Quote from: FutureSpaceTourist on 12/10/2022 05:39 amQuote from: SpaceX tweetStatic 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?
Quote from: SpaceX tweetStatic 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]
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]
Our 🌍 is changing and the #SWOTMission is on the case.3,360 XTJ solar cells, built by @Spectrolab_Inc, will generate power from the ☀️ for the satellite as it measures the height of 🌊 in the planet’s lakes, rivers, reservoirs and oceans.Learn more:
Boeing’s Spectrolab to Power Earth Surface Survey Mission- More than 3,000 solar cells will power the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite, as the internationally led mission conducts the first global survey of water on the Earth’s surfaceSYLMAR, Calif., Dec. 12, 2022— As the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission begins its survey of the Earth’s surface this month, the satellite will get power from solar cells built by Spectrolab, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Boeing [NYSE: BA].The SWOT satellite, targeted to launch this month from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, will conduct the first global survey of water on the Earth’s surface, observe the fine details of the ocean's surface topography, and measure how water bodies change over time.The spacecraft will be powered by a six-panel solar array, containing a total of 3,360 of Spectrolab’s NeXt Triple Junction (XTJ) solar cells. These advanced cells pull power from multiple wavelengths, allowing higher efficiencies not possible with commercially available silicon solar cell technology.“Our Spectrolab team knows our efforts to power space programs improve life on Earth. Learning more about our changing planet is key to that mission,” said Tony Mueller, president of Spectrolab. “We’re excited Spectrolab solar cells will be powering the first spacecraft to survey nearly all water on the Earth’s surface.”From a unique non-sun-synchronous orbit, SWOT’s instruments will measure the height of water in the planet’s lakes, rivers, reservoirs and oceans in higher definition than ever before. The data will help NASA and its partners at the Centre National D'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), the Canadian Space Agency and U.K. Space Agency, inform water equity and water management decisions, provide new insights into Earth’s water and energy cycle, and help to prepare communities for rising seas and changing coastlines in a warming climate.The SWOT mission will be managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which provided the science payload and its instruments. Spectrolab’s solar cell work was done for Thales Alenia Space, which was contracted by CNES to manufacture the satellite bus and conduct the final assembly, integration and test.Spectrolab has produced more than 6.5 million gallium-arsenide solar cells for more than 1,000 spacecraft over the last 65 years in a shared vision with customers to connect and protect people globally, enable the exploration of other worlds, and build a space ecosystem for the future. For more information on Spectrolab, visit www.spectrolab.com.As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future and living the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity. Learn more at www.boeing.com. # # #
NASA Kennedy KSC-20221209-PH-SNG01_0002Inside the SpaceX facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, decal fixtures are placed on the SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite on Dec. 9, 2022. A collaboration between NASA and the French space agency Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), with contributions from the Canadian Space Agency and the UK Space Agency, SWOT will be the first satellite to survey nearly all water on Earth’s surface. SWOT is scheduled to lift off aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg on Dec. 15, 2022, at 3:46 a.m. PST. Photo credit: USSF 30th Space Wing/Steve Gerlich
Rollout photos from NASA HQ Flickr
Quote from: Josh_from_Canada on 12/14/2022 02:07 amRollout photos from NASA HQ FlickrIs the first stage identifiable by its soot darkness and pattern?I looked for the ID # and couldn't find it.
Quote from: Josh_from_Canada on 12/14/2022 02:07 amRollout photos from NASA HQ FlickrIs the first stage identifiable by its soot darkness and pattern?I looked for the ID # and couldn't find it.(You beat me to the post, Zach!)
LHA map for #SWOT mission from VSFB SLC-4E NET 15 Dec 11:46 UTC, altern.16 to 18 Dec. LZ-4 landing for booster. Estimated fairing recovery position ~433km downrange. Issued S2 debris reentry area in Pacific Ocean inconsistent with launch azimuth. bit.do/LHA21
Quote from: Ken the Bin on 12/10/2022 12:21 pmNGA 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.
NGA notices (the same notice for two different Navigational Areas).
✅ The launch readiness review is complete. The @NASA_LSP managed Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) is targeted for liftoff at 6:46am ET on Dec. 15 from Vandenberg Space Force Base.Join us today at 3pm ET for the prelaunch news briefing: nasa.gov/live
A selection of more NASA photos
US West Coast SpaceX fairing recovery ship NRC Quest is sailing ~430 km downrange to recover the fairing for the upcoming SWOT mission from VSFB.The booster will land at LZ-4.
