SpaceX F9 : SpaceX Transporter-1 Rideshare : 24 Jan 2021 (15:00 UTC)

[gongora]

https://twitter.com/Nanoracks/status/1341198247071723520

Our team has a busy holiday season ahead as we make final preparations and integrate customer satellites on our first @SpaceX #SmallSat #Rideshare launch!

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/exolaunch/status/1343905718722826243

Our next @SpaceX #Falcon9 launch will carry 30 of our customers' #SmallSats. They will be deployed using the #EXObox deployment sequencer, a device for managing the deployment of clusters of up to 50 small satellites! https://exolaunch.com/news-block-22.html #NewSpace

[gongora]

[Momentus, Dec. 23] Narsai: Announcing Complete Integration of All Customer Satellites

[tvillars]

I was thinking of driving down from Tennessee to see this.  Never seen a rocket launch so wondering if this would be a good one to watch.  Retired this month so not in a hurry but I finally have the time to start working on my bucket list.

[Jansen]

I was thinking of driving down from Tennessee to see this.  Never seen a rocket launch so wondering if this would be a good one to watch.  Retired this month so not in a hurry but I finally have the time to start working on my bucket list.

Launch will likely be mid day, so probably pretty good. Check out the launch viewing thread for specific info on locations.

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=44657.0

[gongora]

I was thinking of driving down from Tennessee to see this.  Never seen a rocket launch so wondering if this would be a good one to watch.  Retired this month so not in a hurry but I finally have the time to start working on my bucket list.

Just keep an eye on the launch date, and remember to schedule extra days if possible to accommodate any scrubs.  It appears the next two flights will both be from the same launch pad, so any delays to the Turksat launch could affect this one.

If SpaceX is really planning two Starlink launches in January then there could also be a flight from 39A within a week of this one.

[gongora]

Momentus Announces Move of Vigoride from January 2021 Mission; Will be Remanifesting to a Subsequent Launch

January 04, 2021 – Santa Clara, CA - Momentus Inc. (“Momentus” or the “Company”), a commercial space company providing in-space infrastructure services announced today that it will be remanifesting its January 2021 mission to a subsequent launch opportunity in 2021. This move will allow for the additional time necessary to secure FAA approval of Momentus’ payloads, including completion of a standard interagency review. Momentus currently holds all other necessary licenses for its Vigoride vehicle.

[scr00chy]

Momentus Announces Move of Vigoride from January 2021 Mission; Will be Remanifesting to a Subsequent Launch

January 04, 2021 – Santa Clara, CA - Momentus Inc. (“Momentus” or the “Company”), a commercial space company providing in-space infrastructure services announced today that it will be remanifesting its January 2021 mission to a subsequent launch opportunity in 2021. This move will allow for the additional time necessary to secure FAA approval of Momentus’ payloads, including completion of a standard interagency review. Momentus currently holds all other necessary licenses for its Vigoride vehicle.

Fixed link: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210104005825/en/Momentus-Announces-Move-of-Vigoride-from-January-2021-Mission-Will-be-Remanifesting-to-a-Subsequent-Launch

It's interesting. I'm thinking SpaceX might have decided to fill the vacated space on this launch with some Starlink satellites. It would explain the mysterious "polar launch opportunity" mentioned for December. And would also explain why this booster needs to land on ASDS instead of LZ-1 as was originally expected.

[gongora]

Fixed link: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210104005825/en/Momentus-Announces-Move-of-Vigoride-from-January-2021-Mission-Will-be-Remanifesting-to-a-Subsequent-Launch

It's interesting. I'm thinking SpaceX might have decided to fill the vacated space on this launch with some Starlink satellites. It would explain the mysterious "polar launch opportunity" mentioned for December. And would also explain why this booster needs to land on ASDS instead of LZ-1 as was originally expected.

I've also fixed the link to the pdf on the Momentus site in my post.

Vigoride goes on one of the side ports.  Starlinks would go on top.  If they lost a payload that could be replaced with Starlinks then it would have to be something that was originally going to be at the top of the stack.  Since they don't have permission for the Starlink modification yet that shouldn't be affecting the landing method.

[gongora]

SpaceX wants to put 10 Starlinks on this flight.  It seems unlikely they would get the approval.

[Skyrocket]

SpaceX wants to put 10 Starlinks on this flight.  It seems unlikely they would get the approval.

I am also surprised, that the payload stack can be changed significantly a few days before launch. Perhaps they had done contingency analysis of the stack dynamics with Starlinks before, in case one of the major elements drops out.

[gongora]

SpaceX wants to put 10 Starlinks on this flight.  It seems unlikely they would get the approval.

I am also surprised, that the payload stack can be changed significantly a few days before launch. Perhaps they had done contingency analysis of the stack dynamics with Starlinks before, in case one of the major elements drops out.

They first publicly mentioned the Starlink option in mid-November, and surely knew about it a bit before the FCC filing.  They've had time to plan.  I assume they have some sort of mass simulator to go on top of the stack if the Starlinks aren't approved, or have done the analysis to approve a configuration where there isn't a payload on top.

[Raul]

Active NOTAM in South Pacific information region south of Easter Island for stage2 debris reentry during second orbit of Transporter-1 SmallSat Rideshare mission since January 14 16:00 UTC until January 18 17:40 UTC.

ISLA DE PASCUA/ACC-FIC
NOTAM #: R0002/21   Class: International      Status: Active   Issue Date UTC: 01/06/2021 2031      Start Date UTC: 01/14/2021 1600      End Date UTC: 01/18/2021 1740
R0002/21 NOTAMN
Q) SCIZ/QRDCA/IV/BO/W/000/999/5856S12448W677
A) SCIZ B) 2101141600 C) 2101181740
D) DLY BTN 1600-1740
E) ZONE ...D... SECT WEST PACIFIC DUE TO SPACE
VEHICLE RE-ENTRY ACTIVITY.
THE AFFECTED AREA IS BOUNDED BY GEO COORD:
652900S 1310000W
652900S 1310000W
624200S 1300100W
501700S 1230600W
474000S 1203400W
483400S 1184400W
562000S 1193100W
653900S 1242200W
674900S 1292400W
652900S 1310000W
INSTRUCTIONS: SANTIAGO OCEANIC 10024 KHZ
ACFT FANS 1A CAPABLE MUST LOGON SCEZ
INFO PROVIDED BY 45RANS/DOS  EASTERN RANGE SCHEDULING CAPE CANAVERAL
AFS FL.
F) SFC G) UNL

[ZachS09]

Given that Stage 2 will deorbit on the second orbit, Transporter-1 will do a 2-burn profile (parking orbit and restart at apogee).

[Conexion Espacial]

2 DARPA satellites to fly on the SpaceX Transporter-1 mission were damaged on Monday during payload stacking due to an accidental release of the payload separation system.
Credit: SpaceNews
More detalils by SpaceNews:
https://spacenews.com/darpa-satellites-damaged-at-processing-facility-ahead-of-spacex-launch/

[ZachS09]

2 DARPA satellites to fly on the SpaceX Transporter-1 mission were damaged on Monday during payload stacking due to an accidental release of the payload separation system.
Credit: SpaceNews
More detalils by SpaceNews:
https://spacenews.com/darpa-satellites-damaged-at-processing-facility-ahead-of-spacex-launch/

How much of a delay will this result in?

[Jansen]

2 DARPA satellites to fly on the SpaceX Transporter-1 mission were damaged on Monday during payload stacking due to an accidental release of the payload separation system.
Credit: SpaceNews
More detalils by SpaceNews:
https://spacenews.com/darpa-satellites-damaged-at-processing-facility-ahead-of-spacex-launch/

How much of a delay will this result in?

Still under investigation, but unlikely to delay the launch. Will prob be remanifested at a later date.

[Jansen]

https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/1346503659996274690

Maintenance on OCISLY could affect launch cadence, might delay Transporter-1

Getting indications of a possible delay for a few days, might be due to ASDS availability. Trying to find confirmation.

[leetdan]

Getting indications of a possible delay for a few days, might be due to ASDS availability. Trying to find confirmation.

A well-placed ASDS source says the plan is to leave Sunday night in support of a launch on the 14th.

*waves*

[Jansen]

Getting indications of a possible delay for a few days, might be due to ASDS availability. Trying to find confirmation.

A well-placed ASDS source says the plan is to leave Sunday night in support of a launch on the 14th.

*waves*

Might be out of date.

Other possible reasons for delays include investigation into DARPA payloads and late stage loading of Starlink.