Author Topic: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : KSC LC-39A : 27/28 April 2024 (00:34 UTC)  (Read 43644 times)

Online zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11943
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7963
  • Likes Given: 77669
Discussion thread for Galileo L12 (FM25 & FM27) mission.

Launch 28 April at 00:34 UTC (27 April 8:34 pm EDT), from KSC LC-39A on Falcon 9 (B1060-20).  Booster was expended at sea.



Cross-post:

Planned launches:
Date - Satellite(s) - Rocket - Launch Site - Time (UTC)

2021
Early - Galileo-FOC FM23, Galileo-FOC FM24 - Soyuz ST-B/Fregat-MT - Kourou ELS
H1 - OneWeb (x30) (TBD)  Galileo-FOC FM23, Galileo-FOC FM24 - Ariane 62 (FM1) [inaugural flight] - Kourou ELA-4

Changes on June 3rd

Cross-post:
Quote
Europe's #Ariane6 heavy-lift rocket's debut slips to late 2021; Covid-19 is only part of the reason.
https://bit.ly/3csCd52

https://twitter.com/pbdes/status/1268566155737862146

How do we know that a Galileo pair will take the premier flight? Would this still be true as the premier flight is delayed to late 2021?

Before the OneWeb bankruptcy, the maiden flight of Ariane 6, a Ariane 62, was to carry 30 OneWeb satellites to orbit in the first half of 2021.  The status of the flight is unknown.

Also, the maiden flight of Ariane 6 was delayed.

Now, this is the maiden flight of Ariane 6.  EDIT July 25: MAYBE
« Last Edit: 05/06/2024 04:14 pm by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline Jester

  • Administrator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7985
  • Earth
  • Liked: 6560
  • Likes Given: 158
I suggest a change in the topic title as it is not known that the First Ariane 6 will be a 6.2 (it was a 6.4 some time ago)
Also the the payload is not confirmed and most likely not FM25/26


Offline Star One

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 14181
  • UK
  • Liked: 4052
  • Likes Given: 220
I suggest a change in the topic title as it is not known that the First Ariane 6 will be a 6.2 (it was a 6.4 some time ago)
Also the the payload is not confirmed and most likely not FM25/26
Considering recent developments I’d of thought you couldn’t discount it still being a payload for One Web.

Offline Bean Kenobi

  • Member
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 590
  • Liked: 383
  • Likes Given: 258
Re: Ariane 62 - Galileo-FOC FM25 & 26
« Reply #3 on: 07/25/2020 04:32 pm »
I suggest a change in the topic title as it is not known that the First Ariane 6 will be a 6.2 (it was a 6.4 some time ago)
Also the the payload is not confirmed and most likely not FM25/26

I think this has gone the other way round. A Galileo Ariane 62 flight has been planned for a while. With the OneWeb bankruptcy, the original Ariane 6 maiden flight (Ariane 64 with OneWeb) is now uncertain and the first A6 flight could be this one.

Maiden flight of Ariane 6 has always been an Ariane 62, even before Oneweb contract was signed.
« Last Edit: 07/25/2020 04:34 pm by Bean Kenobi »

Offline Star One

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 14181
  • UK
  • Liked: 4052
  • Likes Given: 220
Ariane 62 - Galileo-FOC FM25 & 26
« Reply #4 on: 07/25/2020 04:35 pm »
I suggest a change in the topic title as it is not known that the First Ariane 6 will be a 6.2 (it was a 6.4 some time ago)
Also the the payload is not confirmed and most likely not FM25/26

I think this has gone the other way round. A Galileo Ariane 62 flight has been planned for a while. With the OneWeb bankruptcy, the original Ariane 6 maiden flight (Ariane 64 with OneWeb) is now uncertain and the first A6 flight could be this one.

This is pointless speculation as it could just as easily not be at this stage.
« Last Edit: 07/25/2020 04:36 pm by Star One »

Online zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11943
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7963
  • Likes Given: 77669
Cross-posts; my bold:
https://ria.ru/20210314/galileo-1601117286.html
Google translate:
Quote
MOSCOW, March 14 - RIA Novosti. The launch of two European navigation satellites Galileo is planned to be launched in the first quarter of 2022 with the Russian Soyuz-ST launch vehicle instead of the European Ariane 6, a source in the rocket and space industry told RIA Novosti.
In September 2017, a contract was signed to launch four Galileo vehicles with two Ariane 6 launch vehicles between late 2020 and mid 2021. The treaty provided for the use of Soyuz missiles as a fallback. Later, due to the delay in the first launch of the Ariane 6, which is now slated for the second quarter of 2022, one of the two Galileo launches has been postponed to Soyuz and is currently slated for September 2021.
"The second launch of two Galileo satellites from the Guiana Space Center (Kouru Cosmodrome - Ed.) Has now also been transferred from the Ariane 6 rocket to Soyuz-ST and is planned, tentatively, in March 2022," the source said.

Soyuz ST-B/Fregat-MT's are presently reserved (reserved with RKTs Progress as build as needed) as the backup launcher for Galileo through this 2023 flight:
TBD - Galileo-FOC FM29, Galileo-FOC FM30 - Ariane 62 - Kourou ELA-4
« Last Edit: 08/19/2021 05:58 pm by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Online zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11943
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7963
  • Likes Given: 77669
Cross-post; my bold; mid-2022:
https://insidegnss.com/galileo-update-esas-paul-verhoef-outlines-top-priorities/  [June 22]
Quote
After the November/December launch, Verhoef said, “We will do two more launches relatively quickly, one after the other, at intervals of about six or seven months. At that point we will have six new satellites in orbit. That’s two extra in every orbital plane. And then the remaining three launches, six more satellites, will come after that, to complete the batch-three series.”

According to current plans, if the new Ariane 6 is ready, the big launcher will take the last six satellites into orbit. “There will be an Ariane 6 maiden flight, and then we will be its first normal ‘paying’ customer, so to speak,” Verhoef said.
« Last Edit: 10/04/2021 09:26 am by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Online zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11943
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7963
  • Likes Given: 77669
Cross-post; article dated August 16 Moscow Standard Time; my bold:
https://ria.ru/20210815/sputniki-1745780989.html
Google translate:
Quote
"To the two launches of Soyuz from the Kourou cosmodrome, two Galileo spacecraft in each, planned respectively in November 2021 and April 2022, another launch of two Galileos on Soyuz in September 2022 is added," the source said.
According to him, this is due to the fact that the Ariane 6 rocket, which was planned to be used to launch Galileo satellites, will fly no earlier than the end of next year.
« Last Edit: 12/17/2021 01:16 am by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Online zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11943
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7963
  • Likes Given: 77669
Cross-posts:
The next Kourou Galileo pair launch becomes VS28, launching in March.
Per Russians working on this launch it’s slipping to February 20 (making it F14), on the other hand F15 also from Kourou will move up to March.

But the Soyuz VS28 launch is for Galileo.
https://www.ohb.de/en/news/2021/partying-until-dawn-ohb-celebrates-successful-liftoff-for-galileo-satellites
Quote
The FM 25 & 26 satellites are already in the starting blocks and are scheduled for launching between March and April. [dated Dec 5]

The Russian source does not specify the payloads as I understand it.

Galileo was planned for April, this launch will be brought forward a bit, according to the source at Novkos.
OHB on October 8
https://www.ohb.de/en/news/2021/here-we-go-again-next-launch-for-ohb-galileo-satellites
Quote
The next launch is just around the corner

FM 23&24 will be probably launched at the end of the year. And the next satellites are already in the starting blocks: FM 25&26 have since completed their acceptance review, thus demonstrating their functionality. Now they are awaiting their journey to Kourou, which will presumably be in April 2022.

Now OHB write March to April, a little more cautiously than the NovKos source.

Followed by further confirmation and clarification:
SFN Launch Schedule has been updated (bolds mine):

Quote
Late March | Soyuz • Galileo 29 & 30

Launch time: TBD
Launch site: ELS, Sinnamary, French Guiana

An Arianespace Soyuz rocket, designed VS28, will launch on a mission from the Guiana Space Center in South America. The Soyuz will carry two Galileo full operational capability satellites for Europe’s Galileo navigation constellation. The Soyuz-2.1b (Soyuz ST-B) rocket will use a Fregat upper stage. [Dec. 14]
« Last Edit: 12/17/2021 02:07 am by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Online zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11943
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7963
  • Likes Given: 77669
Cross-post:
https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/
Update January 28
Quote
April 5/6 • Soyuz • Galileo 29 & 30
Launch time: 0031:51 GMT on 6th (8:31:51 p.m. EDT on 5th)
Launch site: ELS, Sinnamary, French Guiana
« Last Edit: 01/28/2022 11:41 pm by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Online Josh_from_Canada

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 554
  • Saskatchewan Canada
  • Liked: 595
  • Likes Given: 193
A launch on April 6th at 00:31 UTC puts the satellites in orbital plane C
Launches Seen: Atlas V OA-7, Falcon 9 Starlink 6-4, Falcon 9 CRS-28,

Online zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11943
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7963
  • Likes Given: 77669
Confirmation:
https://www.dlr.de/rd/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-4926/8178_read-47362/
Quote
Der nächste Flug einer Sojus ist zum folgenden Termin geplant:
Nr    Version        Flug       Startdatum               Nutzlast(en)      Bemerkung

28   Sojus STB   VS28    6. April 2022     Galileo FOC FM25 ·  FM26

Angaben ohne Gewähr, Änderungen jederzeit möglich. Aktualisiert:  11. Februar 2022
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline Rondaz

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 27059
  • Liked: 5301
  • Likes Given: 169
Russian rocket to launch Galileo satellites on April 6.

Russian rocket to launch European navigation satellites Galileo on April 6.

08:59 17.02.2022

MOSCOW, February 17 - RIA Novosti. On April 6, 2022, the Soyuz-ST-B rocket will launch two European Galileo navigation satellites from the Kourou cosmodrome in French Guiana into orbit, Roscosmos reports on Thursday.

"Work has started at the Soyuz launch complex in the Guiana Space Center ( French Guiana ) as part of the 28th launch campaign. Launch of the Soyuz-ST-B launch vehicle with the Fregat-MT upper stage and two Galileo FOC spacecraft M10 is scheduled for April 6, 2022 (April 5 local time),” the message reads.

This will be the second launch of the Galileo spacecraft, "transplanted" from the Ariane 6 rocket to the Soyuz due to the unavailability of the European carrier.

In September 2017, a contract was signed to launch four Galileo spacecraft with two Ariane 6 rockets, with Soyuz rockets as a fallback option. Due to the delay in the first launch of Ariane 6, both launches were rescheduled to Soyuz.

As a source in the rocket and space industry previously reported to RIA Novosti, another launch of two Galileos on the Soyuz should take place in September 2022. According to him, this is due to the fact that the Ariane 6 rocket, which was planned to be used to launch Galileo satellites, will not fly until the end of 2022.

https://ria.ru/20220217/sputnik-1773251393.html

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
I think the satellites left Liege/Belgium today in an IL-76.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/RA76952
« Last Edit: 02/19/2022 05:08 pm by GWR64 »

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
no launch!
cross posting:Soyuz-ST - Updates and Discussion

Roscosmos is now declaring that all Soyuz launches from CSG will be suspended as a result of EU sanctions and all Russian engineers working there will be retreated.

https://twitter.com/roscosmos/status/1497456827881172994?s=20&t=hNJUOdOVTNPJLzyINUUfBA

additional: (google translate)
There are 87 Russian citizens in French Guiana. We are talking about employees of NPO Lavochkin, who prepared the Fregat-MT upper stage, as well as employees of the Progress RCC (manufacturer of the Soyuz rockets) and TsENKI.
 
The issue of the departure of Russian employees is being worked out.

https://twitter.com/roscosmos/status/1497461815634280452

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Bumping this thread up because there are now some more concrete reports of this, and the other pair of Galileo satellites once contracted to launch on Soyuz from Kourou, are going to move to a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch: https://twitter.com/pbdes/status/1709849456932229147

Previous rumors in this direction only points to this being an option mulled by the European space community, especially as an offer from satellite manufacturer OHB-System.

This post will be renamed and moved once an official confirmation is released.
« Last Edit: 10/05/2023 09:43 am by Galactic Penguin SST »
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery.

Offline TheKutKu

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 226
  • France
  • Liked: 226
  • Likes Given: 411
https://www.wsj.com/tech/spacex-signs-deal-to-launch-key-european-satellites-c3b5fc7c


SpaceX Signs Deal to Launch Key European Satellites:

The Elon Musk-led company is set to blast as many as four of Europe’s flagship Galileo satellites into orbit next year amid delays for rival local rockets

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

https://www.wsj.com/tech/spacex-signs-deal-to-launch-key-european-satellites-c3b5fc7c


SpaceX Signs Deal to Launch Key European Satellites:

The Elon Musk-led company is set to blast as many as four of Europe’s flagship Galileo satellites into orbit next year amid delays for rival local rockets

The same report (also published by Reuters https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/spacex-signs-deal-launch-key-european-satellites-wsj-2023-10-23/) states that the European Commission and EU member states still has yet to give final approval of this deal. I'll move this post once this step is cleared.
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery.

Online gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10438
  • US
  • Liked: 14355
  • Likes Given: 6148
SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : Florida : H2 April 2024
« Reply #18 on: 12/22/2023 01:58 pm »
[Threads merged.]

Hello,

This is what I saw on the French Challenges magazine. If this is not suitable for a separate thread (I really wondered where to post it), I'll ask mods to place it somewhere else.

Link:

https://www.challenges.fr/entreprise/ariane-6-le-coup-de-poignard-de-l-allemand-ohb-qui-pousse-spacex_805619

Apparently OHB wants the Galileo satellites to be launched with SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets instead of Ariane 6. This is quite surprising as OHB is a minority shareholder in Arianespace.

Unfortunately, most of the article is behind a paywall. Still the basic message is clear: OHB wants Brussels to buy three Falcon 9 launches which would put 2 Galileo satellites per launch. The idea is to send the satellites to space in short term.

SpaceX Signs Deal to Launch Key European Satellites
Quote
PARIS—SpaceX has signed a deal to launch up to four of Europe’s flagship navigation satellites into orbit, reinforcing the Elon Musk-led company’s growing foothold in the region as local rivals struggle to get rockets off the ground.

Quote
With $398M from @defis_eu, @esa now fully integrated into #iris2 secure-comms constellation & development by #SpaceRise consortium; contracts to launch 4 @GalileoGNSS sats on 2 @SpaceX Falcon 9s in 2024 signed.

https://twitter.com/pbdes/status/1709849456932229147

2343-EX-ST-2023
Quote
This STA is intended to cover pre-launch testing for a commercial payload on Missions Galileo L12 and L13. Tests involve RF shielding ground system equipment attenuation stand-alone check at the SpaceX Payload Processing Facility at CCSFS. This STA is not for flight.
NET late February

Quote
USN seeks authority to support Tracking operations for the Galileo L12 spacecrafts (GSAT0225 & GSAT0227) scheduled for launch on April 1st 2024
« Last Edit: 03/19/2024 06:03 pm by zubenelgenubi »

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : April 2024
« Reply #19 on: 12/22/2023 09:08 pm »
Another FCC filing for LEOP support
SES-STA-20231222-02564
RAAN: ~123.68 deg. , fits approximately to orbit plane C

edit: permanent filing number
« Last Edit: 01/03/2024 01:20 pm by GWR64 »

Offline GewoonLukas_

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1510
  • Lukas C. H.
  • Netherlands
  • Liked: 3643
  • Likes Given: 1806
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : April 2024
« Reply #20 on: 01/10/2024 08:07 pm »
Quote
USN seeks authority to support Tracking operations for the Galileo L12 spacecrafts (GSAT0225 & GSAT0227) scheduled for launch on April 1st 2024

So that means that FM25 and FM27 will be aboard rather then FM25 & FM26?
Lukas C. H. • Hobbyist Mission Patch Artist 🎨 • May the force be with you my friend, Ad Astra Per Aspera ✨️

Offline PM3

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1527
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1892
  • Likes Given: 1354
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : April 2024
« Reply #21 on: 01/15/2024 08:36 am »
ESA is still working on finalizing the launch contract with SpaceX. In the ESA press conference on Thursday last week, they said "this decision is expected to come very soon". From past reports on this topic, my impression was that the export license for the satellites is the main issue.

April 2024 is NOT a schedule, but the aspired launch month as of December 2023.
« Last Edit: 01/15/2024 08:37 am by PM3 »
"Never, never be afraid of the truth." -- Jim Bridenstine

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : April 2024
« Reply #22 on: 01/21/2024 09:07 am »
Another FCC filing for LEOP support
SES-STA-20231222-02564
RAAN: ~123.68 deg. , fits approximately to orbit plane C
...

Amendment from January 15th:

Quote
Universal Space Network Amendment to SES-STA-20231222-02564 Galileo L12 spacecraft
SSC Space US (dba Universal Space Network) requests an update to the above-captioned file no for
Galileo L12 spacecraft. We respectfully request the STA mission duration to be changed from 30
days to 60 days and start date to change from April 1st to April 22nd 2024 to support LEOP
operations.
« Last Edit: 01/21/2024 09:12 am by GWR64 »

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : April 2024
« Reply #23 on: 02/02/2024 02:33 pm »
Back to 30 days STA, Universal Space Network explains why. I didn't get it. ???
But April 22nd remains.

Quote
Universal Space Network Amendment to SES-STA-20231222-02564 Galileo L12 spacecraft LEOP Support

SSC Space US (dba Universal Space Network) requests an update to the above-captioned file no.
for Galileo L12 spacecraft. We respectfully request the STA mission duration to be changed again
from 60 days to 30 days and Use Prior to Grant / Requested User Prior Date of April 14th 2024.
Start date remains same April 22nd 2024.
We apologize for the inconvenience! The reason for this amendment is client's need of longer User
Prior Date. The 2nd reason is recent delays in STA grants, a 60-days STA grant could cause more
delay than a 30-days one.

Offline nzguy

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 238
  • Liked: 188
  • Likes Given: 1
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : April 2024
« Reply #24 on: 02/15/2024 10:02 pm »
Somehow I didn't spot the news about Galileo program switching to Falcon 9!

I went to look up when next Galileo launch for Ariane 6 was scheduled now that it's first launch has a date when I found out...

Too bad they didn't switch this 2 years ago when Russia pulled the plug on Soyuz.

Hopefully no more Galileo satellites break down until this launch and the future Ariane 6 launches get some spare satellites on orbit.

I have been waiting since 2018 for the Galileo constellation to be completed and launch of Full Operational Capabilities...

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : April 2024
« Reply #25 on: 02/26/2024 08:18 pm »
ESA is still working on finalizing the launch contract with SpaceX. In the ESA press conference on Thursday last week, they said "this decision is expected to come very soon". From past reports on this topic, my impression was that the export license for the satellites is the main issue.

April 2024 is NOT a schedule, but the aspired launch month as of December 2023.

This is a proposal from February 23rd. I don't know if something has already been decided, it was the weekend in between.
Quote
Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the United States of America, of the other part, setting forth Security Procedures for the Launch of Galileo satellites from U.S. territory
...
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52024PC0086
« Last Edit: 02/26/2024 08:20 pm by GWR64 »

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : April 2024
« Reply #26 on: 03/17/2024 09:23 am »
The test transmissions with GSAT0102 and GSAT0104 appear to be completed. See the attachment in opening post.
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=60096.msg2551815#msg2551815

It was obviously the last task of the partially defective GSAT0104, which is now to be decommissioned.
https://www.gsc-europa.eu/notice-advisory-to-galileo-users-nagu-2024015

No news about the launch itself?

Offline StraumliBlight

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 631
  • UK
  • Liked: 1120
  • Likes Given: 93
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : April 2024
« Reply #27 on: 03/19/2024 02:52 pm »
EU agrees US deal to launch satellites with Elon Musk’s SpaceX
[Mar 19]
Quote
The European Union on Tuesday signed off on the terms of a security deal with the United States that will allow it to pay Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch its satellites.
...
The security deal is due to be formally signed with the U.S. next week and the plan is to ship the Galileo satellites, each weighing roughly 700 kilograms, to the U.S. on March 27, one diplomat said.

The first launch of two satellites would then take place in the second half of April with the second launch scheduled for July, Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton previously told POLITICO.
...
To assuage fears from some countries — notably France — that it could become commonplace to launch satellites using SpaceX rather than Ariane, the security pact will expire in 2027.
« Last Edit: 03/19/2024 06:58 pm by zubenelgenubi »

Offline Zed_Noir

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5490
  • Canada
  • Liked: 1811
  • Likes Given: 1302
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : April 2024
« Reply #28 on: 03/19/2024 06:30 pm »
<snip>
Quote
The European Union on Tuesday signed off on the terms of a security deal with the United States that will allow it to pay Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch its satellites.
<snip>
To assuage fears from some countries — notably France — that it could become commonplace to launch satellites using SpaceX rather than Ariane, the security pact will expire in 2027.

Certain European countries should have no fear that SpaceX will get EU space launches contracts routinely. If the Ariane 6 comes online as scheduled and launch cadence ramps up. Otherwise launch customers will have no choice but to considered other launch options for getting payloads to orbit in a timely manner.

Offline GewoonLukas_

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1510
  • Lukas C. H.
  • Netherlands
  • Liked: 3643
  • Likes Given: 1806
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : Florida : H2 April 2024
« Reply #29 on: 03/26/2024 10:44 am »
ESA personnel is in Cape Canaveral to support the launch:

Quote
Although I can’t post much, I’m here to say that being able to see the VAB from your hotel room and an F9 launch from only ~2.5 km away is rather special and I feel incredibly lucky I get to do all this.

https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/1772587220643246097
Lukas C. H. • Hobbyist Mission Patch Artist 🎨 • May the force be with you my friend, Ad Astra Per Aspera ✨️

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : April 2024
« Reply #30 on: 03/29/2024 02:44 pm »
EU agrees US deal to launch satellites with Elon Musk’s SpaceX
[Mar 19]
Quote
The European Union on Tuesday signed off on the terms of a security deal with the United States that will allow it to pay Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch its satellites.
...
The security deal is due to be formally signed with the U.S. next week and the plan is to ship the Galileo satellites, each weighing roughly 700 kilograms, to the U.S. on March 27, one diplomat said.

The first launch of two satellites would then take place in the second half of April with the second launch scheduled for July, Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton previously told POLITICO.
...
To assuage fears from some countries — notably France — that it could become commonplace to launch satellites using SpaceX rather than Ariane, the security pact will expire in 2027.

Have the satellites arrived in Florida in the meantime?
The only suitable flight I found is a Boeing 747 Cargo from Hannover to the Launch and Landing Facility at KSC.
Why Hannover? I have no idea  ???

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/n8857
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n702ca
« Last Edit: 03/29/2024 02:45 pm by GWR64 »

Offline Jester

  • Administrator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7985
  • Earth
  • Liked: 6560
  • Likes Given: 158
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : Florida : H2 April 2024
« Reply #31 on: 03/29/2024 07:09 pm »
They have arrived safely

Online zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11943
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7963
  • Likes Given: 77669
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : Florida : H2 April 2024
« Reply #32 on: 03/31/2024 09:26 pm »
Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide; updated later March 31 UTC; my bold:
Quote
The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on April 5 around 2:15-6:15 a.m. EDT. A Falcon 9 will launch the Bandwagon-1 rideshare mission on April 7 at 7:17 p.m. EDT. The first stage will land back at the Cape about eight minutes after launch. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches. A Falcon 9 will launch two Galileo navigation system satellites for Europe on late April.
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : Florida : H2 April 2024
« Reply #33 on: 04/01/2024 04:01 pm »
USN has sent 3 more additions to SES-STA-20231222-02564 to the FCC on March 28th.
They contain general information about the mission. I think it's rather unimportant for the FCC.
Maybe someone here would like to read it.

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : Florida : H2 April 2024
« Reply #34 on: 04/10/2024 06:34 pm »
Another FCC filing for LEOP support
SES-STA-20231222-02564
RAAN: ~123.68 deg. , fits approximately to orbit plane C
...

grant
Quote
Special Temporary Authority
1 of 2
Applicant: Universal Space Network, Inc.
Call Sign: N/A
File No.: SES-STA-20231222-02564
Universal Space Network, Inc. (“USN”), is granted a 30-day special temporary authority (STA),
commencing April 14, 2024, through May 13, 2024, to operate two antennas at its fixed earth station
located at geographical coordinates 19° 0’ 50.3” N, 155° 39’ 46.6” W in Naalehu, HI to provide launch
and early orbit phase (LEOP) support of the Galileo L12 satellites (GSAT0225 and GSAT0227),
operated by the European Space Agency (ESA). Operations will be performed at the following
frequencies: 2040.399075 MHz and 2051.703225 MHz with an emission bandwidth of 2.6 MHz
(Earth-to-space) and 2215.818000 MHz and 2228.094000 MHz with an emission bandwidth of 3 MHz
(space-to-Earth) under the following conditions:
...
« Last Edit: 04/10/2024 06:37 pm by GWR64 »

Online zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11943
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7963
  • Likes Given: 77669
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : Florida : H2 April 2024
« Reply #35 on: 04/11/2024 08:37 pm »
No change in Ben Cooper's information, but this launch should be coming up soon:
Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide; updated April 11; my bold:
Quote
The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on April 12 very earliest at 9:22 p.m. to 12:48 a.m. EDT. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 39A on April 17 at 5:24-9:24 p.m. EDT. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches. A Falcon 9 will launch two Galileo navigation system satellites for Europe on late April. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches.

Edit April 13: Starlink 6-52 launches before this Galileo pair.

Edit April 15: Starlink 6-53 launches before this launch.
« Last Edit: 04/15/2024 04:55 pm by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline jedijeff123

  • Member
  • Posts: 31
  • Liked: 25
  • Likes Given: 11
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : Florida : H2 April 2024
« Reply #36 on: 04/13/2024 06:07 pm »
Do we know if this will be an RTLS or droneship landing?

Offline rocketenthusiast

  • Member
  • Posts: 53
  • Liked: 19
  • Likes Given: 1
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : Florida : H2 April 2024
« Reply #37 on: 04/13/2024 06:32 pm »
i dont think it can be RTLS because its going direct to MEO and weighs like 1.5 tons and O3b was like 3 to a much lower MEO transfer and was among the highest performance mission

Online zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11943
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7963
  • Likes Given: 77669
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : Florida : H2 April 2024
« Reply #38 on: 04/15/2024 12:38 am »
Cross-post; third option is expendable:
0463-EX-ST-2024  Mission 2017
Expendable from Florida, NET April [16]
Mission number is quite high...GSAT-20/GSAT-N2 going to a higher orbit?
Or the first Galileo launch on F9 as I've yet to see any permits with the droneship located along a northeast launch trajectory.



If expendable, which first stage is most likely to be chosen?  B1060.20?  It's currently the oldest and heading into its twentieth launch.

>>>
Which first stage will be used for this launch?
(semi-rhetorical question)

Falcon 9 first stages are now apparently cleared for use up to twenty times for non-crewed launches, although that number is apparently more restricted for Cargo Dragon or Cygnus than these other payloads.

1064.6 and 1065.6 are the Falcon Heavy side boosters for Europa Clipper.  1072.1 and 1086.1 are assigned as the Falcon Heavy side boosters for GOES-U.

1073.15 and 1076.13 may undergo modifications to become Falcon Heavy side boosters for a future launch, but both are currently available for "single-stick" launches.

Available first stages, with UTC date of most recent recovery:
1077.12  Mar 10 Starlink 6-51
1080.7    Mar 21 Starlink 6-52
1060.20  Mar 24
1078.9    Mar 25 Starlink 6-53
1076.13  Mar 30
1067.19  Mar 31
<<<



Possibility B1060.20 is the hypothetical expendable, but not week of Sunday March 14?:
Another F9 (either 1060 or 1061) will fly for the 20th time next week.
https://twitter.com/edwards345/status/1779004912720081170
Quote
May there be many boosters hitting 20 or 30 or 50, with an unbroken success streak. Kudos to the team!
Quote
Another one next week!



Edit April 18: It's B1060.20, to be expended into the sea. 🌊 🦭 ⛵️ 🐚 🐢 🐠🦐
« Last Edit: 04/23/2024 08:05 pm by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline rocketenthusiast

  • Member
  • Posts: 53
  • Liked: 19
  • Likes Given: 1
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : Florida : H2 April 2024
« Reply #39 on: 04/15/2024 01:51 am »
Cross-post; third option is expendable:
If so that is a bargain for ESA 90 mil for expendable+ the extra red tape it brings

edit/gongora: trimmed quote
« Last Edit: 04/15/2024 02:18 am by gongora »

Online gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10438
  • US
  • Liked: 14355
  • Likes Given: 6148
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : Florida : H2 April 2024
« Reply #40 on: 04/18/2024 12:31 am »
Quote
Navigation dual satellite (GSAT0225 & GSAT0227) in the European constellation Galileo.
Galileo is the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) that went live in 2016, created by the
European Union (EU) through the European Union Agency for Space Programme (EUSPA),
headquartered in Prague in the Czech Republic with two ground operations centers,
Oberpfaffenhofen (DLR GfR) in Germany and Fucino in Italy. DLR GfR mbH is a core team
member of the Galileo Service Operator (GSOp), operating and managing the constellation of
the Galileo satellites from the Galileo Control Center in Oberpfaffenhofen (GCC-D).
GfR has been selected, for taking over the preparation and execution of LEOP operations from
launch. Galileo L12 launch is planned for April 28th 2024. GfR has contracted the German Space
Operation Center (GSOC) to provide Network Operation Center (NOC) service, including
Ground Station Network (GSN).

Planned LEOP support from SSC is for a period of 30 days with start on May 14th, 2024.

Online gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10438
  • US
  • Liked: 14355
  • Likes Given: 6148
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : Florida : H2 April 2024
« Reply #41 on: 04/18/2024 01:13 am »
https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/1780757651153998141
Quote
Today’s PSA is brought to you by the public numbers: 2017, 1060, 39, 25 and 27 😇

Offline wannamoonbase

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5519
  • Denver, CO
    • U.S. Metric Association
  • Liked: 3222
  • Likes Given: 3986
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : LC-39A: 28 April 2024
« Reply #42 on: 04/18/2024 01:51 am »
Nooooo an expendable F9, nooooooo, I can not accept this injustice.
Starship, Vulcan and Ariane 6 have all reached orbit.  New Glenn, well we are waiting!

Offline rocketenthusiast

  • Member
  • Posts: 53
  • Liked: 19
  • Likes Given: 1
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : LC-39A: 28 April 2024
« Reply #43 on: 04/18/2024 03:05 am »
Nooooo an expendable F9, nooooooo, I can not accept this injustice.
wait how do we know that? because its B1060?

Offline wannamoonbase

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5519
  • Denver, CO
    • U.S. Metric Association
  • Liked: 3222
  • Likes Given: 3986
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : LC-39A: 28 April 2024
« Reply #44 on: 04/18/2024 03:39 am »
Nooooo an expendable F9, nooooooo, I can not accept this injustice.
wait how do we know that? because its B1060?

Manifest thread as the rare but not unknown ‘X’ for recovery. 

And it’s earlier in this thread I believe.
Starship, Vulcan and Ariane 6 have all reached orbit.  New Glenn, well we are waiting!

Offline GewoonLukas_

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1510
  • Lukas C. H.
  • Netherlands
  • Liked: 3643
  • Likes Given: 1806
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : Florida : H2 April 2024
« Reply #45 on: 04/18/2024 08:15 am »
Quote
Today’s PSA is brought to you by the public numbers: 2017, 1060, 39, 25 and 27 😇

Mission 2017 launching on B1060 from LC-39A carrying Galileo FM25 & FM27

0463-EX-ST-2024  Mission 2017
Expendable from Florida, NET April
Lukas C. H. • Hobbyist Mission Patch Artist 🎨 • May the force be with you my friend, Ad Astra Per Aspera ✨️

Online zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11943
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7963
  • Likes Given: 77669
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : LC-39A: 28 April 2024
« Reply #46 on: 04/18/2024 11:23 am »
Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide; updated April 17 after Starlink 6-51 launch; my bold:
Quote
The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on April 18 at 6:40-10:40 p.m. EDT. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch on April 22 at 6:40-10:40 p.m. EDT. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches. A Falcon 9 will launch two Galileo navigation system satellites for Europe on April 28. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches.

NextSpaceflight; updated April 18:
Launch NET April 28
Kennedy LC-39A
no mention yet of first stage landing location/type
« Last Edit: 04/18/2024 11:38 am by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : KSC LC-39A : 28 April 2024
« Reply #47 on: 04/21/2024 01:09 pm »
One week until launch and neither ESA nor EUSPA/EU make any report about it.
All the information here are been gathered from various good sources (one of them on site). thanks  :)
But what's the problem to making an official announcement? What is secret?
« Last Edit: 04/21/2024 01:38 pm by GWR64 »

Offline Bob Niland

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 116
  • Kansas
    • For Those Still On Earth
  • Liked: 106
  • Likes Given: 25
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : KSC LC-39A : 28 April 2024
« Reply #48 on: 04/21/2024 01:48 pm »
One week until launch and neither ESA nor EUSPA/EU make any report about it.
All the information here are been gathered from various good sources (one of them on site). thanks  :)
But what's the problem to making an official announcement? What is secret?
Might it be simple matter of discomfiture over the launcher churn for these satellites?
Working for SX could be exhilarating, as long as the job description doesn't include Master PERT Chart.

Online zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11943
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7963
  • Likes Given: 77669
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : KSC LC-39A : 27 April 2024
« Reply #49 on: 04/22/2024 08:48 pm »
Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide; updated April 22; my bold:
Quote
The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on April 23 at 6:15-10:15 p.m. EDT. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on April 26 around 7-11 p.m. EDT. A Falcon 9 will launch two Galileo navigation system satellites for Europe from pad 39A on April 27. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches.



Does anyone have an approximate launch time?
Another FCC filing for LEOP support
SES-STA-20231222-02564
RAAN: ~123.68 deg. , fits approximately to orbit plane C

edit: permanent filing number



Also, what are the official nicknames for the satellites?  Is Patrick still official for FM25?  And what about FM27?
« Last Edit: 04/22/2024 09:54 pm by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline GewoonLukas_

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1510
  • Lukas C. H.
  • Netherlands
  • Liked: 3643
  • Likes Given: 1806
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : KSC LC-39A : 27 April 2024
« Reply #50 on: 04/23/2024 05:09 am »
NextSpaceflight (Updated April 23rd)
Launch NET April 28th, 2024 at 00:34 UTC (April 27th local time)
https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/1930

Booster B1060-20 confirmed, will be expended:

Quote
Launch Roundup: SpaceX to land its 300th booster, NASA tests a solar sail, and China launches three more taikonauts
April 22, 2024

[...]

Falcon 9 Block 5 | Galileo FOC FM25 & FM 27

In the wake of Starlink Group 6-53 delivering SpaceX’s 300th booster landing earlier this week, this mission will not be attempting a landing and will instead be expending booster B1060 on its 20th and final flight.

[...]

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1782533983529574882
Quote
Upcoming launches, including one where SpaceX is set to achieve the 300th landing of a Falcon 9 booster.

By Martin Smith.
« Last Edit: 04/23/2024 05:58 am by zubenelgenubi »
Lukas C. H. • Hobbyist Mission Patch Artist 🎨 • May the force be with you my friend, Ad Astra Per Aspera ✨️

Offline Ken the Bin

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3098
  • US Pacific Time Zone
    • @kenthebin@spacey.space
  • Liked: 5672
  • Likes Given: 6287
NGA Rocket Launching notice.

Quote from: NGA
230922Z APR 24
NAVAREA IV 458/24(11,12).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   280029Z TO 280111Z APR, ALTERNATE
   290025Z TO 290107Z, 300021Z TO 300103Z APR,
   010017Z TO 010059Z, 020013Z TO 020055Z,
   030009Z TO 030051Z AND 040005Z TO 040047Z MAY
   IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-38.28N 080-37.17W, 28-43.00N 080-32.00W,
      28-56.00N 080-19.00W, 28-59.00N 080-14.00W,
      28-55.00N 080-11.00W, 28-50.00N 080-14.00W,
      28-40.00N 080-21.00W, 28-35.00N 080-25.00W,
      28-31.26N 080-33.41W.
   B. 33-11.00N 076-37.00W, 35-47.00N 074-25.00W,
      36-18.00N 073-15.00W, 36-06.00N 072-53.00W,
      34-55.00N 073-04.00W, 32-50.00N 076-08.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 040147Z MAY 24.//

Online zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11943
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7963
  • Likes Given: 77669
Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide; updated April 23; my bold:
Quote
The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on April 23 at 6:17-9:25 p.m. EDT. A Falcon 9 will launch two Galileo navigation system satellites for Europe from pad 39A on April 27 around 8:29-9:11 p.m. EDT. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on April 28 at 5:50-9:50 p.m. EDT. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches.
« Last Edit: 04/24/2024 04:07 pm by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Online zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11943
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7963
  • Likes Given: 77669
Ben Cooper's Launch Photography Viewing Guide; updated April 24; my bold:
Quote
The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch two Galileo navigation system satellites for Europe from pad 39A on April 27 around 8:30 p.m. EDT. A Falcon 9 will launch a Starlink batch from pad 40 on April 28 at 5:50-9:50 p.m. EDT. Upcoming launches include more Starlink batches.
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline Ken the Bin

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3098
  • US Pacific Time Zone
    • @kenthebin@spacey.space
  • Liked: 5672
  • Likes Given: 6287
This launch has been added to the FAA ATCSCC Current Operations Plan Advisory with dates and times matching the NGA notice.

https://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_spt.jsp

Quote from: FAA
EROP X2141 FALCON 9, KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL
PRIMARY:        04/28/24                0029-0111Z
BACKUP:         04/29/24                0025-0107Z
                04/30/24                0021-0103Z
                05/01/24                0017-0059Z
                05/02/24                0013-0055Z
                05/03/24                0009-0051Z
                05/04/24                0005-0047Z

TE rolled into the hanger at 39A at ~11:15pm, launch seems to be on track for Saturday evening.

Offline mykhal

  • Member
  • Posts: 1
  • EU
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 2
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : April 2024
« Reply #56 on: 04/26/2024 10:48 am »
So that means that FM25 and FM27 will be aboard rather then FM25 & FM26?

I'm looking forward to some official explanation of Galileo launch #12 GSAT0226→GSAT0227 replacement (still got no reply from EUSPA, maybe I should not have been mentioning three specific hypotheses: lost, broken, or too secret).
« Last Edit: 04/26/2024 11:00 am by mykhal »

Online zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11943
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7963
  • Likes Given: 77669
https://twitter.com/SpaceOffshore/status/1783591812147380539
Quote
Having supported Starlink 6-53, launching to the southeast, SpaceX recovery ship Bob appears to be heading northeast to recover the fairing for the upcoming Galileo mission.

The booster is expected to be expended.
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
Re: SpaceX F9 : Galileo L12 : KSC LC-39A : 28 April 2024
« Reply #58 on: 04/26/2024 01:36 pm »
One week until launch and neither ESA nor EUSPA/EU make any report about it.
All the information here are been gathered from various good sources (one of them on site). thanks  :)
But what's the problem to making an official announcement? What is secret?
Might it be simple matter of discomfiture over the launcher churn for these satellites?

Yes, probably, but without the war a Soyuz would have been used for L12, as before for L11.
A Soyuz was planned for L13 anyway, according to Arianespace, published in January 2022(!)
And what is the difference to the Falcon 9 launches with Euclid and Earthcare?
« Last Edit: 04/26/2024 01:38 pm by GWR64 »

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
...

Also, what are the official nicknames for the satellites?  Is Patrick still official for FM25?  And what about FM27?

FM23 was Patrick and, according to my logic, still is.
https://www.ohb.de/en/news/2019/first-galileo-batch-3-payload-patrick-reached-ohb
Patrick Galvin is the winner for United Kingdom in the 2011 Drawing Competition. So long before Brexit.
The last one, because U is way back in the alphabet. Order by country name in local language, I believe.
Only then will the winners of the 2019 competition come: Nikolina (Croatia), Shriya (Norway) and Julina (Switzerland)

Someone at EUSPA has a different logic (at the bottom of the page) and has pushed Patrick back or even removed him.
https://www.gsc-europa.eu/system-service-status/orbital-and-technical-parameters

So launch 11 was the first without nickname on satellite label, because nobody understands it.
picture https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43751.msg2314253#msg2314253
and  https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43751.msg2318282#msg2318282
« Last Edit: 04/26/2024 02:42 pm by GWR64 »

Offline GewoonLukas_

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1510
  • Lukas C. H.
  • Netherlands
  • Liked: 3643
  • Likes Given: 1806
L-1 Weather Forecast. 75% GO for April 28th UTC. 80% GO for April 29th UTC. All Additional Risk Criteria are Low.
Lukas C. H. • Hobbyist Mission Patch Artist 🎨 • May the force be with you my friend, Ad Astra Per Aspera ✨️

Offline GewoonLukas_

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1510
  • Lukas C. H.
  • Netherlands
  • Liked: 3643
  • Likes Given: 1806
Quote
SpaceX is targeting Saturday, April 27 at 8:34 p.m. ET for a Falcon 9 launch of the European Commission’s Galileo L12 mission to medium Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. If needed, there is a backup opportunity on Sunday, April 28 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

A live webcast of this mission will begin on X @SpaceX about 10 minutes prior to liftoff. Watch live.

Due to the additional performance required to deliver the payload to medium Earth orbit, this mission marks the 20th and final launch for this Falcon 9 first stage booster, which previously launched GPS III-3, Turksat 5A, Transporter-2, Intelsat G-33/G-34, Transporter-6, Intuitive Machines IM-1, and 13 Starlink missions.
B1060-20 to be expended, as we previously learned.
 
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=galileol12

https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1gqxvQXrWvzJB
« Last Edit: 04/26/2024 10:11 pm by zubenelgenubi »
Lukas C. H. • Hobbyist Mission Patch Artist 🎨 • May the force be with you my friend, Ad Astra Per Aspera ✨️

Offline jcm

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3701
  • Jonathan McDowell
  • Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
    • Jonathan's Space Report
  • Liked: 1403
  • Likes Given: 816
Timeline on https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=galileol12
stops at fairing deployment - wtf? This is not a secret mission!
-----------------------------

Jonathan McDowell
http://planet4589.org

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
Timeline on https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=galileol12
stops at fairing deployment - wtf? This is not a secret mission!

Yes, now SpaceX is starting to do it too!  :(
I'm interested, are there 2 or 3 upper stage ignitions?
with 2 ignitions is a little shorter,
with 3 ignitions the contact with ground stations may be better? and the satellites can be released over the northern hemisphere
« Last Edit: 04/26/2024 10:21 pm by GWR64 »

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Timeline on https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=galileol12
stops at fairing deployment - wtf? This is not a secret mission!

Yes, now SpaceX is starting to do it too!  :(
I'm interested, are there 2 or 3 upper stage ignitions?
with 2 ignitions is a little shorter,
with 3 ignitions the contact with ground stations may be better? and the satellites can be released over the northern hemisphere

I suspect SpaceX isn't the one requesting it...
Could it be a customer's request? This EU deal of launching them from Florida is quite a secret one (certainly the European Commission's Galileo team never officially reported this launch contract IIRC, at least not with a press release) and I wonder if part of the deal to launch them in the US includes this.
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery.

Offline rocketenthusiast

  • Member
  • Posts: 53
  • Liked: 19
  • Likes Given: 1
Timeline on https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=galileol12
stops at fairing deployment - wtf? This is not a secret mission!

Yes, now SpaceX is starting to do it too!  :(
I'm interested, are there 2 or 3 upper stage ignitions?
with 2 ignitions is a little shorter,
with 3 ignitions the contact with ground stations may be better? and the satellites can be released over the northern hemisphere
they need 3 ignitions because it is going to MEO direct so one to bring it to leo 1 to bring to MTO and one to circularize at MEO

Offline cpushack

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 395
  • Klamath Falls, Oregon
  • Liked: 472
  • Likes Given: 132
The EU considers Galileo to be a highly secret program with many classified technologies involved.  Brexit caused quite the problems as part of the Satellites were built in England, whom no longer has security clearance as a non-EU country.

Video of Stage 2 is not going to give away any secrets but they must maintain the 'our stuff is super secret' at least for the sake of pride I guess

Offline ZachS09

  • Space Savant
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8494
  • Roanoke, TX
  • Liked: 2416
  • Likes Given: 2103
https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/galileo-foc.htm

Running this mission through Orbiter 2016, I did a double M-Vac burn profile with the first burn inserting the Galileo satellites into a transfer orbit of 200 by 23,522 kilometers inclined 56 degrees. That's assuming the operational orbit is at 23,616 kilometers inclined 56 degrees.

Then, the second burn to circularize the orbit occurs at around T+3 hours, 33 minutes (in this case, it'll be 04:07 UTC on April 28th). That's followed by payload separation five minutes later over the Indian Ocean (southern hemisphere).

...

Now, I understand it's said that three burns may be utilized. But I thought the above-mentioned profile would make sense.
« Last Edit: 04/27/2024 04:42 am by ZachS09 »
Liftoff for St. Jude's! Go Dragon, Go Falcon, Godspeed Inspiration4!

Online Ron Lee

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 117
  • Colorado
  • Liked: 124
  • Likes Given: 0
Folks along the US eastern seaboard and TBD distance inland may be able to see jellyfish effects from the second stage.   If the first second stage burn is longer than usual then the northern extent of jellyfish visibility may be improved.

Offline cpushack

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 395
  • Klamath Falls, Oregon
  • Liked: 472
  • Likes Given: 132
https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/galileo-foc.htm

Running this mission through Orbiter 2016, I did a double M-Vac burn profile with the first burn inserting the Galileo satellites into a transfer orbit of 200 by 23,616 kilometers inclined 56 degrees. That's assuming the targeted orbital altitude is 23,616 kilometers.

Then, the second burn to circularize the orbit occurs at around T+3 hours, 34 minutes (in this case, it'll be 04:08 UTC on April 28th). That's followed by payload separation five minutes later over the Indian Ocean (southern hemisphere).

...

Now, I understand it's said that three burns may be utilized. But I thought the above-mentioned profile would make sense.

3 hours likely would need the long endurance mission kit (grey interstage)
Perhaps 3 burns makes that not needed?

Offline ZachS09

  • Space Savant
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8494
  • Roanoke, TX
  • Liked: 2416
  • Likes Given: 2103
https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/galileo-foc.htm

Running this mission through Orbiter 2016, I did a double M-Vac burn profile with the first burn inserting the Galileo satellites into a transfer orbit of 200 by 23,522 kilometers inclined 56 degrees. That's assuming the operational orbit is at 23,616 kilometers inclined 56 degrees.

Then, the second burn to circularize the orbit occurs at around T+3 hours, 33 minutes (in this case, it'll be 04:07 UTC on April 28th). That's followed by payload separation five minutes later over the Indian Ocean (southern hemisphere).

...

Now, I understand it's said that three burns may be utilized. But I thought the above-mentioned profile would make sense.

3 hours likely would need the long endurance mission kit (grey interstage)
Perhaps 3 burns makes that not needed?

It's the gray band around the second stage's RP-1 tank, FYI. The interstage is unchanged.

Anyway, I think the Mission Extension Kit will be implemented given the long duration of this mission.
« Last Edit: 04/27/2024 04:43 am by ZachS09 »
Liftoff for St. Jude's! Go Dragon, Go Falcon, Godspeed Inspiration4!

Offline rocketenthusiast

  • Member
  • Posts: 53
  • Liked: 19
  • Likes Given: 1
Running this mission through Orbiter 2016, I did a double M-Vac burn profile with the first burn inserting the Galileo satellites into a transfer orbit of 200 by 23,522 kilometers inclined 56 degrees. That's assuming the targeted orbital altitude is 23,522 kilometers.

Then, the second burn to circularize the orbit occurs at around T+3 hours, 34 minutes (in this case, it'll be 04:08 UTC on April 28th). That's followed by payload separation five minutes later over the Indian Ocean (southern hemisphere).

...

Now, I understand it's said that three burns may be utilized. But I thought the above-mentioned profile would make sense.
going direcly into a 23522 km by 200km orbit from stage seperation in 1 burn is super inefficient and wastes a lot of delta v! I don't know if they even have the performance for that! even o3b which goes into a ~2500 by 8000km orbit has 3 burns! there is no way this has 2
« Last Edit: 04/27/2024 04:47 am by rocketenthusiast »

Offline ZachS09

  • Space Savant
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8494
  • Roanoke, TX
  • Liked: 2416
  • Likes Given: 2103
https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/galileo-foc.htm

Running this mission through Orbiter 2016, I did a double M-Vac burn profile with the first burn inserting the Galileo satellites into a transfer orbit of 200 by 23,522 kilometers inclined 56 degrees. That's assuming the operational orbit is at 23,616 kilometers inclined 56 degrees.

Then, the second burn to circularize the orbit occurs at around T+3 hours, 33 minutes (in this case, it'll be 04:07 UTC on April 28th). That's followed by payload separation five minutes later over the Indian Ocean (southern hemisphere).

...

Now, I understand it's said that three burns may be utilized. But I thought the above-mentioned profile would make sense.
Going directly into a 23,522 by 200 km orbit from stage separation in one burn is super inefficient and wastes a lot of delta v! I don't know if they even have the performance for that! Even O3b, which goes into a ~2,500 by 8,000 km orbit, has three burns! There is no way this has two.

I thought that the O3b mPOWER missions called for three burns to get the orbital inclination close enough to 0 degrees:

LEO insertion for the first burn. Then, the second burn scrubbing off some of the inclination while raising the apogee. And the third burn raising the perigee while scrubbing off more of the inclination.

...

The Galileo mission profile keeps the orbital inclination the same as the operational orbit (56 degrees), so I don't see how efficient three burns would be for Galileo. Heck, the Galileo missions flown by both Soyuz and Ariane 5 used two upper stage burns.
« Last Edit: 04/27/2024 05:00 am by ZachS09 »
Liftoff for St. Jude's! Go Dragon, Go Falcon, Godspeed Inspiration4!

Offline GewoonLukas_

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1510
  • Lukas C. H.
  • Netherlands
  • Liked: 3643
  • Likes Given: 1806
Falcon 9 has arrived at the pad. As expected, the second stage is equipped with a Mission Extension Kit:
https://nsf.live/spacecoast
« Last Edit: 04/27/2024 10:29 am by GewoonLukas_ »
Lukas C. H. • Hobbyist Mission Patch Artist 🎨 • May the force be with you my friend, Ad Astra Per Aspera ✨️

Offline OneSpeed

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1655
  • Liked: 5119
  • Likes Given: 2171
NGA Rocket Launching notice.

Map from the NGA notice.

Offline edkyle99

  • Expert
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15502
    • Space Launch Report
  • Liked: 8788
  • Likes Given: 1386
This is, apparently, a total of less than 1.5 tonnes of separable payload going to, or near, 23,616 km x 56 deg while expending the first stage.  For comparison, Falcon 9 lifted 4.35 tonne GPS to 392 x 20,163 km x 55 deg while recovering the first stage downrange.  Perhaps the payload adapter that holds these two satellites adds enough additional mass to preclude recovery, but it seems a close call to me.  Second stage disposal after spacecraft separation is part of the equation as well I suppose.

 - Ed Kyle
« Last Edit: 04/27/2024 01:18 pm by edkyle99 »

Offline Jester

  • Administrator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7985
  • Earth
  • Liked: 6560
  • Likes Given: 158
This is, apparently, a total of less than 1.5 tonnes of separable payload going to, or near, 23,616 km x 56 deg while expending the first stage.  For comparison, Falcon 9 lifted 4.35 tonne GPS to 392 x 20,163 km x 55 deg while recovering the first stage downrange.  Perhaps the payload adapter that holds these two satellites adds enough additional mass to preclude recovery, but it seems a close call to me.  Second stage disposal after spacecraft separation is part of the equation as well I suppose.

 - Ed Kyle

Correct.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 50692
  • UK
    • Plan 28
  • Liked: 85214
  • Likes Given: 38173
https://twitter.com/_jaykeegan_/status/1784196238746820661

Quote
Falcon 9 rolled out to LC-39A early this morning ahead of the Galileo FOC FM25 & FM27 mission. Launch is currently scheduled for tonight at 8:34 PM ET (00:34 UTC Sunday) aboard B1060, which will be expended.

Watch live views of 39A on @NASASpaceflight Space Coast Live
nsf.live/starbase

Offline ZachS09

  • Space Savant
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8494
  • Roanoke, TX
  • Liked: 2416
  • Likes Given: 2103
This is, apparently, a total of less than 1.5 tonnes of separable payload going to, or near, 23,616 km x 56 deg while expending the first stage.  For comparison, Falcon 9 lifted 4.35 tonne GPS to 392 x 20,163 km x 55 deg while recovering the first stage downrange.  Perhaps the payload adapter that holds these two satellites adds enough additional mass to preclude recovery, but it seems a close call to me.  Second stage disposal after spacecraft separation is part of the equation as well I suppose.

 - Ed Kyle

Speaking of payload adapters, I sifted through the Arianespace press kits relating to the Soyuz Galileo missions and saw the adapter mass ranges between 150 to 180 kg.

Given a Galileo satellite weighs 733 kg, total payload mass is between 1,616 and 1,646 kg.
Liftoff for St. Jude's! Go Dragon, Go Falcon, Godspeed Inspiration4!

Online Ron Lee

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 117
  • Colorado
  • Liked: 124
  • Likes Given: 0
Second stage disposal after spacecraft separation is part of the equation as well I suppose.

 - Ed Kyle

I doubt that we will see a disposal in the ocean.  Perhaps a two burn raising of the orbit to get it 200 kilometers or so above the operational Galileo orbit.  Element sets may be available after launch and if so will provide that answer.

Online zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11943
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7963
  • Likes Given: 77669
https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1783974479527543186
Quote
Targeting two Falcon 9 launches from Florida this weekend → http://spacex.com/launches

Up first, Falcon 9 will launch the European Commission’s Galileo L12 mission on Saturday from pad 39A.

Then on Sunday, a Falcon 9 launch of 23
@Starlink satellites from pad 40.
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline Jester

  • Administrator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7985
  • Earth
  • Liked: 6560
  • Likes Given: 158
This is, apparently, a total of less than 1.5 tonnes of separable payload going to, or near, 23,616 km x 56 deg while expending the first stage.  For comparison, Falcon 9 lifted 4.35 tonne GPS to 392 x 20,163 km x 55 deg while recovering the first stage downrange.  Perhaps the payload adapter that holds these two satellites adds enough additional mass to preclude recovery, but it seems a close call to me.  Second stage disposal after spacecraft separation is part of the equation as well I suppose.

 - Ed Kyle

Speaking of payload adapters, I sifted through the Arianespace press kits relating to the Soyuz Galileo missions and saw the adapter mass ranges between 150 to 180 kg.

Given a Galileo satellite weighs 733 kg, total payload mass is between 1,616 and 1,646 kg.

thats for a soyuz dispenser, not an F9 one...

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
Second stage disposal after spacecraft separation is part of the equation as well I suppose.

 - Ed Kyle

I doubt that we will see a disposal in the ocean.  Perhaps a two burn raising of the orbit to get it 200 kilometers or so above the operational Galileo orbit.  Element sets may be available after launch and if so will provide that answer.

So far, the Galileo FOC satellites are not been deployed directly into their operational orbit of 23,222 km, but about 300 km above (Soyuz/Fregat) or below (Ariane 5ES).
The upper stages remained there, the satellites drifted to their slots and correct the orbit itself.

Offline ZachS09

  • Space Savant
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8494
  • Roanoke, TX
  • Liked: 2416
  • Likes Given: 2103
This is, apparently, a total of less than 1.5 tonnes of separable payload going to, or near, 23,616 km x 56 deg while expending the first stage.  For comparison, Falcon 9 lifted 4.35 tonne GPS to 392 x 20,163 km x 55 deg while recovering the first stage downrange.  Perhaps the payload adapter that holds these two satellites adds enough additional mass to preclude recovery, but it seems a close call to me.  Second stage disposal after spacecraft separation is part of the equation as well I suppose.

 - Ed Kyle

Speaking of payload adapters, I sifted through the Arianespace press kits relating to the Soyuz Galileo missions and saw the adapter mass ranges between 150 to 180 kg.

Given a Galileo satellite weighs 733 kg, total payload mass is between 1,616 and 1,646 kg.

That's for a Soyuz dispenser, not an F9 one...


But why not somehow attach the Soyuz dispenser to the F9 payload interface?
Liftoff for St. Jude's! Go Dragon, Go Falcon, Godspeed Inspiration4!

Offline GewoonLukas_

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1510
  • Lukas C. H.
  • Netherlands
  • Liked: 3643
  • Likes Given: 1806
SpaceX picture of Falcon 9 vertical:
Lukas C. H. • Hobbyist Mission Patch Artist 🎨 • May the force be with you my friend, Ad Astra Per Aspera ✨️

Offline lrk

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 884
  • Minnesota
  • Liked: 755
  • Likes Given: 1128
Sooty booster next to the clean upper stage almost looks like a bad photoshop job.

Offline LouScheffer

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3452
  • Liked: 6263
  • Likes Given: 882
This is, apparently, a total of less than 1.5 tonnes of separable payload going to, or near, 23,616 km x 56 deg while expending the first stage.  For comparison, Falcon 9 lifted 4.35 tonne GPS to 392 x 20,163 km x 55 deg while recovering the first stage downrange.  Perhaps the payload adapter that holds these two satellites adds enough additional mass to preclude recovery, but it seems a close call to me.  Second stage disposal after spacecraft separation is part of the equation as well I suppose.
This seems consistent with the published performance.  I figured roughly like this.  Starting from a 200 km parking orbit, you need 2180 m/s to get to an apogee of 23200 km.  Then you need 1468 m/s to circularize.  Finally there is about a 200 m/s penalty for the 56 degree orbit.  So overall this is equivalent to a due-east LEO from the Cape + 3848 m/s.  This works out to a C3 of 14.  (Circular GEO is about C3=24, so it's consistent at least.)

Now if you go to the NASA performance calculator, you can select C3=14.  It does not show F9 ASDS.  But we can guess - if we ask for C3 = 10, and get a plot, we can extrapolate.  At C3= 10, F9-ASDS payload is 2200 kg, and it looks like increasing C3 by 4 will drop that by about 600 kg.  So F9 w/ASDS recovery can put about 1600 kg into the desired orbit.   Add up 2 satellites, dispenser, disposal, and boiloff during coast, and almost surely the F9 cannot do this with recovery.

There should be plenty of margin with F9 expendable.  A crude estimate goes like this.  They can skip 20 seconds of 3-engine entry burn, and 30 seconds of 1-engine landing burn.   That's 90 engine-seconds, so 10 more seconds of 9-engine thrust.  Acceleration at burnout is about 3Gs, so that's about 300 m/s.  So now instead of LEO+3848, you need LEO+3548.  That's about a C3 of 7.  This in turn gives a payload of slightly over 2500 kg.  Could potentially even be enough for 3 GPS satellites, but maybe a 3-satellite adapter is too heavy, or 3 satellites don't fit in the fairing.

Offline Ken the Bin

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3098
  • US Pacific Time Zone
    • @kenthebin@spacey.space
  • Liked: 5672
  • Likes Given: 6287
NSF webcast (video id zb8eVJhIp_U):


Online catdlr

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12419
  • Enthusiast since the Redstones
  • Marina del Rey, California, USA
  • Liked: 10145
  • Likes Given: 8484
SpaceX Broadcast Link on Twitter: https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1gqxvQXrWvzJB

Space Affairs YouTube (Re-broadcast):  https://youtube.com/watch?v=mA6znO7TrvQ

Replay supplied by The Space Dev's (15 min after the broadcast end):  https://youtube.com/@thespacedevs/videos

Summary Video provided by SciNews (15 min after the broadcast ends):  https://youtube.com/@SciNewsRo/videos
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Offline Perchlorate

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 483
  • 2 miles from the site of the first successful powered flight.
  • Liked: 1071
  • Likes Given: 1493
Watching from NC Outer Banks, about abeam of the first stage impact point.  About 40% sky cover, so maybe some jelly, maybe not.  T minus 2 minutes, looks like it's going.
Pete B, a Civil Engineer, in an age of incivility.

Offline Perchlorate

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 483
  • 2 miles from the site of the first successful powered flight.
  • Liked: 1071
  • Likes Given: 1493
Falcon 9 in Startup.  LD Go for launch.
Pete B, a Civil Engineer, in an age of incivility.

Offline Perchlorate

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 483
  • 2 miles from the site of the first successful powered flight.
  • Liked: 1071
  • Likes Given: 1493
Liftoff!
Pete B, a Civil Engineer, in an age of incivility.

Offline Perchlorate

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 483
  • 2 miles from the site of the first successful powered flight.
  • Liked: 1071
  • Likes Given: 1493
Staging; about 70% through 2nd stage flight.  Too much clouds, no jellyfish viz.
Pete B, a Civil Engineer, in an age of incivility.

Online catdlr

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12419
  • Enthusiast since the Redstones
  • Marina del Rey, California, USA
  • Liked: 10145
  • Likes Given: 8484
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Online catdlr

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12419
  • Enthusiast since the Redstones
  • Marina del Rey, California, USA
  • Liked: 10145
  • Likes Given: 8484
https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1784381640308928697

Quote
Chris Bergin - NSF
@NASASpaceflight

LAUNCH! SpaceX Falcon 9 B1060-20's final launch, carrying the European Galileo FOC FM25 & FM27 satellites. 

Overview: https://nasaspaceflight.com/2024/04/launch-roundup-042224/

NSF Livestream: https://youtube.com/watch?v=zb8eVJhIp_U


Quote
Chris Bergin - NSF
@NASASpaceflight
Staging 1-2.

Farewell, B1060, and we thank you.
« Last Edit: 04/28/2024 01:05 am by catdlr »
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Online catdlr

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12419
  • Enthusiast since the Redstones
  • Marina del Rey, California, USA
  • Liked: 10145
  • Likes Given: 8484
https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1784381758399554041

Quote
SpaceX
@SpaceX
Fairing separation confirmed. This marks the 200th mission to use flight-proven fairings!
5:38 PM · Apr 27, 2024
« Last Edit: 04/28/2024 12:59 am by catdlr »
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Offline gtae07

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 156
  • Georgia, USA
  • Liked: 337
  • Likes Given: 490
From the front yard, we got a hole in the clouds and a beautiful view... one that unfortunately we don't get much anymore now that all the Starlink launches go southeast  :(
« Last Edit: 04/28/2024 12:44 am by gtae07 »

Online catdlr

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12419
  • Enthusiast since the Redstones
  • Marina del Rey, California, USA
  • Liked: 10145
  • Likes Given: 8484
https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1784381829388333385

Quote
SpaceX
@SpaceX
Due to the additional performance required to deliver the payload to medium Earth orbit, this mission marks the 20th and final launch for this Falcon 9 first stage booster
5:39 PM · Apr 27, 2024

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1784381903954698245

Quote
SpaceX
@SpaceX
The last time a first stage was expended during a Falcon 9 mission was 146 flights ago in November 2022. On most Falcon 9 missions, enough propellant remains in the first stage after stage separation to enable landing, recovery, and ultimately reuse on future missions
5:39 PM · Apr 27, 2024

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1784382036096242138

Quote
SpaceX
@SpaceX
We’re working toward qualifying our fleet of Falcon boosters and fairings to support 40 missions each. Increasing Falcon's flight count provides valuable information on repeated reuse, a critical element for making life multiplanetary with Starship
5:40 PM · Apr 27, 2024
« Last Edit: 04/28/2024 01:01 am by catdlr »
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Online catdlr

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12419
  • Enthusiast since the Redstones
  • Marina del Rey, California, USA
  • Liked: 10145
  • Likes Given: 8484
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Online catdlr

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12419
  • Enthusiast since the Redstones
  • Marina del Rey, California, USA
  • Liked: 10145
  • Likes Given: 8484
https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1784382036096242138

Quote
The last time a first stage was expended during a Falcon 9 mission was 146 flights ago in November 2022. On most Falcon 9 missions, enough propellant remains in the first stage after stage separation to enable landing, recovery, and ultimately reuse on future missions

Quote
SpaceX
@SpaceX
We’re working toward qualifying our fleet of Falcon boosters and fairings to support 40 missions each. Increasing Falcon's flight count provides valuable information on repeated reuse, a critical element for making life multiplanetary with Starship
5:40 PM · Apr 27, 2024
« Last Edit: 04/28/2024 12:57 am by catdlr »
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Online catdlr

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12419
  • Enthusiast since the Redstones
  • Marina del Rey, California, USA
  • Liked: 10145
  • Likes Given: 8484
Full SpaceX broadcast replay (via The Space Devs):

« Last Edit: 04/28/2024 12:58 am by catdlr »
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Online catdlr

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12419
  • Enthusiast since the Redstones
  • Marina del Rey, California, USA
  • Liked: 10145
  • Likes Given: 8484
Summary Video of Launch (via the SciNews):

« Last Edit: 04/28/2024 01:06 am by catdlr »
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Offline cpushack

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 395
  • Klamath Falls, Oregon
  • Liked: 472
  • Likes Given: 132
The end of the webcast had some nice animation/stats

430 reused fairing so far

Thats pretty impressive $6 million a set, $1.3 billion saved (minus refurb/recovery costs)

Online catdlr

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12419
  • Enthusiast since the Redstones
  • Marina del Rey, California, USA
  • Liked: 10145
  • Likes Given: 8484
The end of the webcast had some nice animation/stats

430 reused fairing so far

Thats pretty impressive $6 million a set, $1.3 billion saved (minus refurb/recovery costs)

and here is that animation/stats clip (credit: SpaceX)

« Last Edit: 04/28/2024 01:17 am by catdlr »
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Offline Steven Pietrobon

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 39463
  • Adelaide, Australia
    • Steven Pietrobon's Space Archive
  • Liked: 33125
  • Likes Given: 8906
Sorry for the late post, but here's the PDF of the online press kit.
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Online Ron Lee

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 117
  • Colorado
  • Liked: 124
  • Likes Given: 0
From the front yard, we got a hole in the clouds and a beautiful view... one that unfortunately we don't get much anymore now that all the Starlink launches go southeast  :(

Are the two close bright objects in the tail the fairing halves?

Offline cpushack

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 395
  • Klamath Falls, Oregon
  • Liked: 472
  • Likes Given: 132
Someone with some video editing MAY be able to catch fairing sep off the reflection on the glass wall in mission control, you could see something happening reflecting off the monitors

Credit my wife for noting it

Online catdlr

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12419
  • Enthusiast since the Redstones
  • Marina del Rey, California, USA
  • Liked: 10145
  • Likes Given: 8484
Someone with some video editing MAY be able to catch fairing sep off the reflection on the glass wall in mission control, you could see something happening reflecting off the monitors

Credit my wife for noting it

Good catch, The visual of the faring sep appears just a few seconds after the start of the video clip.  Keep your eyes on the reflection on the back glass wall where the Black landing leg (hanging from the ceiling) is located.

« Last Edit: 04/28/2024 02:47 am by catdlr »
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

One object from the launch currently recorded on Space-Track as 2024-079A/59598 in a 167 x 23176 km x 54.69° orbit.

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1784402379569574316

Quote
Falcon 9 launches from LC-39A in Florida
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery.

Offline Targeteer

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6508
  • near hangar 18
  • Liked: 3819
  • Likes Given: 1272
Best quote heard during an inspection, "I was unaware that I was the only one who was aware."

Offline shiro

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 182
  • Liked: 456
  • Likes Given: 587
Some reusability stats for this launch (Galileo FM25 & FM27):

Booster B1060.20 turnaround time:
34 days 21 hours 25 minutes
(its previous mission was Starlink Group 6-42 on Mar 24, 2024 UTC).

FYI: median turnaround time for Falcon 9 / Heavy boosters is currently 40.05 days *
* – based on the last 30 launches, excluding new first stages.

Launchpad LC-39A turnaround time:
10 days 3 hours 8 minutes
(the previous launch from this pad was Starlink Group 6-51 on Apr 17, 2024 UTC).

FYI: median turnaround time for LC-39A is currently 17.64 days *
* – based on the last 30 launches.

The same type of stats for previous SpaceX launches may be found on this spreadsheet online.

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Launch success has been confirmed by the customer:

https://twitter.com/EU4Space/status/1784445305846419959

Quote
🛰28 April: the EU launched 2 new Galileo satellites!

Earlier this morning, the Galileo satellites were ejected from the launcher's upper stage & reached the Holding Point. They are currently managed by #EUSPA as part of the Launch & Early Orbit Phase (LEOP).

What happens now?

Over the following days, the EUSPA Launch & Early Orbit Phase team will be manoeuvring the satellites from the dedicated #Galileo Control Center in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany until they are placed into their home orbit at 23 220 km.

Galileo LEOP operations will constitute one of the most cooperative activities between numerous European entities in the #EUSpace sector, including EUSPA, @spaceopal, @DLR_en, German Space Operations Center, @telespazio and @esa.

Galileo: financed by the EU, developed by ESA, services delivered by EUSPA. This is #EUSpace!

And the official Galileo system NAGU (Notice Advisory to Galileo Users):

DATE GENERATED (UTC): 2024-04-28 05:20

NAGU TYPE: GENERAL (LAUNCH)
NAGU NUMBER: 2024020
NAGU SUBJECT: LAUNCH OF GSAT0225 AND GSAT0227
NAGU REFERENCED TO: N/A
START DATE EVENT (UTC): 2024-04-28 00:34
END DATE EVENT (UTC): N/A
SATELLITE AFFECTED: GSAT0225, GSAT0227

EVENT DESCRIPTION: GALILEO SATELLITES GSAT0225 (SVID 29) AND GSAT0227 (SVID 06) WERE LAUNCHED ON 2024-04-28 AT 00:34 UTC. GSAT0225 AND GSAT0227 ARE PLANNED TO BE POSITIONED IN SLOTS C05 AND C12 OF THE CONSTELLATION. USERS WILL BE ADVISED OF AVAILABILITY OF SIGNALS FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF COMMISSIONING ACTIVITIES.
« Last Edit: 04/28/2024 05:29 am by Galactic Penguin SST »
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery.

Offline Rik ISS-fan

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1609
  • the Netherlands
  • Liked: 693
  • Likes Given: 215
Thanks SpaceX for 'rescuing' the Galileo GNSS by performing this launch.

But, hopefully you do agree that this is not the correct method to perform launches like this.
The F9 second stage for this launch was directly added to the catalog of permanent items of space debris, in MEO. The most dangerous items of space debris are the Zenit-2 second stages in SSO orbit, but those will decay in a couple hundred years. The F9 second stages from the Galileo launches will not decay over time.
There was a lot of outrage about the Long March 5B launches that left the CZ-5-500 core stage into leo for uncontrolled reentry. I think these Galileo launches also deserve objection.

I think this launch should have used a kick-stage (3th stage) to circularize the orbit from the ~200x23000 56deg parking orbit. This kick stage would become the item of space debris, and the F9 second stage could reenter after a reentry burn.
Now my questions is; does a launch like this allow the booster to be recovered?
And could this even allow 4 instead of 2 Galileo Gen1 satellites to be launch on a launch (1,5mT => 3mT payload mass to MEO) 
This launch could be performed with a stand (long nozzle Mvac) upper-stage instead of the long coasting version. Possibly even the stubby Mvac could suffice. 

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1784381829388333385

Quote
SpaceX
@SpaceX
Due to the additional performance required to deliver the payload to medium Earth orbit, this mission marks the 20th and final launch for this Falcon 9 first stage booster
5:39 PM · Apr 27, 2024

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1784381903954698245

Quote
SpaceX
@SpaceX
The last time a first stage was expended during a Falcon 9 mission was 146 flights ago in November 2022. On most Falcon 9 missions, enough propellant remains in the first stage after stage separation to enable landing, recovery, and ultimately reuse on future missions
5:39 PM · Apr 27, 2024

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1784382036096242138

Quote
SpaceX
@SpaceX
We’re working toward qualifying our fleet of Falcon boosters and fairings to support 40 missions each. Increasing Falcon's flight count provides valuable information on repeated reuse, a critical element for making life multiplanetary with Starship
5:40 PM · Apr 27, 2024

Is the aim for 40 missions on a falcon 9 a new goal or was this mentioned earlier?
With the change from max 20 to max 40 missions per falcon 9 booster, there are even less boosters available for expendable missions. Might this also motivate SpaceX to introduce a kick-stage in their offering?

To be clear. SpaceX came to the rescue here for the pis por performing European space industry. Soyuz-ST became unavailable because Russia invaded Ukraine, an as result European countries imposed (financial) sanctions on Russia. So payments for Soyuz-ST launch services are blocked.
On the other hand, the required European launcher for this mission, was eighter Ariane 5 ES (retired in 2018) or Ariane 62 with Astris kick stage. Most likely that won't be available before 2026.

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

But, hopefully you do agree that this is not the correct method to perform launches like this.
The F9 second stage for this launch was directly added to the catalog of permanent items of space debris, in MEO. The most dangerous items of space debris are the Zenit-2 second stages in SSO orbit, but those will decay in a couple hundred years. The F9 second stages from the Galileo launches will not decay over time.
There was a lot of outrage about the Long March 5B launches that left the CZ-5-500 core stage into leo for uncontrolled reentry. I think these Galileo launches also deserve objection.

I think this launch should have used a kick-stage (3th stage) to circularize the orbit from the ~200x23000 56deg parking orbit. This kick stage would become the item of space debris, and the F9 second stage could reenter after a reentry burn.
Now my questions is; does a launch like this allow the booster to be recovered?
And could this even allow 4 instead of 2 Galileo Gen1 satellites to be launch on a launch (1,5mT => 3mT payload mass to MEO) 
This launch could be performed with a stand (long nozzle Mvac) upper-stage instead of the long coasting version. Possibly even the stubby Mvac could suffice. 

From what I gather, the usage of expendable 1st stage was exactly because of additional power needed to lower the stage's orbit perigee for disposal after the mission, if not de-orbiting straight from MEO (less likely since I didn't find an air/marine space closure notice for this). If not I thought they can recover the booster via ASDS.
We will see where this ends up on USSF's data later.
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery.

Offline hektor

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2755
  • Liked: 1234
  • Likes Given: 55
It is interesting to compare the statement of EUSPA with the statement of ESA about launch of EUCLID

https://twitter.com/ESA_Euclid/status/1675171388603105284

Offline GewoonLukas_

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1510
  • Lukas C. H.
  • Netherlands
  • Liked: 3643
  • Likes Given: 1806
Sebastian Rosiak saluting B1060 in Mission Control 😂😂
Lukas C. H. • Hobbyist Mission Patch Artist 🎨 • May the force be with you my friend, Ad Astra Per Aspera ✨️

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
But, hopefully you do agree that this is not the correct method to perform launches like this.
The F9 second stage for this launch was directly added to the catalog of permanent items of space debris, in MEO. The most dangerous items of space debris are the Zenit-2 second stages in SSO orbit, but those will decay in a couple hundred years. The F9 second stages from the Galileo launches will not decay over time.
There was a lot of outrage about the Long March 5B launches that left the CZ-5-500 core stage into leo for uncontrolled reentry. I think these Galileo launches also deserve objection.

I think this launch should have used a kick-stage (3th stage) to circularize the orbit from the ~200x23000 56deg parking orbit. This kick stage would become the item of space debris, and the F9 second stage could reenter after a reentry burn.
Now my questions is; does a launch like this allow the booster to be recovered?
And could this even allow 4 instead of 2 Galileo Gen1 satellites to be launch on a launch (1,5mT => 3mT payload mass to MEO) 
This launch could be performed with a stand (long nozzle Mvac) upper-stage instead of the long coasting version. Possibly even the stubby Mvac could suffice. 

From what I gather, the usage of expendable 1st stage was exactly because of additional power needed to lower the stage's orbit perigee for disposal after the mission, if not de-orbiting straight from MEO (less likely since I didn't find an air/marine space closure notice for this). If not I thought they can recover the booster via ASDS.
We will see where this ends up on USSF's data later.

It is possible that some fuel had to remain as ballast in the second stage anyway.
Otherwise the loads for the light payload would increase to over 5g, with the lowest engine throttle (40% thrust?).
This fuel could then be used for the deorbit.
But that's just a layman's assumption. Wait and see.

Offline scr00chy

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1196
  • Czechia
    • ElonX.net
  • Liked: 1694
  • Likes Given: 1690
The end of the webcast had some nice animation/stats

430 reused fairing so far

Thats pretty impressive $6 million a set, $1.3 billion saved (minus refurb/recovery costs)

Correction: 430 LANDED fairings.

They mentioned earlier in the webcast that this was the 200th mission with a reused fairing, so the total number of already reused fairings can't be over 400. (It's actually less because some early missions launched with only one reused fairing half.)

Offline mandrewa

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 634
  • Liked: 466
  • Likes Given: 8529
I think this launch should have used a kick-stage (3th stage) to circularize the orbit from the ~200x23000 56deg parking orbit. This kick stage would become the item of space debris, and the F9 second stage could reenter after a reentry burn.

Why is a kick stage in parking orbit better than a F9 second stage in orbit?

Also will Ariane 6 leave a kick-stage in a parking orbit when it deploys future Galileo satellites?

And what would the Soyuz-ST have left behind if it had been used?

Offline LouScheffer

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3452
  • Liked: 6263
  • Likes Given: 882
There should be plenty of margin with F9 expendable.  A crude estimate goes like this.  They can skip 20 seconds of 3-engine entry burn, and 30 seconds of 1-engine landing burn.   That's 90 engine-seconds, so 10 more seconds of 9-engine thrust.  Acceleration at burnout is about 3Gs, so that's about 300 m/s.  So now instead of LEO+3848, you need LEO+3548.  That's about a C3 of 7.  This in turn gives a payload of slightly over 2500 kg.  Could potentially even be enough for 3 GPS satellites, but maybe a 3-satellite adapter is too heavy, or 3 satellites don't fit in the fairing.
This mission staged at 9998 km/hr, where the last StarLink mission staged at 7951 km/hr.  That's a difference of 571 m/s.  A lot of this, though, was due to the lighter rocket.  The payload was about 2 tonnes instead of 17, and there were no landing legs or grid fins (maybe 4? tonnes).  That alone is enough to increase the first stage delta-V by about 222 m/s.  The rest (about 349 m/s) is due to using the fuel normally saved for landing, and presumably better aerodynamics (no idea how much this contributes).

Offline ZachS09

  • Space Savant
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8494
  • Roanoke, TX
  • Liked: 2416
  • Likes Given: 2103
https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1784423443787599878

I guess this confirms my theory about there being two M-Vac burns to insert the Galileo satellites into MEO.
Liftoff for St. Jude's! Go Dragon, Go Falcon, Godspeed Inspiration4!

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
So now there are 3 objects
screenshot Celestrak

Offline PM3

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1527
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1892
  • Likes Given: 1354
...

Also, what are the official nicknames for the satellites?  Is Patrick still official for FM25?  And what about FM27?

FM23 was Patrick and, according to my logic, still is.
https://www.ohb.de/en/news/2019/first-galileo-batch-3-payload-patrick-reached-ohb
Patrick Galvin is the winner for United Kingdom in the 2011 Drawing Competition. So long before Brexit.
The last one, because U is way back in the alphabet. Order by country name in local language, I believe.
Only then will the winners of the 2019 competition come: Nikolina (Croatia), Shriya (Norway) and Julina (Switzerland)

Someone at EUSPA has a different logic (at the bottom of the page) and has pushed Patrick back or even removed him.
https://www.gsc-europa.eu/system-service-status/orbital-and-technical-parameters

So launch 11 was the first without nickname on satellite label, because nobody understands it.
picture https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43751.msg2314253#msg2314253
and  https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43751.msg2318282#msg2318282

GSAT0223 was the first Galileo satellite launched after Brexit. It should have gotten the British name Patrick, but ... well. The mood here in continental Europe was pretty bad then regaring the UK, so a British name for a new EU satellite obviously would have been a political issue. The naming then was deferred until comissioning, 6 month after launch, which indicates an ongoing discussion, until the final decision to dump Patrick the Briton.

And again, GSAT0225 and GSAT0227 have not been named before launch, which means that this naming issue still looms. Are we still mad about Brexit and need a new name, or are we ready to welcome back the UK in space?
« Last Edit: 04/30/2024 07:02 pm by PM3 »
"Never, never be afraid of the truth." -- Jim Bridenstine

Offline jacqmans

  • Moderator
  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 21808
  • Houten, The Netherlands
  • Liked: 8704
  • Likes Given: 321
Two new satellites join the Galileo constellation
29/04/2024

The European Galileo navigation system has two more satellites in orbit following their launch in the early morning of Sunday, 28 April, at 01:34 BST/02:34 CEST. With 30 satellites now in orbit, Galileo is expanding its constellation, increasing the reliability, robustness and, ultimately, the precision, benefiting billions of users worldwide.

Already the most precise satellite navigation system in the world and the largest European constellation of satellites, Galileo has been operational since 2016, when Initial Services were declared. Galileo is making a difference across the fields of rail, maritime, agriculture, financial timing services and rescue operations.

Many strategic sectors depend on it: already 10% of the EU's yearly GDP relies on satellite navigation and this is set to increase. From finding our way, to supporting Search and Rescue activities and providing ultra-precise timestamps for all kinds of institutional and commercial applications, Galileo is integral to our everyday lives.

Since the conception of Galileo, 38 Galileo satellites have been developed and tested by ESA and European industry for the EU’s Galileo programme. Of these, four In-Orbit-Validation and 26 Full Operation Capability satellites have been placed in orbit with 12 launches.

This launch is taking place only a few days after the new Public Regulated Service (PRS) signals started to be broadcasted. This encrypted navigation service is specifically designed for authorised governmental users and sensitive applications, contributing to increase Europe’s autonomy and resilience in the critical domain of satellite navigation.

The eight remaining Galileo First Generation satellites are ready to be launched soon, after which a Second Generation (G2) of satellites will start joining the constellation, expected in 2026 with the Ariane 6 launcher. ESA, as Galileo's design authority and system development prime, is working with European industry to develop the G2 satellites that will revolutionise the fleet with enhanced capabilities. G2 satellites will use electric propulsion and host a more powerful navigation antenna, more and even better atomic clocks and fully digital payloads.

https://www.esa.int/Applications/Satellite_navigation/Two_new_satellites_join_the_Galileo_constellation2
Jacques :-)

Offline jpo234

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2050
  • Liked: 2323
  • Likes Given: 2234
The European Galileo navigation system has two more satellites in orbit following their launch in the early morning of Sunday, 28 April, at 01:34 BST/02:34 CEST.
The unmentionables: SpaceX, Falcon 9 and the Cape.

For comparison the report of the previous launch from 2021:

Quote
Europe’s largest satellite constellation has grown even bigger, following the launch of two more Galileo navigation satellites by Soyuz launcher from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on 5 December.
« Last Edit: 04/29/2024 12:14 pm by jpo234 »
You want to be inspired by things. You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great. That's what being a spacefaring civilization is all about. It's about believing in the future and believing the future will be better than the past. And I can't think of anything more exciting than being out there among the stars.

Offline Perchlorate

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 483
  • 2 miles from the site of the first successful powered flight.
  • Liked: 1071
  • Likes Given: 1493
The European Galileo navigation system has two more satellites in orbit following their launch in the early morning of Sunday, 28 April, at 01:34 BST/02:34 CEST.
The unmentionables: SpaceX, Falcon 9 and the Cape.

For comparison the report of the previous launch from 2021:

Quote
Europe’s largest satellite constellation has grown even bigger, following the launch of two more Galileo navigation satellites by Soyuz launcher from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on 5 December.

Somewhat understandable; mildly petty.  <shrug>
Pete B, a Civil Engineer, in an age of incivility.

Offline gbl

  • Member
  • Posts: 25
  • US
  • Liked: 24
  • Likes Given: 27
Two new satellites join the Galileo constellation
29/04/2024

The European Galileo navigation system has two more satellites in orbit following their launch in the early morning of Sunday, 28 April, at 01:34 BST/02:34 CEST. With 30 satellites now in orbit, Galileo is expanding its constellation, increasing the reliability, robustness and, ultimately, the precision, benefiting billions of users worldwide.

Already the most precise satellite navigation system in the world and the largest European constellation of satellites, Galileo has been operational since 2016, when Initial Services were declared. Galileo is making a difference across the fields of rail, maritime, agriculture, financial timing services and rescue operations.

Many strategic sectors depend on it: already 10% of the EU's yearly GDP relies on satellite navigation and this is set to increase. From finding our way, to supporting Search and Rescue activities and providing ultra-precise timestamps for all kinds of institutional and commercial applications, Galileo is integral to our everyday lives.

Since the conception of Galileo, 38 Galileo satellites have been developed and tested by ESA and European industry for the EU’s Galileo programme. Of these, four In-Orbit-Validation and 26 Full Operation Capability satellites have been placed in orbit with 12 launches.

This launch is taking place only a few days after the new Public Regulated Service (PRS) signals started to be broadcasted. This encrypted navigation service is specifically designed for authorised governmental users and sensitive applications, contributing to increase Europe’s autonomy and resilience in the critical domain of satellite navigation.

The eight remaining Galileo First Generation satellites are ready to be launched soon, after which a Second Generation (G2) of satellites will start joining the constellation, expected in 2026 with the Ariane 6 launcher. ESA, as Galileo's design authority and system development prime, is working with European industry to develop the G2 satellites that will revolutionise the fleet with enhanced capabilities. G2 satellites will use electric propulsion and host a more powerful navigation antenna, more and even better atomic clocks and fully digital payloads.

https://www.esa.int/Applications/Satellite_navigation/Two_new_satellites_join_the_Galileo_constellation2
It appears the quoted article has been updated, it now reads:
Quote
The European Galileo navigation system has two more satellites in orbit following their launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in the early morning of Sunday, 28 April, at 01:34 BST/02:34 CEST. With 30 satellites now in orbit, Galileo is expanding its constellation, increasing the reliability, robustness and, ultimately, the precision, benefiting billions of users worldwide.

Offline Targeteer

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6508
  • near hangar 18
  • Liked: 3819
  • Likes Given: 1272
Best quote heard during an inspection, "I was unaware that I was the only one who was aware."

Offline jpo234

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2050
  • Liked: 2323
  • Likes Given: 2234
It appears the quoted article has been updated, it now reads:
Quote
The European Galileo navigation system has two more satellites in orbit following their launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in the early morning of Sunday, 28 April, at 01:34 BST/02:34 CEST. With 30 satellites now in orbit, Galileo is expanding its constellation, increasing the reliability, robustness and, ultimately, the precision, benefiting billions of users worldwide.

Huh. This is what I see as of 2024-04-29T17:44:15Z:

Quote
The European Galileo navigation system has two more satellites in orbit following their launch in the early morning of Sunday, 28 April, at 01:34 BST/02:34 CEST. With 30 satellites now in orbit, Galileo is expanding its constellation, increasing the reliability, robustness and, ultimately, the precision, benefiting billions of users worldwide.

Curious.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
« Last Edit: 04/29/2024 05:51 pm by jpo234 »
You want to be inspired by things. You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great. That's what being a spacefaring civilization is all about. It's about believing in the future and believing the future will be better than the past. And I can't think of anything more exciting than being out there among the stars.

Offline Rik ISS-fan

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1609
  • the Netherlands
  • Liked: 693
  • Likes Given: 215
I think this launch should have used a kick-stage (3th stage) to circularize the orbit from the ~200x23000 56deg parking orbit. This kick stage would become the item of space debris, and the F9 second stage could reenter after a reentry burn.

Why is a kick stage in parking orbit better than a F9 second stage in orbit?

Also will Ariane 6 leave a kick-stage in a parking orbit when it deploys future Galileo satellites?

And what would the Soyuz-ST have left behind if it had been used?
Soyuz-ST launches with 2x Galileo satellites left the Fregat 4th (kick) stage in a MEO graveyard orbit.
Ariane 5 ES launches with 4x Galileo satellites left the EPS L10 upper stage un the MEO graveyard orbit.
I hope the plan with Ariane 6 is to utilize the Ariane 62 with Astris kick-stage. Otherwise most likely the Ariane 64 is required. The ULPM or the Artris kick-stage remain in the MEO graveyard orbit.
With the Falcon 9 the upperstage remains in the graveyard orbit.
I think that when a ~1mT weighing (>75% propellent mass) kick stage was used the first stage could have landed while two satellites were launched.

what is the advantage of a kick stage over a upper stage into the parking orbit. I estimate an order of magnitude less mass. Instead of the ~4mT Falcon 9 upperstage (empty mass) [or Ariane 6 ULPM] a 0.4mT kick stage.
The Falcon 9 second stage empty mass made this launch so hard.
A downside is the smaller size making it harder to track.

SpaceX has a remarkable record in minimizing orbital debris with there Falcon 9 operations. This is one of the very few bad examples. Possibly the long coasting Falcon 9 upperstage also includes a more elaborate stage passivation system.
On this very specific launch requirement, Soyuz-2/ST outperforms Falcon 9 in terms of payload mass capability. The addition of a 3th (kick) stage possibly triples the payload capability of Falcon 9 to high MEO orbits.
For the second generation of Galileo GNSS satellites, EU/ESA plan to utilize larger 2mT weighing satellites. And if I'm not mistaken, they aim for the continuation of launching two satellites each launch. 

The GPS III satelites utilize onboard propellent to get the satellites from the MEO transfer orbit (MTO, similar to GTO) nto the MEO orbit. Those satellites have a mass of >4mT. (F9-197/ 1077.2)
Edit to add: Also F9-088/ 1060.1. thanks for pointing out nzguy
« Last Edit: 05/01/2024 11:56 am by Rik ISS-fan »

Offline mandrewa

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 634
  • Liked: 466
  • Likes Given: 8529
I think this launch should have used a kick-stage (3th stage) to circularize the orbit from the ~200x23000 56deg parking orbit. This kick stage would become the item of space debris, and the F9 second stage could reenter after a reentry burn.

Why is a kick stage in parking orbit better than a F9 second stage in orbit?

Also will Ariane 6 leave a kick-stage in a parking orbit when it deploys future Galileo satellites?

And what would the Soyuz-ST have left behind if it had been used?
Soyuz-ST launches with 2x Galileo satellites left the Fregat 4th (kick) stage in a MEO graveyard orbit.
Ariane 5 ES launches with 4x Galileo satellites left the EPS L10 upper stage un the MEO graveyard orbit.
I hope the plan with Ariane 6 is to utilize the Ariane 62 with Astris kick-stage. Otherwise most likely the Ariane 64 is required. The ULPM or the Artris kick-stage remain in the MEO graveyard orbit.
With the Falcon 9 the upperstage remains in the graveyard orbit.
I think that when a ~1mT weighing (>75% propellent mass) kick stage was used the first stage could have landed while two satellites were launched.

what is the advantage of a kick stage over a upper stage into the parking orbit. I estimate an order of magnitude less mass. Instead of the ~4mT Falcon 9 upperstage (empty mass) [or Ariane 6 ULPM] a 0.4mT kick stage.
The Falcon 9 second stage empty mass made this launch so hard.
A downside is the smaller size making it harder to track.

SpaceX has a remarkable record in minimizing orbital debris with there Falcon 9 operations. This is one of the very few bad examples. Possibly the long coasting Falcon 9 upperstage also includes a more elaborate stage passivation system.
On this very specific launch requirement, Soyuz-2/ST outperforms Falcon 9 in terms of payload mass capability. The addition of a 3th (kick) stage possibly triples the payload capability of Falcon 9 to high MEO orbits.
For the second generation of Galileo GNSS satellites, EU/ESA plan to utilize larger 2mT weighing satellites. And if I'm not mistaken, they aim for the continuation of launching two satellites each launch. 

The GPS III satelites utilize onboard propellent to get the satellites from the MEO transfer orbit (MTO, similar to GTO) nto the MEO orbit. Those satellites have a mass of >4mT. (F9-197/ 1077.2)

That's a good answer.  Your concern is mainly that the Falcon 9 second stage has a larger mass (maybe 10x more) than a kick stage.  I'm not sure that's all that profound a difference.  But I understand your logic.

Offline nzguy

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 238
  • Liked: 188
  • Likes Given: 1
Very interesting that this F9 booster also launched a GPS satellite. Only booster to have launched satellites for two different GNSS constellations?

Bob returned to PC on Apr 30 @ 10:41pm ET

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134
...

Also, what are the official nicknames for the satellites?  Is Patrick still official for FM25?  And what about FM27?

FM23 was Patrick and, according to my logic, still is.
https://www.ohb.de/en/news/2019/first-galileo-batch-3-payload-patrick-reached-ohb
Patrick Galvin is the winner for United Kingdom in the 2011 Drawing Competition. So long before Brexit.
The last one, because U is way back in the alphabet. Order by country name in local language, I believe.
Only then will the winners of the 2019 competition come: Nikolina (Croatia), Shriya (Norway) and Julina (Switzerland)

Someone at EUSPA has a different logic (at the bottom of the page) and has pushed Patrick back or even removed him.
https://www.gsc-europa.eu/system-service-status/orbital-and-technical-parameters

So launch 11 was the first without nickname on satellite label, because nobody understands it.
picture https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43751.msg2314253#msg2314253
and  https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43751.msg2318282#msg2318282

GSAT0223 was the first Galileo satellite launched after Brexit. It should have gotten the British name Patrick, but ... well. The mood here in continental Europe was pretty bad then regaring the UK, so a British name for a new EU satellite obviously would have been a political issue. The naming then was deferred until comissioning, 6 month after launch, which indicates an ongoing discussion, until the final decision to dump Patrick the Briton.

And again, GSAT0225 and GSAT0227 have not been named before launch, which means that this naming issue still looms. Are we still mad about Brexit and need a new name, or are we ready to welcome back the UK in space?

Yes, you guessed it right, no names.
This is a drawing competition for children!
Can't we just leave politics out of it?

https://www.gsc-europa.eu/system-service-status/orbital-and-technical-parameters
« Last Edit: 05/04/2024 02:10 pm by GWR64 »

Offline GWR64

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1877
  • Germany
  • Liked: 1815
  • Likes Given: 1134

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
1