SpaceX Falcon 9 : GPS III SV04 : SLC-40 : November 5, 2020

[ChrisC]

There is some change on one of the new engines that [NASA] would like to see fly before Crew-1.  GPS III-4 booster has at least one engine with that change and they'd like to see it fly first.

I feel like there hasn't been much attention paid to this comment.  By my reading of it, this engine change is NOT the lacquer cleanup, rather something else new.  Maybe it's a minor change that we won't ever know anything about, but this is not the audience just that lets minor things go

[Ken the Bin]

I received a notice from the NGA for this launch.

Primary Day = Wednesday, November 4 at ~23:28 to ~23:43 UTC.
Backup Day #1 = Thursday, November 5 at ~23:24 to ~23:39 UTC.
Backup Day #2 = Friday, November 6 at ~23:20 to ~23:35 UTC.

310701Z OCT 20
NAVAREA IV 1055/20(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   042323Z THRU 050036Z NOV, ALTERNATE
   052319Z THRU 060032Z AND 062315Z THRU 070028Z NOV
   IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-35-48N 080-35-01W, 28-54-00N 080-13-00W,
      28-51-00N 080-10-00W, 28-36-00N 080-24-00W,
      28-30-33N 080-33-04W.
   B. 32-03-00N 077-00-00W, 34-00-00N 075-28-00W,
      34-09-00N 074-38-00W, 33-42-00N 074-03-00W,
      33-07-00N 074-31-00W, 31-53-00N 076-48-00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 070128Z NOV 20.

Edit: Corrected the month in my text.
Edit: Corrected the days of the week in my text.  (It's too early for me.)

[LouScheffer]

There is some change on one of the new engines that [NASA] would like to see fly before Crew-1.  GPS III-4 booster has at least one engine with that change and they'd like to see it fly first.

I feel like there hasn't been much attention paid to this comment.  By my reading of it, this engine change is NOT the lacquer cleanup, rather something else new.  Maybe it's a minor change that we won't ever know anything about, but this is not the audience just that lets minor things go

This has been discussed at least some on the Crew-1 thread.  I think everyone attributes this to NASA conservatism over crewed flight.   If SpaceX moves a bracket 5 mm to the left, to make the engine easier to assemble, NASA would prefer the changed engine be flown at least once before crewed flight, just in case of un-intended consequences. 

So overall, I think everyone believes this is some sort of minor change that has been proved out on the test stand.  For un-crewed missions, these probably happen all the time and we never hear about them.   But for crewed flight, NASA would like at least some flight experience, too.  Fortunately SpaceX has lots of launches, so this is not a huge imposition.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/spacexfleet/status/1322530650189189120

Departure! Of Course I Still Love You droneship is underway from Port Canaveral for the GPS III mission.

Tug Finn Falgout is towing OCISLY ~635 km downrange.

📸 @NASASpaceflight Fleetcam: youtube.com/watch?v=gnt2wZ…

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/ken_kremer/status/1322591299971780608

#falcon9 status 115 pm- booster was raised short while ago for static test fire Net today. For @SpaceX  gps launch @SpaceForceDoD net  nov 4. Was horizontal at 9 am

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/spaceflightnow/status/1322670292368609282

SpaceX is loading kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants into a Falcon 9 rocket on pad 40 at Cape Canaveral.

A test-firing is planned at 7pm EDT (2300 GMT) ahead of launch next week with a GPS navigation satellite.

Updates: spaceflightnow.com/2020/10/31/liv…

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/1322675004484538370

F9/GPS: F9/GPS: SpaceX hot fired the 1st stage engines of a Falcon 9 Saturday at 7pm; test appeared normal; we'll now stand by for an update from SpaceX on plans to launch a GPS navsat next Wednesday/Thursday

Edit to add:

https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/1322676515277066247

[FutureSpaceTourist]

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/spacex/status/1322702955007541249

Static fire test complete – targeting Thursday, November 5 for Falcon 9 launch of GPS III-4 from SLC-40

[Ken the Bin]

SpaceX has already updated their Launches webpage for this launch.

[gongora]

I still see the Starlink launch on that page

[Ken the Bin]

I still see the Starlink launch on that page

That's strange.  I thought maybe someone reverted it, but it still has this launch for me.  Attached is a screenshot of the webpage in my browser, scrolled download a little bit to show some of the detail.  Attached also is a PDF from printing the webpage.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/1322738204735426560

The #GPSIII satellite is making the journey back to LC-40 to be mated with Falcon 9 ahead of this week's launch attempt. #SpaceX

twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/1322738209336545282

#Lifesupport #GPSIII

https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/1322738215128866816

It really was quite a treat to stand this close to something that I get to see launch and then if things go right, return to port days later. #meforscale

[soltasto]

Updated "press kit" capture with ocr

[FutureSpaceTourist]

L-3 launch forecast for the 4th ... 70% GO, 60% GO 5th

[mn]

L-3 launch forecast for the 4th ... 70% GO, 60% GO 5th

Forecast for the 4th? Didn't they already officially change to the 5th?

[kessdawg]

L-3 launch forecast for the 4th ... 70% GO, 60% GO 5th

Forecast for the 4th? Didn't they already officially change to the 5th?

Think it is 4th local, 5th UTC time.

[Michael Baylor]

Think it is 4th local, 5th UTC time.

SpaceX website says 5th local.

SpaceX is targeting Thursday, November 5 for a Falcon 9 launch of the United States Space Force’s GPS III Space Vehicle 04 from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The 15-minute launch window opens at 6:24 p.m. EST, 23:24 UTC, and a backup opportunity is available on Friday, November 6 with a 15-minute backup window opening at 6:20 p.m. EST, 23:20 UTC.

https://www.spacex.com/launches/index.html

[Ken the Bin]

I received a notice from the NGA removing November 4 as the Primary Day, with November 5 now the Primary Day and November 6 as the sole Backup Day (matching what SpaceX says).

012006Z NOV 20
NAVAREA IV 1060/20(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   052319Z THRU 060032Z, ALTERNATE
   062315Z THRU 070028Z NOV
   IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-35-48N 080-35-01W, 28-54-00N 080-13-00W,
      28-51-00N 080-10-00W, 28-36-00N 080-24-00W,
      28-30-33N 080-33-04W.
   B. 32-03-00N 077-00-00W, 34-00-00N 075-28-00W,
      34-09-00N 074-38-00W, 33-42-00N 074-03-00W,
      33-07-00N 074-31-00W, 31-53-00N 076-48-00W.
2. CANCEL NAVAREA IV 1055/20
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 070128Z NOV 20.

Referenced:

310701Z OCT 20
NAVAREA IV 1055/20(11,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   042323Z THRU 050036Z NOV, ALTERNATE
   052319Z THRU 060032Z AND 062315Z THRU 070028Z NOV
   IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-35-48N 080-35-01W, 28-54-00N 080-13-00W,
      28-51-00N 080-10-00W, 28-36-00N 080-24-00W,
      28-30-33N 080-33-04W.
   B. 32-03-00N 077-00-00W, 34-00-00N 075-28-00W,
      34-09-00N 074-38-00W, 33-42-00N 074-03-00W,
      33-07-00N 074-31-00W, 31-53-00N 076-48-00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 070128Z NOV 20.

[scr00chy]

Updated visual mission profile (previous launches can be found here)