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

[beidou]

Footprint of SES-8:

[fatjohn1408]

The Space News article on the contract appears to have been updated with some additional info and quotes. I haven't seen the projected mass of the satellite anywhere else:

SES-8 is expected to weigh around 3,600 kilograms at launch and would be too heavy for the Europeanized Soyuz

I have seen it somewhere else at orbital sciences and its 3.2t:
http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/Publications/SES-8_Fact.pdf

[Galactic Penguin SST]

For lurkers of Orbital here - has the satellite complete all the testing yet? When will it be shipped to the Cape?

(yeah I know that it is rare to have interest in comsats shipping dates, but you know this is a SpaceX launch.....  )

[smoliarm]

For lurkers of Orbital here - has the satellite complete all the testing yet? When will it be shipped to the Cape?

(yeah I know that it is rare to have interest in comsats shipping dates, but you know this is a SpaceX launch.....  )

I have no affiliation with Orbital, nor I'm a lurker

In June and July, Orbital delivered the Thaicom-6 GEOStar communications spacecraft to one of Orbital’s newest customers, Thaicom PLC of Thailand, and the SES-8 spacecraft to SES of Luxembourg, a repeat GEOStar customer for Orbital

http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/Publications/OrbitalQuarterly_Summer2013.pdf

[Galactic Penguin SST]

For lurkers of Orbital here - has the satellite complete all the testing yet? When will it be shipped to the Cape?

(yeah I know that it is rare to have interest in comsats shipping dates, but you know this is a SpaceX launch.....  )

I have no affiliation with Orbital, nor I'm a lurker

In June and July, Orbital delivered the Thaicom-6 GEOStar communications spacecraft to one of Orbital’s newest customers, Thaicom PLC of Thailand, and the SES-8 spacecraft to SES of Luxembourg, a repeat GEOStar customer for Orbital

http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/Publications/OrbitalQuarterly_Summer2013.pdf

I'm not sure that "delivered to customer" = "delivered to launch site", in fact the lack of news seems to imply the opposite. Maybe someone else can clarify.

[smoliarm]

I'm not sure that "delivered to customer" = "delivered to launch site", in fact the lack of news seems to imply the opposite. Maybe someone else can clarify.

Well, your asked about testing...
(my guess was: "delivered to customer" = "manufacturer completed the testing")

[SIM city]

I'm not sure that "delivered to customer" = "delivered to launch site", in fact the lack of news seems to imply the opposite. Maybe someone else can clarify.

Well, your asked about testing...
(my guess was: "delivered to customer" = "manufacturer completed the testing")

It means the customer is now paying for storage costs at the factory.

[cartman]

Quick question, is the delay in launching Cassiope going to have any impact to the launch date of SES-8? If Cassiope gets pushed back even more, is it possible that they launch SES-8 before it?

[Skyrocket]

Quick question, is the delay in launching Cassiope going to have any impact to the launch date of SES-8? If Cassiope gets pushed back even more, is it possible that they launch SES-8 before it?

No. The SES contract requires a previous successful maiden launch.

[joek]

Quick question, is the delay in launching Cassiope going to have any impact to the launch date of SES-8? If Cassiope gets pushed back even more, is it possible that they launch SES-8 before it?

Delays with Cassiope will undoubtedly push back SES-8.  However, no chance that SES-8 launches before Cassiope , as SES requires SpaceX to fly the improved Merlin (M1D) and payload fairing before SES-8 flies.

[kevin-rf]

I would argue that the SES-8 launch date is up in the air until after a successful Falcon-9 v1.1 occurs and any issues that cropped up are fully analyzed. 

To launch within a month of Cassiope requires everything going off perfectly, and requires nothing to be analyzed and adjusted post launch.

[JBF]

I would argue that the SES-8 launch date is up in the air until after a successful Falcon-9 v1.1 occurs and any issues that cropped up are fully analyzed. 

To launch within a month of Cassiope requires everything going off perfectly, and requires nothing to be analyzed and adjusted post launch.

I disagree if the launch goes off with no issues it shouldn't take that long to analyze the data.  90% of it will be, is this within parameters, by how much and is there any odd readings.

[Jcc]

I would argue that the SES-8 launch date is up in the air until after a successful Falcon-9 v1.1 occurs and any issues that cropped up are fully analyzed. 

To launch within a month of Cassiope requires everything going off perfectly, and requires nothing to be analyzed and adjusted post launch.

Given the delays inherent in new pad infrastructure, and issues beyond the LV itself, it would make sense to be going forward with launch prep including WDR.

Unless they have to wait for CASSIOPE to launch because the same crew then needs to relocate to the Cape to work on SES8. That has implications on future launch rate if they don't have enough people to do both at once. Maybe it is a few key people that are in the critical path to prep a launch. Or, maybe they are working hardware fixes and that's how long it takes to get them all done.

If anyone has good info and wants to answer on the L2 thread, that works for me, I signed up!

[Antares]

To launch within a month of Cassiope requires everything going off perfectly, and requires nothing to be analyzed and adjusted post launch.

That has implications on future launch rate if they don't have enough people to do both at once. Maybe it is a few key people that are in the critical path to prep a launch. <snip>

If anyone has good info and wants to answer on the L2 thread, that works for me, I signed up!

Data review from a nominal launch won't take long at all.  First flight, though, vibe analysis is NEVER right.  There will be stuff to reshake or fly at risk.

Jcc, I think your answer is there on L2 from padrat.

[Ben the Space Brit]

There's talk of flying SES-8 in October and Thaicom in November before shutting down SLC-40 for Dragonrider PA-1 in December/January.  How realistic is that prospect?

[guckyfan]

There's talk of flying SES-8 in October and Thaicom in November before shutting down SLC-40 for Dragonrider PA-1 in December/January.  How realistic is that prospect?

Put a reply into the General Falcon and Dragon thread.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=32719.msg1099288#msg1099288

[GalacticIntruder]

SES says they are holding their SES 8 ( I assume at Orbital) until the F9 is successfully launched. That would mean, they might not fly in Oct.

Per Aviation Week.

For its first flight, the new Falcon 9 is expected to deliver a small Canadian science satellite to an elliptical polar orbit. If successful, this will clear the way for SpaceX to conduct its first commercial mission to geostationary transfer orbit, launching the SES-8 satellite for SES, the world's second-largest satellite fleet operator by revenue. SES-8 was expected to launch from Cape Canaveral in the first quarter of this year. SES says it is waiting to deliver the Orbital Sciences Corp.-built spacecraft to Vandenberg until the first Falcon 9 v1.1 mission is successfully lofted.

Though I don't understand why they said Vandenberg, not SLC.

[oldAtlas_Eguy]

SES says they are holding their SES 8 ( I assume at Orbital) until the F9 is successfully launched. That would mean, they might not fly in Oct.

Per Aviation Week.

For its first flight, the new Falcon 9 is expected to deliver a small Canadian science satellite to an elliptical polar orbit. If successful, this will clear the way for SpaceX to conduct its first commercial mission to geostationary transfer orbit, launching the SES-8 satellite for SES, the world's second-largest satellite fleet operator by revenue. SES-8 was expected to launch from Cape Canaveral in the first quarter of this year. SES says it is waiting to deliver the Orbital Sciences Corp.-built spacecraft to Vandenberg until the first Falcon 9 v1.1 mission is successfully lofted.

Though I don't understand why they said Vandenberg, not SLC.

I believe it's one of those cases of "understand what I meant, not what I said".

[kevin-rf]

In US English I think that is called a TYPO ...

[veblen]

In US English I think that is called a TYPO ...

lol (just read the public vs private co. thang on the other thread)