I don't understand the point of this current discussion. If we're talking about the relatively recent decision to launch the demo on Atlas V instead of a Falcon 9; a launch you've already bought is always cheaper than a new launch, even if that new launch was on a Falcon 9. Birds in hands vs birds in bushes, etcetera etcetera. If we're instead talking about the decision to exclude Falcon 9 from the big block launch orders for Kuiper like a year+ ago... well, that discussion has already been beaten to death, hasn't it? We could argue all day, and no one's opinion would change at this point.
Quote from: JEF_300 on 10/09/2023 08:48 pmI don't understand the point of this current discussion. If we're talking about the relatively recent decision to launch the demo on Atlas V instead of a Falcon 9; a launch you've already bought is always cheaper than a new launch, even if that new launch was on a Falcon 9. Birds in hands vs birds in bushes, etcetera etcetera. If we're instead talking about the decision to exclude Falcon 9 from the big block launch orders for Kuiper like a year+ ago... well, that discussion has already been beaten to death, hasn't it? We could argue all day, and no one's opinion would change at this point.Had they not used it for this, then the already-bought Atlas could have been used for real Kuipers, and so that argument doesn't hold.But it's not about economics. BO are paranoid enough to have restricted every shadow of a view of the payload during the webcast, more so than a USG launch. So of course they won't let SpaceX near it!
Maybe they’re being unnecessarily secretive as a kind of legal defense against the shareholder lawsuit.
Quote from: JEF_300 on 10/09/2023 08:48 pmIf we're talking about the relatively recent decision to launch the demo on Atlas V instead of a Falcon 9; a launch you've already bought is always cheaper than a new launch, even if that new launch was on a Falcon 9. Birds in hands vs birds in bushes, etcetera etcetera. Had they not used it for this, then the already-bought Atlas could have been used for real Kuipers, and so that argument doesn't hold.
If we're talking about the relatively recent decision to launch the demo on Atlas V instead of a Falcon 9; a launch you've already bought is always cheaper than a new launch, even if that new launch was on a Falcon 9. Birds in hands vs birds in bushes, etcetera etcetera.
Quote from: meekGee on 10/09/2023 08:55 pmQuote from: JEF_300 on 10/09/2023 08:48 pmI don't understand the point of this current discussion. If we're talking about the relatively recent decision to launch the demo on Atlas V instead of a Falcon 9; a launch you've already bought is always cheaper than a new launch, even if that new launch was on a Falcon 9. Birds in hands vs birds in bushes, etcetera etcetera. If we're instead talking about the decision to exclude Falcon 9 from the big block launch orders for Kuiper like a year+ ago... well, that discussion has already been beaten to death, hasn't it? We could argue all day, and no one's opinion would change at this point.Had they not used it for this, then the already-bought Atlas could have been used for real Kuipers, and so that argument doesn't hold.But it's not about economics. BO are paranoid enough to have restricted every shadow of a view of the payload during the webcast, more so than a USG launch. So of course they won't let SpaceX near it!maybe they’re being unnecessarily secretive as a kind of legal defense against the shareholder lawsuit.
But it's not about economics. BO are paranoid enough to have restricted every shadow of a view of the payload during the webcast, more so than a USG launch. So of course they won't let SpaceX near it!
Quote from: meekGee on 10/09/2023 08:55 pmBut it's not about economics. BO are paranoid enough to have restricted every shadow of a view of the payload during the webcast, more so than a USG launch. So of course they won't let SpaceX near it!ULA was launch company, Amazon customer. Blue Origin has nothing to do with this mission. Do your homework.
There's been nothing from @SpaceTrackOrg sinceSilence runs to two and a half days now - would usually be nearly a dozen updates for each sat by nowActivity around this launch is more like a national security event than something from a retail shopThe power of Amazon!
The lack of new GP data for 58013 and 58014 is surprising. It was a long weekend in the US so I'd give @18thSDS the benefit of the doubt for another day or so. But I am concerned. In fact one would hope @Amazon Kuiper would follow SpX and OneWeb in providing public ephem data
New TLE out for KuiperSat-1 in 481 x 503 km orbit.Hoping we get one for KuiperSat-2 soon.
and now we have the KS-2 orbit update, hopefully the updates will be regular from now on
The latest updates from Project Kuiper’s satellite test missionLast updated:October 16, 2023 by Amazon StaffOver the coming months, we’ll share periodic updates as Project Kuiper tests the capabilities of its satellites and ground network.October 16, 2023Project Kuiper satellites are healthyProject Kuiper engineers have confirmed that our KuiperSat-1 and KuiperSat-2 satellites are fully activated, generating power independently, and communicating with our mission operations center. Learn more about this milestone.
Quote from: scaesare on 09/25/2023 02:17 pmQuote from: Robotbeat on 09/24/2023 01:15 pmThere’s no shortage of demand right now. There’s OneWeb and Kuiper plus an explosion of growth in every other kind of satellite, too. Multiple other constellations as well.Falcon 9 eats them up because the other rockets just aren’t available.Except Jeffrey won't let Kuiper fly on a SpaceX rocket...Yeah. There's no reason why Kuiper & Blue Origin should be any different to Starlink & SpaceX, other than ability to execute. But ability to execute isn't a fundamental barrier to competition. Straying off topic though.
Quote from: Robotbeat on 09/24/2023 01:15 pmThere’s no shortage of demand right now. There’s OneWeb and Kuiper plus an explosion of growth in every other kind of satellite, too. Multiple other constellations as well.Falcon 9 eats them up because the other rockets just aren’t available.Except Jeffrey won't let Kuiper fly on a SpaceX rocket...
There’s no shortage of demand right now. There’s OneWeb and Kuiper plus an explosion of growth in every other kind of satellite, too. Multiple other constellations as well.Falcon 9 eats them up because the other rockets just aren’t available.
By contrast, Kuiper is an arm of Amazon and is far from its core business, while BO is in effect a struggling new launch company.
Could you please elaborate a bit on how Kuiper is core to AWS? Thanks!
I don't see the benefit. Data in transport is already secured by encryption.
Quote from: mn on 11/04/2023 10:55 pmI don't see the benefit. Data in transport is already secured by encryption.I can see the value for some customers. The very act of communicating, its quantity and timing, says something. And Quantum is real and growing. If you need maximum security and minimum latency, satellite makes sense.
