SpaceX Falcon 9 : Intelsat 35e : July 5, 2017 : DISCUSSION

[Orbiter]

Does anyone know if Playalinda Beach will be open for this launch? It was open for BulgariaSat-1 according to this post:

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=42913.msg1694118#msg1694118

That's a good question, seeing that this is another GTO launch and not a northerly CRS launch I'd think that that gives us a better shot at it being open. Note that it does close at 8pm so if the launch extends into the window the beach will close.

Beach will close, yes, but they won't kick people out already at the beach. Learned that the hard way during the GOES-R launch last year.

[old_sellsword]

why is S1 seemingly immune to the LOX loading time?

Because it didn't explode when they changed that parameter.

EDIT: I seem to remember that they changed the number of COPV's per S2 post AMOS? Is that correct?

They change the number of COPVs on almost every flight, because each flight has its own requirements for propellant depletion, MVac restarts, etc.

After Amos-6, they just eliminated whatever new configuration they introduced that caused the issue with SOX forming in the S2 COPV liner during LOX loading.

[smoliarm]

...

[1]   I believe the Press Kits for NROL-76 and Inmarsat-5 F4 were actually wrong.

...
[2]   And this is a good indication of upper stage Blocks, but not first stage ones, because Block 4 S1 has yet to fly.

Thanks!

[1] Well, even if they are *wrong* with respect to actual deviations from loading SOP, they still reflect *correctly* current SOP for a particular launch.

[2] First of all - I have no expertise in this matter, and I have no insider information. So, it's just my feeling, that the loading time is set by the first stage - just because it has far greater volumes than the second stage.
Therefore my guess - the last flight (#038: Iridium Next Flt.2) and the coming one (#039: Intelsat 35e) - they ARE block #4. But may be I'm wrong

[old_sellsword]

So, it's just my feeling, that the loading time is set by the first stage - just because it has far greater volumes than the second stage.

The whole reason they changed the loading times after Amos-6 was because the second stage had issues with the new procedure. There's no indication that first stages have the same problems with the faster LOX load, so it stands to reason that all Block 3 first stages can do both slow and fast LOX loading, whereas second stages needed the Block 4 upgrade to regain the ability to quickly load LOX.

Therefore my guess - the last flight (#038: Iridium Next Flt.2) and the coming one (#039: Intelsat 35e) - they ARE block #4. But may be I'm wrong

It's a good guess, but I can reliably inform you that those two flights will use Block 3 first stages

[tleski]

Does anyone know if Playalinda Beach will be open for this launch? It was open for BulgariaSat-1 according to this post:

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=42913.msg1694118#msg1694118

That's a good question, seeing that this is another GTO launch and not a northerly CRS launch I'd think that that gives us a better shot at it being open. Note that it does close at 8pm so if the launch extends into the window the beach will close.

Beach will close, yes, but they won't kick people out already at the beach. Learned that the hard way during the GOES-R launch last year.

I just called Apollo Visitor Center and they told me that the beach will be open until 8pm (as usual during the summer) but they will not let anyone in after 7pm and recommended coming much earlier. I am planning to be there with my family on Sunday and will report back how it worked.

[gongora]

Tweet from Stephen Clark:

Intelsat 35e weighs 6,761.1 kg (14,905.6 lbs), heaviest GTO payload launched by SpaceX to date —> no booster landing

[docmordrid]

Tweet from Stephen Clark:

Intelsat 35e weighs 6,761.1 kg (14,905.6 lbs), heaviest GTO payload launched by SpaceX to date —> no booster landing

Jon Goff replied....

Jonathan A. Goff @rocketrepreneur
@StephenClark1 @DougonTech That's similar in size to the heaviest Atlas V GTO payload (the MUOS satellites).
5:50 PM - 1 Jul 2017

[gospacex]

Proton-M to GTO-1800 is said to be 6900kg.

[Robotbeat]

But what is the heaviest payload that Proton has launched to GTO?

[gospacex]

But what is the heaviest payload that Proton has launched to GTO?

EchoStar-XVI was almost 6700kg.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

But what is the heaviest payload that Proton has launched to GTO?

Echostar 21 just 3 weeks ago. 6871 kg. 
Its sister satellite TerreStar 1 (now Echostar-T1) launched in 2009 probably still holds the record for heaviest commercial comsat (6910 kg), although this might be beaten in 11 hours time from now by the Chinese.

(though I didn't really count those black payloads on Delta IV Heavies that were directly sent to geostationary.  )

[SmallKing]

But what is the heaviest payload that Proton has launched to GTO?

Echostar 21 just 3 weeks ago. 6871 kg. 
Its sister satellite TerreStar 1 (now Echostar-T1) launched in 2009 probably still holds the record for heaviest commercial comsat (6910 kg), although this might be beaten in 11 hours time from now by the Chinese.

(though I didn't really count those black payloads on Delta IV Heavies that were directly sent to geostationary.  )

If I recall correctly, it should be AEHF-5(>7t)

[Skylab]

Am I right assuming this is the last planned/expected expendable F9? Starhawk92's great schedule thread seems to indicate so.

[gongora]

Am I right assuming this is the last planned/expected expendable F9? Starhawk92's great schedule thread seems to indicate so.

That may not be a safe assumption.  It's hard to match the FCC permits to payloads these days, but it looks like there could be another expendable coming up in the next few months.  There are also a couple Telesat payloads scheduled for the first half of 2018 where we don't know an exact mass but they should be fairly heavy.

[macpacheco]

Am I right assuming this is the last planned/expected expendable F9? Starhawk92's great schedule thread seems to indicate so.

Not until Falcon Heavy is re-flying regularly (with all 3 boosters being reused).
Then SpaceX can shift the F9 payloads which require expending the booster to FH with 3 stick reuse (perhaps even 3 stick RTLS).
Block V will also be able to save some boosters. That would be expended with today's Block 3/4 configuration.

Reusing all 3 boosters of a FH should be substantially cheaper than expending a F9 booster. The real numbers are still a mystery, but just considering the fact that SpaceX needs a dedicated factory and a testing facility to make new stages but can refurb stages at the Cape and can only re-fire them again at the static fire, this alone suggests refurb will cost way less than 10% of the cost of building a brand new stage, making refurbing 3 stages much cheaper than expending a single one.

[IanThePineapple]

Also, am I the only one who likes how the Falcon looks without legs and fins? It's pretty sleek and futuristic, even though it's not recoverable. I don't know, maybe just me.

[FlightSpare]

Would OCISLY have even been available to support this launch, or is it still being turned around from the Bulgariasat-1 flight? I wonder what part of selecting an expendable flight to follow so soon after Bulgariasat-1 (and just before the ER maintenance period) was careful planning vs. serendipitous...

[edkyle99]

Also, am I the only one who likes how the Falcon looks without legs and fins? It's pretty sleek and futuristic, even though it's not recoverable. I don't know, maybe just me.

I like the way it looks, but what really impresses is its performance.  Two stages, LOX/RP gas-generator propulsion, 6.7 tonnes deployed to GTO and potentially at lot more capability coming as time passes. 

With such performance available, this will not be the last expendable.

 - Ed Kyle

[M.E.T.]

Also, am I the only one who likes how the Falcon looks without legs and fins? It's pretty sleek and futuristic, even though it's not recoverable. I don't know, maybe just me.

I like the way it looks, but what really impresses is its performance.  Two stages, LOX/RP gas-generator propulsion, 6.7 tonnes deployed to GTO and potentially at lot more capability coming as time passes. 

With such performance available, this will not be the last expendable.

 - Ed Kyle

Is 6.7 tons to GTO particularly impressive or unexpected for the Block 3 in expendable format?

[friendly3]

With such performance available, this will not be the last expendable.
 - Ed Kyle

There will be no such heavy payload in the next several months and Falcon Heavy is coming soon.