Pole, AK for 180 days, beginning November 23, 2016 to provide space operation communications to the SHERPA spacecraft as it deploys small spacecraft in low Earth orbit over the course of a twelve-hour operational period using the following center frequencies: 401.5 MHz (space-to-Earth) and 450.2 MHz (Earth-to-space).
SES-STA-20150824-00550 E (same thing for fixed earth station in Tukwila, WA)
SES-STA-20150824-00551 E (same thing for fixed earth station in Wallops Island, VA)
accompanying documment:
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#127
by
Lar
on 29 Nov, 2016 20:50
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#128
by
russianhalo117
on 29 Nov, 2016 21:22
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#129
by
Lar
on 30 Nov, 2016 02:17
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presumably fairly close to @64.75367,-147.4382587 as North Pole is a suburb of Fairbanks and not that big of a place.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/North+Pole,+AK+99705/@64.75367,-147.4382586
it is a former military city, which became a public town due to the actions of the BRAC some years ago when one of the forts their was closed. I have family in Fairbanks, AK. It is also an important railroad town for the military and is where Alaska's protion of the DODX railcar fleet is kept.
I've driven through it and have (ex) relatives in Fairbanks too. Cool place. I'm just saying it's not the size of, say, LA, so those coordinates are not going to be more than a few miles off...
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#130
by
a_langwich
on 30 Nov, 2016 04:08
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presumably fairly close to @64.75367,-147.4382587 as North Pole is a suburb of Fairbanks and not that big of a place.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/North+Pole,+AK+99705/@64.75367,-147.4382586
it is a former military city, which became a public town due to the actions of the BRAC some years ago when one of the forts their was closed. I have family in Fairbanks, AK. It is also an important railroad town for the military and is where Alaska's protion of the DODX railcar fleet is kept.
"former military city, which became a public town"?
North Pole was incorporated specifically for touristy reasons in the 1950s, well before Fort Wainwright and Eielson AFB were deactivated.
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#131
by
sdsds
on 30 Nov, 2016 05:57
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#132
by
russianhalo117
on 30 Nov, 2016 15:45
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#133
by
gongora
on 11 Dec, 2016 16:30
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Nov. 14, 2016
Planet Labs has now informed Spaceflight that it is withdrawing its payload of 56 satellites from the SHERPA launch. Although this was not anticipated, it will not lead Spaceflight to cancel the SHERPA mission. Instead of the originally planned 90 satellites to be deployed (counting the SeeMe satellite to be deployed three weeks later from the eXCITe spacecraft), Spaceflight will proceed with the previously identified 34 satellites when SpaceX resumes launch activity and informs Spaceflight of its launch window. Pursuant to Spaceflight’s standard mission planning processes, the Planet Labs satellites will be replaced with mass simulators, which will not be deployed into orbit, but will remain in the SHERPA.
Dec. 7, 2016
On December 7, 2016, the Satellite Division reissued the special temporary authority granted to Spaceflight, Inc. on October 25, 2016. The authorization was revised pursuant to the filing by Spaceflight, Inc. on November 14, 2016, stating that 56 of the small spacecraft previously planned for deployment from the SHERPA spacecraft would no longer be deployed and would be replaced by mass simulators.
Applicable documents can be found here
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#134
by
Skyrocket
on 11 Dec, 2016 16:48
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Nov. 14, 2016
Planet Labs has now informed Spaceflight that it is withdrawing its payload of 56 satellites from the SHERPA launch. Although this was not anticipated, it will not lead Spaceflight to cancel the SHERPA mission. Instead of the originally planned 90 satellites to be deployed (counting the SeeMe satellite to be deployed three weeks later from the eXCITe spacecraft), Spaceflight will proceed with the previously identified 34 satellites when SpaceX resumes launch activity and informs Spaceflight of its launch window. Pursuant to Spaceflight’s standard mission planning processes, the Planet Labs satellites will be replaced with mass simulators, which will not be deployed into orbit, but will remain in the SHERPA.
Dec. 7, 2016
On December 7, 2016, the Satellite Division reissued the special temporary authority granted to Spaceflight, Inc. on October 25, 2016. The authorization was revised pursuant to the filing by Spaceflight, Inc. on November 14, 2016, stating that 56 of the small spacecraft previously planned for deployment from the SHERPA spacecraft would no longer be deployed and would be replaced by mass simulators.
Applicable documents can be found here
I suspect, the 56 Flock-2c cubesats will appear as the bulk of the 80-CubeSat payload of next years Indian PSLV launch with CardoSat-2D.
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#135
by
yokem55
on 11 Dec, 2016 16:57
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Any idea why Planet Labs pulled out? The launch delays?
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#136
by
Skyrocket
on 11 Dec, 2016 17:00
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Any idea why Planet Labs pulled out? The launch delays?
Orbital conflicts with Orbcomm
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#137
by
gongora
on 11 Dec, 2016 17:13
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Any idea why Planet Labs pulled out? The launch delays?
Orbital conflicts with Orbcomm
They got FCC permission to launch in that orbit, the rest of the sats are still going there.
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#138
by
russianhalo117
on 11 Dec, 2016 17:44
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Nov. 14, 2016
Planet Labs has now informed Spaceflight that it is withdrawing its payload of 56 satellites from the SHERPA launch. Although this was not anticipated, it will not lead Spaceflight to cancel the SHERPA mission. Instead of the originally planned 90 satellites to be deployed (counting the SeeMe satellite to be deployed three weeks later from the eXCITe spacecraft), Spaceflight will proceed with the previously identified 34 satellites when SpaceX resumes launch activity and informs Spaceflight of its launch window. Pursuant to Spaceflight’s standard mission planning processes, the Planet Labs satellites will be replaced with mass simulators, which will not be deployed into orbit, but will remain in the SHERPA.
Dec. 7, 2016
On December 7, 2016, the Satellite Division reissued the special temporary authority granted to Spaceflight, Inc. on October 25, 2016. The authorization was revised pursuant to the filing by Spaceflight, Inc. on November 14, 2016, stating that 56 of the small spacecraft previously planned for deployment from the SHERPA spacecraft would no longer be deployed and would be replaced by mass simulators.
Applicable documents can be found here
I suspect, the 56 Flock-2c cubesats will appear as the bulk of the 80-CubeSat payload of next years Indian PSLV launch with CardoSat-2D.
yes I would think so since ISRO's civilian corporations that are commercializing their launchers and satellites mentioned that the company was one of the candidates for the mission's secondary payloads..
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#139
by
mtakala24
on 13 Dec, 2016 11:39
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From what I know, Aalto-1 final battery charging and integration to the dispenser was done in May 2016. How long are typical cubesats certified to be ready?