SpaceX F9 : SES-10 with reuse of CRS-8 Booster SN/1021 : 2017-03-30 : DISCUSSION

[wannamoonbase]

It's not like all pad refurbishment needs to be completed before work in the hangar starts. 

Parallel operations, static fire the 23-24 or even the 25th gives the team 7+ days for the pad work. 

They need to be able to do a 12 day turn around if they want a 2 week cadence.  Yes tight but they claim to be aiming at this.

[vanoord]

Yes. At the recent Sat conference, Gwynne said they'd be recovering this one as well. They'll always recover unless mission is mass/orbit constrained like this past Echostar launch.

Thanks, I wasn't sure as 5300kg seems to be close to limits of recoverability.

*If* this one is recovered, it has have a very good claim on a place in the rocket garden at KSC, surely?

[pb2000]

Yes. At the recent Sat conference, Gwynne said they'd be recovering this one as well. They'll always recover unless mission is mass/orbit constrained like this past Echostar launch.

Thanks, I wasn't sure as 5300kg seems to be close to limits of recoverability.

They tried to recover SES-9, which was 5,271 Kg (twins with 10?) and were planning to try with AMOS-6 which was 5,500 kg. The consensus seems to be that they are being a little less aggressive with prop loading after AMOS-6, so a dented drone ship is still a real possibility.

[Callezetter]

Yes. At the recent Sat conference, Gwynne said they'd be recovering this one as well. They'll always recover unless mission is mass/orbit constrained like this past Echostar launch.

Thanks, I wasn't sure as 5300kg seems to be close to limits of recoverability.

*If* this one is recovered, it has have a very good claim on a place in the rocket garden at KSC, surely?

No I hope that one goes up a third time

[IntoTheVoid]

It's not like all pad refurbishment needs to be completed before work in the hangar starts. 

Parallel operations, static fire the 23-24 or even the 25th gives the team 7+ days for the pad work. 

They need to be able to do a 12 day turn around if they want a 2 week cadence.  Yes tight but they claim to be aiming at this.

Won't the static fire need to be completed by the 22nd with OA-7 scheduled for the 24th? I doubt they'd be able to static fire on the 26th without payload and then launch on the 27th.

...And I suppose, even if SES-10 is range approved for the 27th, that if OA-7 is delayed past the 25th, NASA might bump SpaceX for ISS scheduling purposes. No?

[gongora]

They tried to recover SES-9, which was 5,271 Kg (twins with 10?) ...

SES-9 (Boeing) and SES-10 (Airbus) are not twins.

[Jet Black]

They tried to recover SES-9, which was 5,271 Kg (twins with 10?) ...

SES-9 (Boeing) and SES-10 (Airbus) are not twins.

SES-10 is 5300kg into a GTO orbit
SES-9 was 5270kg into a GTO orbit

That seems close enough!

[AncientU]

Yes. At the recent Sat conference, Gwynne said they'd be recovering this one as well. They'll always recover unless mission is mass/orbit constrained like this past Echostar launch.

Thanks, I wasn't sure as 5300kg seems to be close to limits of recoverability.

*If* this one is recovered, it has have a very good claim on a place in the rocket garden at KSC, surely?

SES once talked of having two of their spacecraft launched by the same booster... this could be the one.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

High-power beams for #LatinAmerica and the #Caribbean – the experts explain what #SES10 will provide

https://twitter.com/ses_satellites/status/842769569370558468

[FutureSpaceTourist]

This is a couple of months old now but haven't found it on the thread. Good to have another picture of SES-10 too:

Airbus Defence and Space ships SES-10 telecom satellite to launch site

Toulouse, 16/01/2017] - SES-10, the 10th Eurostar satellite built by Airbus Defence and Space for Luxembourg-based satellite operator SES, has left the Airbus cleanrooms in Toulouse, France, and has been shipped to Cape Canaveral for its forthcoming launch by SpaceX.

SES-10 is the 45th satellite based on the highly reliable Eurostar E3000 platform and the 10th to use electric propulsion for station-keeping. It will have a launch mass of 5,300 kg and spacecraft power of 13 kW.

SES-10 will be positioned at the 67 degrees West orbital position, pursuant to an agreement between the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) and SES. The satellite will provide SES with replacement and additional capacity for direct-to-home TV broadcasting, enterprise and mobility services to Central America and South America, Mexico and the Caribbean. It will carry a payload of 55 high-power Ku-band transponder equivalents.

The satellite is equipped with frequency-agile remote-control receivers, increasing the flexibility of the ground control link. It is designed for a nominal in-orbit life of more than 15 years.

https://airbusdefenceandspace.com/newsroom/news-and-features/airbus-defence-and-space-ships-ses-10-telecom-satellite-to-launch-site/

[IanThePineapple]

So how far back do people think the launch will be pushed?

[Flying Beaver]

So how far back do people think the launch will be pushed?

Would love it to stick to the 27th, but 30th-31st seems more lightly. 

Really really hope i'm wrong.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

We're still awaiting news of the pad inspection and timing of the OA-7 CRS flight could interfere with the time SpaceX would ideally want the static fire. So yes they want the 27th but a way to go yet before it's clear whether that's feasible.

[WizZifnab]

Given the current stated date is only 8 days away, 'ways to go' in this case likely meaning in the next 3 days. :-)

Really wondering if the range requirements for static fire are impacted by use of the Automated Flight Termination System.  Being able to do a static fire ahead of a different launch, such as the Atlas/Cygnus.  Then rollback and stack the payload while that other launch is conducted.  Then finally roll to the pad fully ready for a launch in 2 days should really help.  Otherwise the normal 2 day range turnaround effectively requires more like 5 days to turnaround for SpaceX.

Will this coming launch be able to utilize the new AFTS fully?

[Flying Beaver]

Given the current stated date is only 8 days away, 'ways to go' in this case likely meaning in the next 3 days. :-)

Really wondering if the range requirements for static fire are impacted by use of the Automated Flight Termination System.  Being able to do a static fire ahead of a different launch, such as the Atlas/Cygnus.  Then rollback and stack the payload while that other launch is conducted.  Then finally roll to the pad fully ready for a launch in 2 days should really help.  Otherwise the normal 2 day range turnaround effectively requires more like 5 days to turnaround for SpaceX.

Will this coming launch be able to utilize the new AFTS fully?

Flight termination is neither used or armed during static fire.


In other news. Per Instagram. As of this morning the Strongback is in its post launch horizontal checkout position. With the launch table still in it's launch position. To get static fire done on the 23rd rollback to the HIF would probably have to be performed within the next 48 hr.

[Chris Bergin]

We're still awaiting news of the pad inspection and timing of the OA-7 CRS flight could interfere with the time SpaceX would ideally want the static fire. So yes they want the 27th but a way to go yet before it's clear whether that's feasible.

I think we'll know by close of play on Monday how this is going to pan out.

[WizZifnab]

Flight termination is neither used or armed during static fire.


In other news. Per Instagram. As of this morning the Strongback is in its post launch horizontal checkout position. With the launch table still in it's launch position. To get static fire done on the 23rd rollback to the HIF would probably have to be performed within the next 48 hr.

Thanks.  So regardless of AFTS, is SpaceX able to do a static fire ahead of a separate launch, rollback during that launch and stack, and then finally launch approx 2 days after that prior launch.  Or is it really an affective 5 days after a prior launch before SpaceX can launch?

Also, will the SES-10 launch be using the new AFTS?

[docmordrid]

Well, I don't know for sure, but as I understand it, all future Falcon flights will have AFTS and in the near future also Atlas and Delta.

Florida Today.....

United Launch Alliance, the Range’s other most frequent user, will continue to fly traditional termination systems on Atlas and Delta rockets, while designing an automated system into its new Vulcan rocket, which could fly by 2019.

[Flying Beaver]

Flight termination is neither used or armed during static fire.


In other news. Per Instagram. As of this morning the Strongback is in its post launch horizontal checkout position. With the launch table still in it's launch position. To get static fire done on the 23rd rollback to the HIF would probably have to be performed within the next 48 hr.

Thanks.  So regardless of AFTS, is SpaceX able to do a static fire ahead of a separate launch, rollback during that launch and stack, and then finally launch approx 2 days after that prior launch.  Or is it really an affective 5 days after a prior launch before SpaceX can launch?

Also, will the SES-10 launch be using the new AFTS?

Exactly. They still need time to mount the rocket to the TEL.  Static fire really needs to be on the 23rd if they are going to let Atlas fly and then get SES-10 mounted on top. The 25th would be cutting it too close.

[Hauerg]

Flight termination is neither used or armed during static fire.


In other news. Per Instagram. As of this morning the Strongback is in its post launch horizontal checkout position. With the launch table still in it's launch position. To get static fire done on the 23rd rollback to the HIF would probably have to be performed within the next 48 hr.

Thanks.  So regardless of AFTS, is SpaceX able to do a static fire ahead of a separate launch, rollback during that launch and stack, and then finally launch approx 2 days after that prior launch.  Or is it really an affective 5 days after a prior launch before SpaceX can launch?

Also, will the SES-10 launch be using the new AFTS?

"No" seems to be the answer.

"The company’s next launch, targeted for 1:34 a.m. Tuesday, is expected to be the last time a Falcon rocket relies on an officer ready at the console as part of a traditional flight termination system." Florida Today


Well, being an old rocket might have something to do with it.