SpaceX Falcon 9 : NASA/CNES SWOT : Vandenberg : 16 December 2022 (11:46 UTC)

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://blogs.nasa.gov/swot/2022/11/30/nasas-surface-water-satellite-to-launch-thursday-dec-15/

NASA’s Surface Water Satellite to Launch Thursday, Dec. 15

The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) spacecraft is moved into a transport container inside the Astrotech facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Nov. 18, 2022. Photo credit: USSF 30th Space Wing/Chris Okula
NASA, the French space agency Centre National d’Études Spatiales, and SpaceX are now targeting 3:46 a.m. PST Thursday, Dec.15, for the launch of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite. The new date allows for additional time to complete prelaunch processing and checkouts of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

SWOT will be NASA’s first global survey of nearly all water on Earth’s surface. Scientists plan to use its observations to better understand the global water cycle, furnish insight into the ocean’s role in how climate change unfolds, and provide a global inventory of water resources.

The SWOT mission is a collaborative effort between NASA and the French space agency with contributions from the Canadian Space Agency and the UK Space Agency.

SWOT will launch from Space Launch Complex-4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Author Danielle Sempsrott
Posted on November 30, 2022
Tags Falcon 9, Launch Services Program, LSP, SpaceX, Surface Water and Ocean Topography, SWOT

[zubenelgenubi]

SFN Launch Schedule, updated November 30:
December 15 11:46:40 UTC = December 15 3:46:40 am PST


What first stage will now launch this flight, assuming 1061.11 remains assigned to Starlink 2-4?

Available first stages and most recent landing date:
1071.6   Oct 5
1063.9   Oct 28

Edited Nov 4

Edited December 14: It's B1071.6.

[Targeteer]

December 07, 2022
MEDIA ADVISORY M22-182
NASA Sets Coverage for SWOT Water Survey Mission Launch

NASA will provide coverage of the upcoming prelaunch and launch activities for the international Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission.

The mission is targeted for liftoff at 6:46 a.m. EST (3:46 a.m. PST) Thursday, Dec. 15, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4-East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Live launch coverage will begin at 6 a.m. EST (3 a.m. PST) on NASA Television, YouTube, Twitter, the NASA app, and the agency’s website, with prelaunch and science briefings beginning Tuesday, Dec. 13.

Watch coverage on the agency’s website at:

https://www.nasa.gov/live

SWOT will survey nearly all water on Earth’s surface for the first time, measuring the height of the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes, helping scientists track how fresh and saltwater bodies change over time. The satellite will help scientists investigate how the oceans absorb atmospheric heat and carbon, moderating global temperatures and climate change.

Using SWOT’s state-of the-art technology, scientists will observe ocean features with 10 times the resolution of current technologies along with providing high-definition views of freshwater bodies. It can observe the entire length of nearly all rivers wider than 330 feet (100 meters), as well as collect data on more than a million lakes larger than 15 acres (62,500 square meters).

A global inventory of water resources will help scientists better understand where the water is, where it’s coming from, and where it’s going. The observations will benefit people on Earth by helping improve flood forecasts, improving the models used to monitor droughts and improving predictions for sea level rise. The observations also will benefit industries, like shipping, by providing measurements of water levels along rivers, as well as information about tides, currents, and storm surges in the ocean.

The mission is a collaborative effort by NASA and the French space agency Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) with contributions from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and the UK Space Agency.

Full mission coverage is as follows:

Tuesday, Dec. 13

3 p.m. EST (12 p.m. PST) – SWOT Science Briefing on NASA TV and YouTube with the following participants:

    Katherine Calvin, chief scientist and senior climate advisor, NASA
    Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer, SWOT program scientist, NASA
    Tamlin Pavelsky, SWOT hydrology science lead, University of North Carolina
    Benjamin Hamlington, research scientist, Sea Level and Ice Group, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
    Selma Cherchali, Earth observation program head, CNES

Accredited news media planning to attend the briefing should confirm their participation with Tech Sgt. Patrick Harrower, 30th Space Wing public affairs officer, at [email protected] no later than 9 a.m. PST Dec. 13.

Media may request the dial-in number and passcode by contacting the newsroom at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida no later than 10 a.m. PST at [email protected]. Media and the public also may ask questions during the event using #AskNASA.

Wednesday, Dec. 14

1 p.m. EST (10 a.m. PST) – SWOT Prelaunch News Conference on NASA TV and YouTube with the following participants:

    Karen St. Germain, Earth Science Division director, NASA
    Thierry Lafon, SWOT project manager, CNES
    Tim Dunn, launch director, NASA’s Launch Services Program
    Julianna Scheiman, civil satellite missions director, SpaceX
    Parag Vaze, SWOT project manager, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
    Capt. Zack Zounes, launch weather officer, U.S. Space Force

Accredited news media planning to attend the briefing should confirm their participation with Tech Sgt. Patrick Harrower, 30th Space Wing public affairs officer, at [email protected] no later than 9 a.m. PST Dec. 14.

Media may request the dial-in number and passcode by contacting the Kennedy newsroom no later than 10 a.m. PST at [email protected]. Media and the public also may ask questions during the event using #AskNASA.

2 p.m. EST (11 a.m. PST) – NASA Edge will host the SWOT Rollout Show that will air live on NASA TV and YouTube.

NASA TV Launch Coverage

NASA TV live coverage will begin at 6 a.m. EST (3 a.m. PST) Thursday, Dec. 15. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules, and links to streaming video, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/live

Audio only of the news conferences and launch coverage will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, or 7135. On launch day, "mission audio," countdown activities without NASA TV launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135. A “tech feed” of the launch without NASA TV commentary will be carried on the NASA TV media channel.

Follow countdown coverage on the SWOT launch blog at:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/swot/

Public Participation

Members of the public can register to attend the SWOT launch virtually. The virtual guest program for this mission includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a stamp for the virtual guest passport following a successful launch.

Watch, Engage Online

Stay connected with the mission on social media, and let people know you're following it on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using the hashtags #TrackingWorldWater and #SWOTmission. Go behind the scenes and hear from scientists, engineers, and NASA leadership with exclusive SWOT videos on NASA’s JPL YouTube Channel. Also follow online at:

Twitter: @NASA, @CNES, @NASAJPL, @NASA_LSP, @NASAKennedy, @NASAEarth, @CSA_ASC, @SpaceGovUK, @SLDelta30

Facebook: NASA, CNES, NASA LSP, NASA JPL, NASA Kennedy, NASA Earth, Canadian Space Agency, UK Space Agency

Instagram: NASA, CNES, NASA Kennedy, NASAEarth, NASA JPL, Canadian Space Agency, UK Space Agency

For more information about SWOT, visit:

https://swot.jpl.nasa.gov/

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/nasa_lsp/status/1600836652364369920

📸 Take a last look at the #SWOTMission spacecraft which is now mated to the payload adapter in preparation for encapsulation.

The Surface Water and Ocean topography satellite will launch Dec. 15 from @SLDelta30 on a #Falcon9 for researchers #TrackingWorldWater.

[Tomness]

Jim, will this be your last mission before your much earned retirement?

[GewoonLukas_]

Picture of SWOT being encapsulated:

Amazing "Dream Team" picture emphazing #SWOT satellite encapsulation under the fairing of @SpaceX's #Falcon9 launcher. A major milestone successfully achieved. SWOT getting ready for launch on December 15th. Stay tuned! #oceanography #hydrology

https://twitter.com/Thales_Alenia_S/status/1601139359591251969

[Rondaz]

Flight Readiness Review Complete, SWOT Satellite Secured in Payload Fairing

Linda Herridge Posted on December 9, 2022

NASA, SpaceX, and Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) launch managers met today, Dec. 9, to conduct a Flight Readiness Review (FRR) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. During the FRR, teams provided an update on the mission status, closed out actions from previous readiness reviews, and certified the readiness to initiate final launch preparation activities.

A collaboration between NASA and the French space agency Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), with contributions from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and the UK Space Agency, SWOT will be the first satellite to survey nearly all water on the Earth’s surface. Its instruments will observe the ocean’s surface topography in fine detail, as well as measure how bodies of water change over time.

Encapsulated inside the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket’s payload fairing, SWOT is now ready for its next major milestone. Over the next couple of days, technicians will horizontally integrate the encapsulated satellite to the Falcon 9.

Liftoff is scheduled for 3:46 a.m. PST on Thursday, Dec. 15, from Vandenberg’s Space Launch Complex-4 East. NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP), based at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is managing the launch service.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/swot/2022/12/09/flight-readiness-review-complete-swot-satellite-secured-in-payload-fairing/

[Rondaz]

Water-Tracking SWOT Satellite Encapsulated in Rocket Payload Fairing

Jason Costa Posted on December 9, 2022

The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission is now encapsulated in its payload fairing in preparation for launch. Technicians at the SpaceX processing facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California completed the operation and will soon mate the fairing to the top of a Falcon 9 rocket. The fairing protects the satellite from aerodynamic pressure and heating during ascent. After the rocket escapes the Earth’s atmosphere, the fairing separates into two halves, which are jettisoned back to Earth.

Once in orbit, SWOT will measure the height of water in freshwater bodies and the ocean on more than 90% of Earth’s surface. This information will provide insights into how the ocean influences climate change; how a warming world affects lakes, rivers, and reservoirs; and how communities can better prepare for disasters, such as floods.

SWOT is a collaborative effort by NASA and Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) with contributions from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and UK Space Agency.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/swot/2022/12/09/water-tracking-swot-satellite-encapsulated-in-rocket-payload-fairing/

[Rondaz]

#SWOTmission is one step closer to launch!

Teams have completed the Flight Readiness Review at @SLDelta30. The satellite will study climate change by #TrackingWorldWater!

Launch is targeted for Thursday, Dec 15 at 3:46am PST on a @SpaceX Falcon 9.

https://twitter.com/NASA_LSP/status/1601335640653635590

[FutureSpaceTourist]

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/spacex/status/1601448514982068225

Static fire test complete – targeting Thursday, December 15 for Falcon 9’s launch of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission from California

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/hkpmsn/status/1601292139236728832

Newest forecast for 3:46am PST SWOT launch on Dec 15th....clear at 3am increasing clouds to 50% low clouds and 2% fog by 4am.....0% chance of rain....dew point at 40 ° temp 41°......so its going to be cold and moist.....this forecast usually means fog at pad

[zubenelgenubi]

Static fire test complete – targeting Thursday, December 15 for Falcon 9’s launch of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission from California. [Dec 10]

Was 1061.11 reassigned after repairs to this launch?  Thus a 2nd Static Fire?

[Rondaz]

See you later, SWOT!

The Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite has been encapsulated in a payload fairing, which will be placed on a @SpaceX
Falcon 9 rocket. It's scheduled for launch on Dec. 15 at 3:46 a.m. PT from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

https://twitter.com/NASAJPL/status/1601381153994608640

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/cnes/status/1601506523636957185

🛰️🌍 Latest photos of the Earth observation and water study satellite SWOT: it is now under the fairing of the launcher which will put it into orbit on Thursday 15 December. See you at 12:15 p.m. to follow the take-off live! #MissionSWOT
🚀 cnes.fr/fr/swot-vigie-…

[Ken the Bin]

NGA notices (the same notice for two different Navigational Areas).

020159Z DEC 22
NAVAREA XII 964/22(18,83).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
SOUTH PACIFIC.
CALIFORNIA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS:
   A. 151116Z TO 151238Z DEC, ALTERNATE
      1116Z TO 1238Z DAILY 16 THRU 18 DEC
      IN AREA BOUND BY
      33-53.00N 121-11.00W, 33-49.00N 121-07.00W,
      34-17.00N 120-35.00W, 34-27.00N 120-27.00W,
      34-43.00N 120-36.00W, 34-31.00N 120-50.00W.
   B. 151116Z TO 151238Z DEC, ALTERNATE
      1116Z TO 1238Z DAILY 16 THRU 18 DEC
      IN AREA BOUND BY
      32-10.00N 122-48.00W, 31-48.00N 122-04.00W,
      30-20.00N 123-06.00W, 30-41.00N 123-54.00W.
   C. 151334Z TO 151356Z DEC, ALTERNATE 
      1334Z TO 1356Z DAILY 16 THRU 18 DEC
      IN AREA BOUND BY
      00-25.00S 145-16.00W, 00-07.00S 143-13.00W,
      10-16.00N 144-44.00W, 09-57.00N 146-49.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 181456Z DEC 22.

020159Z DEC 22
HYDROPAC 3533/22(18,83).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
SOUTH PACIFIC.
CALIFORNIA.
DNC 06, DNC 13.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS:
   A. 151116Z TO 151238Z DEC, ALTERNATE
      1116Z TO 1238Z DAILY 16 THRU 18 DEC
      IN AREA BOUND BY
      33-53.00N 121-11.00W, 33-49.00N 121-07.00W,
      34-17.00N 120-35.00W, 34-27.00N 120-27.00W,
      34-43.00N 120-36.00W, 34-31.00N 120-50.00W.
   B. 151116Z TO 151238Z DEC, ALTERNATE
      1116Z TO 1238Z DAILY 16 THRU 18 DEC
      IN AREA BOUND BY
      32-10.00N 122-48.00W, 31-48.00N 122-04.00W,
      30-20.00N 123-06.00W, 30-41.00N 123-54.00W.
   C. 151334Z TO 151356Z DEC, ALTERNATE 
      1334Z TO 1356Z DAILY 16 THRU 18 DEC
      IN AREA BOUND BY
      00-25.00S 145-16.00W, 00-07.00S 143-13.00W,
      10-16.00N 144-44.00W, 09-57.00N 146-49.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 181456Z DEC 22.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/marco_langbroek/status/1601595476393934849

1/2
Does anybody know why the initial launch plane of #SWOT from Vandenberg as defined by areas A & B is inconsisten with the Falcon 9 upper stage deorbit area C and SWOT orbital plane?
Is there a secondary payload? Can't find it mentioned.
@planet4589 @OrbitalFocus ?

twitter.com/marco_langbroek/status/1601596216030433283

2/2
The initial launch plane as defined by areas A & B points to a 116 degree inclined orbit.
The upper stage deorbit area C is consistent with a 78 degree inclined orbit, the orbital inclination aimed for for SWOT.
Why the 116 degrees first?

https://twitter.com/marco_langbroek/status/1601597131449864192

3/3
Maybe it is a range safety issue necessitating a dogleg? But would that be necessary in this case?

[VLN]

My immediate thought is it was an error, which will be corrected soon.
It's energetically impossible for a Falcon 9 system to cross all those zones on the long direction in one launch.

[OneSpeed]

NGA notices (the same notice for two different Navigational Areas).

Map from the NGA notices. Just confirming the inconsistency between the orientation of the Launch Hazard and Space Debris areas.