Quote from: gongora on 10/17/2018 04:48 pmThis appears to confirm Nov. 19 as the target launch dateSorry, how does it confirm the date?
This appears to confirm Nov. 19 as the target launch date
The Delta IV Heavy has moved left, so presumably SpaceX has given up their launch slot as suggested on that thread.https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=44545.msg1868106#new
The experiment developed by the students is based on the use of a square deorbitation sail with an area of 4m2, which can be folded in a volume of approx. 600 ml (or ¼ of the entire satellite). Exactly 40 days after the PW-Sat2 is taken to orbit, the sail will be opened. Increased aerodynamic resistance will cause the orbit to decrease, and consequently, the satellite will be burned in the Earth's atmosphere within a few months.
It's not clear to me if they gave up a slot for this or Iridium 8. If this is still around the 19th then they couldn't have turned it around fast enough for an end of November launch of something else.
Quote from: gongora on 10/17/2018 06:47 pmIt's not clear to me if they gave up a slot for this or Iridium 8. If this is still around the 19th then they couldn't have turned it around fast enough for an end of November launch of something else.I am pretty sure that it was this launch. I don't think Iridium was firmly on the range.
So you think this launch is in December now?
Quote from: gongora on 10/18/2018 12:46 amSo you think this launch is in December now?Matt recently said that he expects Iridium to launch by the end of the year. That would move this launch to 2019 if true.
‘차세대소형위성 1호(100kg급)’를 11월 20일(월) 오전 3시 30분경(현지기준 11월 19일 오전 10시 30분경) 미국 반덴버그(Vandenberg) 공군 기지에서 각각 발사할 예정이라고 밝혔다.
'Next Generation Small Satellite 1 (100kg)' will be launched at Vandenberg Air Base, USA at 3:30 am on Nov. 20 (local time, Nov. 19 at 10:30 am)
On October 12, 2018, the Satellite Division granted, with conditions, special temporary authority to Spaceflight, Inc. to operate two non-geostationary spacecraft to be known as the Upper Free Flyer (UFF) and Lower Free Flyer (LFF), designed to deploy small spacecraft in low Earth orbit. Spaceflight was granted authority to transmit from the UFF for a period of one hour, 34 minutes for space operations as follows: a downlink centered at 401.375 MHz or 401.5 MHz with a bandwidth of 22 kHz (space-to-Earth), and a transmission centered at 1616.25 MHz with a bandwidth of 2.5 MHz (space-to-space) to communicate with the Globalstar, Inc. satellite system. Spaceflight was also granted authority to transmit from the LFF for a period of three hours, 31 minutes for space operations with a downlink centered at 401.375 MHz or 401.5 MHz, with a 22 kHz bandwidth (space-to-Earth). The grant is limited to the UFF and LFF spacecraft and does not extend to individual licenses for the small spacecraft on board either the UFF or LFF.
I was thinking that... maybe that's what that person said about SpaceX giving up on the slot? I don't really understand how schedules work at Vandenberg, but if DIVH moved left and this person said SpaceX was "giving up on the slot" when they clearly didn't have a launch during that timeframe... maybe that person was talking about the DIVH launch affecting the F9 RTLS recovery and SpaceX saying "bah, ok, it's fine, it'll go expendable"? I don't know, just a silly thought that came to my mind after seeing Michael's post
Quote from: Alexphysics on 10/22/2018 09:44 pmI was thinking that... maybe that's what that person said about SpaceX giving up on the slot? I don't really understand how schedules work at Vandenberg, but if DIVH moved left and this person said SpaceX was "giving up on the slot" when they clearly didn't have a launch during that timeframe... maybe that person was talking about the DIVH launch affecting the F9 RTLS recovery and SpaceX saying "bah, ok, it's fine, it'll go expendable"? I don't know, just a silly thought that came to my mind after seeing Michael's postI don't think the two are related. DIVH launch is far from the current SSO-A date. SpaceX may have had another launch penciled in (RCM). I would guess something is going on at Vandenberg around Nov. 19 that would consider a returning rocket to be a security risk.
Quote from: gongora on 10/22/2018 09:50 pmI don't think the two are related. DIVH launch is far from the current SSO-A date. SpaceX may have had another launch penciled in (RCM). I would guess something is going on at Vandenberg around Nov. 19 that would consider a returning rocket to be a security risk.Well, not that far out in time and the booster would have to fly over DIVH's launch pad while the rocket and, probably its payload, are there. That's probably the "if the launch date holds". If it goes a few days to the left it may be able to do it and if it moves after DIVH, then it would be all clear. I don't know, it's just wild speculation on my part, sorry if it's not appropriate.
I don't think the two are related. DIVH launch is far from the current SSO-A date. SpaceX may have had another launch penciled in (RCM). I would guess something is going on at Vandenberg around Nov. 19 that would consider a returning rocket to be a security risk.
Quote from: Alexphysics on 10/22/2018 09:56 pmQuote from: gongora on 10/22/2018 09:50 pmI don't think the two are related. DIVH launch is far from the current SSO-A date. SpaceX may have had another launch penciled in (RCM). I would guess something is going on at Vandenberg around Nov. 19 that would consider a returning rocket to be a security risk.Well, not that far out in time and the booster would have to fly over DIVH's launch pad while the rocket and, probably its payload, are there. That's probably the "if the launch date holds". If it goes a few days to the left it may be able to do it and if it moves after DIVH, then it would be all clear. I don't know, it's just wild speculation on my part, sorry if it's not appropriate.I guess overflight could be an issue if the return trajectory is too close, but they have to go by it on takeoff too and the satellite processing facility is at SLC-6. (I didn't realize GRACE-FO wasn't processed at the SpaceX facility.)
ASDS landing NET Nov. 19 from Vandenberg. I would guess SSO-A.1907-EX-ST-2018North 34 37 59 West 120 36 56
Two SkySat Satellites, Three Doves, and a Record-Breaking Launch on Spaceflight’s SSO-AMike Safyan | October 22, 2018Planet is gearing up to send seven satellites into orbit this November as part of SSO-A: SmallSat Express, a fully dedicated rideshare mission on the SpaceX Falcon 9, procured by Spaceflight Industries. Of the 70 spacecraft onboard, Planet will send up two SkySat satellites, three latest-generation Dove satellites (Flock 3s), and two university cubesat projects sponsored by Planet. The two SkySat satellites – numbers 14 and 15 – are the primary spacecraft of the SSO-A mission. They will join the 13 operational SkySats in orbit, expanding the world’s largest fleet of high-resolution imaging satellites. The improved global coverage, particularly in the morning orbit, will help Planet increase access to high-resolution imagery for customers as well as task afternoon imaging more effectively. This is the first time SkySat satellites will fly on a Falcon 9.The three Dove satellites on this launch will support Planet’s global monitoring mission and highlight our agile aerospace approach of rapid iteration of satellite technology. Planned upgrades to the Doves, such as improved camera and telescope systems, will be tested in flight and refined back on the ground in our new satellite manufacturing facility.Planet is also sponsoring the launch of two university cubesat projects: the MinXSS-2 from the University of Colorado, Boulder Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics and the RANGE from Georgia Tech. These projects were the finalists of the University CubeSat Partnership, a competition hosted by Terra Bella (before its acquisition by Planet in 2017).We’re excited to participate in this record-breaking launch with Spaceflight Industries! Stay tuned for updates from the launch site at Vandenberg by following @planetlabs.
