Is this site reliable:https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch-schedule/launch-details.php?id=1416?For some weeks now, they are indicating the same launch date of October 29th for this launch?
Sirius XM Radio Inc.(“Sirius XM”) respectfully requests special temporary authority (“STA”) for a period of 30 days commencing ten days after launch of the SXM-7 satellite digital audio radio service (“SDARS”) replacement satellite, currently scheduled for November 6, 2020, to permit in-orbit testing (“IOT”) of the spacecraft at 120.5° W.L.+/-0.1 degrees.
...likely in the middle of the night EST.
The powerful, Maxar-built SXM-7 satellite arrived at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on October 13, 2020.
Quote from: gongora on 10/14/2020 05:42 pmThe powerful, Maxar-built SXM-7 satellite arrived at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on October 13, 2020.Re: Deducing launch date. Doesn't the processing of a GEOcomm satellite for launch usually take about 6 weeks? November 6 would be unattainable by that parameter alone. (Notwithstanding the availability of a reused < 5 first stage.)
http://www.launchphotography.com/Delta_4_Atlas_5_Falcon_9_Launch_Viewing.htmlQuoteFALCON 9<snip> A Falcon 9 will launch the SiriusXM-7 communications satellite on November or December TBD, likely in the middle of the night EST. <snip>
FALCON 9<snip> A Falcon 9 will launch the SiriusXM-7 communications satellite on November or December TBD, likely in the middle of the night EST. <snip>
http://www.launchphotography.com/Delta_4_Atlas_5_Falcon_9_Launch_Viewing.htmlQuoteFALCON 9The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral will launch the sixteenth batch of Starlink satellites on November 21 at 10:17pm EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the first cargo Dragon 2 to the ISS, CRS-21, from pad 39A on December 2 at 12:50pm EST. The launch time gets 22-26 min. earlier each day. Other upcoming Falcon 9 launches are TBA. A Falcon 9 will launch NROL-108 for the National Reconnaissance Office from pad 40 on TBD. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch the SiriusXM-7 communications satellite from pad 40 on December TBD, likely in the middle of the night EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the Turksat 5A communication satellite on December TBD. And a Falcon 9 will launch a smallsat rideshare mission into polar orbit on late December TBD. The first stage should land back at the Cape around eight minutes after launch.
FALCON 9The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral will launch the sixteenth batch of Starlink satellites on November 21 at 10:17pm EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the first cargo Dragon 2 to the ISS, CRS-21, from pad 39A on December 2 at 12:50pm EST. The launch time gets 22-26 min. earlier each day. Other upcoming Falcon 9 launches are TBA. A Falcon 9 will launch NROL-108 for the National Reconnaissance Office from pad 40 on TBD. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. A Falcon 9 will launch the SiriusXM-7 communications satellite from pad 40 on December TBD, likely in the middle of the night EST. A Falcon 9 will launch the Turksat 5A communication satellite on December TBD. And a Falcon 9 will launch a smallsat rideshare mission into polar orbit on late December TBD. The first stage should land back at the Cape around eight minutes after launch.
According to NexSpaceFlight, B1051.7 will be used for this mission.
This mission is now tentatively planned for December 10 from SLC-40. Launch window opens at 11:19 AM EST and closes at 13:19 AM EST.
Quote from: Elthiryel on 12/01/2020 05:51 pmThis mission is now tentatively planned for December 10 from SLC-40. Launch window opens at 11:19 AM EST and closes at 13:19 AM EST.Many GTO launches around the world launch during local time overnight hours. I know (from NSF) that GTO launch times are driven by optimizing launch time to get sunlight generating electricity from just-unfolded solar panels as soon as possible.What is different with this launch? Is it because we're near December solstice?
Not all spacecraft launched to GTO have that same requirement. Sometimes launch time is also driven by other more intricate constraints such as the timezone of where the first ground station is gonna get telemetry from the satellite. Some of them don't even care about the sunlight recieved after separation since they have plenty of onboard battery life to survive hours in the shadow. Reducing every single GTO satellite into one kind of satellite isn't the best thing to do IMO but news sites and similar places keep repeating the thing about the solar panels needing to get sunlight ASAP when that can only be applied to a fraction of all the GTO sats.
Quote from: Alexphysics on 12/02/2020 01:53 amNot all spacecraft launched to GTO have that same requirement. Sometimes launch time is also driven by other more intricate constraints such as the timezone of where the first ground station is gonna get telemetry from the satellite. Some of them don't even care about the sunlight recieved after separation since they have plenty of onboard battery life to survive hours in the shadow. Reducing every single GTO satellite into one kind of satellite isn't the best thing to do IMO but news sites and similar places keep repeating the thing about the solar panels needing to get sunlight ASAP when that can only be applied to a fraction of all the GTO sats. Also doesn't hurt upper stage thermal loads if the geometry of the ascent keeps it mostly in the earth's shadow during the coast phase.
