SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1 - SES-8 - DISCUSSION THREAD

[smoliarm]

Never stated that. I just asked if there was a secondary launch provider and who it was.

Yes, SES reported they made an agreement with Arianespace in case delay with F9 v1.1.
It was discussed here:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=29893.msg953590#msg953590

“If there are delays we will have a backup, in this case the Ariane 5,” Bausch said. “If we see a delay in Falcon 9 for SES-8, we would need to inform Arianespace six months ahead, so around November or December, saying we are moving SES-8 to Ariane. In that case we would push the Falcon launch to another satellite at a later date.”

From article in Sept 2012,
http://www.spacenews.com/launch/120914-ses-launch-order-adds-spacex-backlog.html

[russianhalo117]

Never stated that. I just asked if there was a secondary launch provider and who it was.

Yes, SES reported they made an agreement with Arianespace in case delay with F9 v1.1.
It was discussed here:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=29893.msg953590#msg953590

“If there are delays we will have a backup, in this case the Ariane 5,” Bausch said. “If we see a delay in Falcon 9 for SES-8, we would need to inform Arianespace six months ahead, so around November or December, saying we are moving SES-8 to Ariane. In that case we would push the Falcon launch to another satellite at a later date.”

From article in Sept 2012,
http://www.spacenews.com/launch/120914-ses-launch-order-adds-spacex-backlog.html

http://www.spacenews.com/launch/120914-ses-launch-order-adds-spacex-backlog.html
Link not valid as Page not found and also could not be found when i searched their archives.

[Kabloona]

Try this link:

http://www.spacenews.com/article/ses-order-adds-spacex-backlog

[smoliarm]

Today's article
http://www.spacenews.com/article/financial-report/38057ses-reports-flat-revenue-ahead-of-spacex%E2%80%99s-watershed-launch-of-ses-8

...SES launched two satellites in the three-month period ending Sept. 30 and expects to launch two more by the end of this year. The SES-8 satellite, which provides both replacement capacity and additional transponders for new business, is now scheduled for launch Nov. 22 aboard a Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Falcon 9 rocket.

SES has insured SES-8 for about $200 million and paid a 12 percent premium. One industry official said the consortium of underwriters backing the launch have agreed to permit the launch to go forward.

So, no signs of more delay so far.

[WHAP]

Today's article
http://www.spacenews.com/article/financial-report/38057ses-reports-flat-revenue-ahead-of-spacex%E2%80%99s-watershed-launch-of-ses-8

...SES launched two satellites in the three-month period ending Sept. 30 and expects to launch two more by the end of this year. The SES-8 satellite, which provides both replacement capacity and additional transponders for new business, is now scheduled for launch Nov. 22 aboard a Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Falcon 9 rocket.

SES has insured SES-8 for about $200 million and paid a 12 percent premium. One industry official said the consortium of underwriters backing the launch have agreed to permit the launch to go forward.

So, no signs of more delay so far.

Launch is two weeks away.  Assuming they have the same flow as previous launches, what has to happen and when to make the 22nd?

[smoliarm]

Today's article
http://www.spacenews.com/article/financial-report/38057ses-reports-flat-revenue-ahead-of-spacex%E2%80%99s-watershed-launch-of-ses-8

...SES launched two satellites in the three-month period ending Sept. 30 and expects to launch two more by the end of this year. The SES-8 satellite, which provides both replacement capacity and additional transponders for new business, is now scheduled for launch Nov. 22 aboard a Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Falcon 9 rocket.

SES has insured SES-8 for about $200 million and paid a 12 percent premium. One industry official said the consortium of underwriters backing the launch have agreed to permit the launch to go forward.

So, no signs of more delay so far.

Launch is two weeks away.  Assuming they have the same flow as previous launches, what has to happen and when to make the 22nd?

First, I do not quite understand your question. Second, why are you asking ME ? 

[Kabloona]

One unknown (to me, at least) is whether they do a WDR. At some point they will presumably have gotten enough confidence in the vehicle, GSE, and launch teams to dispense with WDR's and go straight to static fires and/or straight to launch day.

Since this is the first F9v1.1 out of CCAFS, maybe they do go ahead with a WDR. But presumably at some point those will disappear as launch rates pick up and launch site schedules compress.

[clegg78]

Kind of a lurker here, but even the now veteran Delta and Atlas EELV launches still do WDR before launches I believe.

[guckyfan]

Kind of a lurker here, but even the now veteran Delta and Atlas EELV launches still do WDR before launches I believe.

Of course a static fire requires fueling, that is the same as a WDR. Will there be always a need to do both? First a WDR and defueling and then refuel for static fire. Or could both be done in one go?

I am sure not on this launch or the next but at some time not too far in the future?

[Kabloona]

Kind of a lurker here, but even the now veteran Delta and Atlas EELV launches still do WDR before launches I believe.

Yes, but they don't do both WDR and then a static fire. SpaceX could eventually eliminate the standalone WDR and go straight to the static fire, since the static fire is essentially "WDR Plus."

[clegg78]

Yes, but they don't do both WDR and then a static fire. SpaceX could eventually eliminate the standalone WDR and go straight to the static fire, since the static fire is essentially "WDR Plus."

Good point, I thought your post earlier was saying eliminate all WDR once the platform was through its first few launches.

[WHAP]

Kind of a lurker here, but even the now veteran Delta and Atlas EELV launches still do WDR before launches I believe.

Atlas does not perform a WDR on all vehicles.  Delta still does. 

[smoliarm]

SpaceX did WDR on all 5 v1.0 launches, so it seems like a safe guess to say they'll follow same routine for v1.1.

As for Static fire as "WDR plus" -- I got a feeling that WDR does not give "everything's OK" result right away, it rather produces data which require some time for analysis. But may be I'm wrong.

[kevin-rf]

Um this is a new rocket on a modified pad that has not seen the v1.1 before. With that many changes I can not see them skipping the WDR and hot fire for SES 8.

[Kabloona]

Um this is a new rocket on a modified pad that has not seen the v1.1 before. With that many changes I can not see them skipping the WDR and hot fire for SES 8.

No one suggested skipping hot fire for SES-8. And I agree they probably will do WDR since it's a new vehicle at CCAFS.

But the bigger question is, will they at some point eliminate standalone WDR and go straight to static fire?

[Kabloona]

SpaceX did WDR on all 5 v1.0 launches, so it seems like a safe guess to say they'll follow same routine for v1.1.

As for Static fire as "WDR plus" -- I got a feeling that WDR does not give "everything's OK" result right away, it rather produces data which require some time for analysis. But may be I'm wrong.

Actually I think the static fire likely requires more data analysis, of engine parameters. WDR is more of a procedure rehearsal. As long as the vehicle and GSE cooperate with tanking/detanking and real-time health monitoring, I don't know what else there is to analyze. If you get to the end of the day with completed WDR procedures, you're done.

[Jim]

But the bigger question is, will they at some point eliminate standalone WDR and go straight to static fire?

It would be the other way around.  Static fire will be eliminated first

[Kabloona]

But the bigger question is, will they at some point eliminate standalone WDR and go straight to static fire?

It would be the other way around.  Static fire will be eliminated first

When do you guess that would happen?

[Roy_H]

But the bigger question is, will they at some point eliminate standalone WDR and go straight to static fire?

It would be the other way around.  Static fire will be eliminated first

I don't think so. Why would they eliminate static fire? I know they don't do static fire on vehicles that use solids because you can't turn a solid off. But confirmation of proper firing capability prior to launch day seems highly desirable to me.

[spectre9]

The Orbital/SpaceX static fires are abnormal.

They will eliminate them when they get more confidence in the engines they're using.

You don't see Atlas V 401 having a static fire.