Any idea why Group 4-2 is so much delayed.
The reason this mission has been delayed so long is because it may be a rideshare mission (a SpaceX official commented a few weeks ago that such a mission was expected), Blue Walker 3 maybe the satellite that will travel on this mission, perhaps there are more satellites onboard.https://twitter.com/AST_SpaceMobile/status/1536318439274565634
The BW3 will operate at an inclination angle of between 97.4 and 97.8 degrees, at an altitude ofbetween 500 and 600 km.
QuoteThe BW3 will operate at an inclination angle of between 97.4 and 97.8 degrees, at an altitude ofbetween 500 and 600 km.https://fcc.report/ELS/AST-Science-LLC/1059-EX-CN-2020/265582.pdf
AST SpaceMobile was notified by SpaceX, its launch provider, of an updated launch window for early to mid-September, from the previously announced window targeting the week of August 15, 2022. There has been no change to BlueWalker 3 satellite preparations and the AST SpaceMobile team remains on schedule. [June 29]
https://twitter.com/AbelAvellan/status/1549213346490114048QuoteGetting BlueWalker 3 ready to leave Midland!
Getting BlueWalker 3 ready to leave Midland!
AST SpaceMobile says its BlueWalker 3 test satellite has been fully assembled and left the factory for environmental testing. It is due to launch in mid-September.
No circular reasoning fwiw. It's a rideshare. Couldn't confirm whether it is BlueWalker 3 or not but there's a rideshare on this mission
FCC permit is out https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=117382&RequestTimeout=1000
This application uses information from previous grant 1149-EX-ST-2022. This STA is necessary to authorize launch vehicle communications for Mission 1714 Starlink Group 4-2 from Cape Canaveral FL at LC-40 CCAFS or LC-39a at KSC, and the experimental recovery operation following the Falcon 9 launch.
Also says 513km injection orbit
BlueWalker 3 test satellite (BW3) has arrived at Cape Canaveral. The satellite recently departed an off-site testing facility in California after collecting flight data for the upcoming planned launch to low Earth orbit, with a launch window for early to mid-September.
Made in TX — size matters! #BlueWalker3's 693 sq ft array would be largest-ever commercial comms array in LEO. We're building the first & only cellular broadband network in space backed by 2,400 patent and patent-pending claims. Removing before-flight tags today!!! 🦾🤠🇺🇸 #5G🌐📶
BW3 is huge. Where do the Starlink sats go?
http://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Guide.html[September 3 update]QuoteThe next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from pad 40 will launch a Starlink batch on September 4 at 10:09pm EDT. A Falcon 9 from pad 39A will launch a Starlink batch on September 10 at 7:51pm EDT.
The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from pad 40 will launch a Starlink batch on September 4 at 10:09pm EDT. A Falcon 9 from pad 39A will launch a Starlink batch on September 10 at 7:51pm EDT.
According to the official mission page, it's 51 Starlink sats + SHERPA.Also, the booster is B1052.7 instead of B1067.6 as previously reported. That's a pretty wild turnaround because B1052 was still lying in Port Canaveral on August 17:
010903Z SEP 22NAVAREA IV 899/22(11,26).WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.FLORIDA.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING 102341Z TO 110246Z SEP, ALTERNATE 112319Z TO 120225Z, 122258Z TO 130203Z, 132236Z TO 140141Z, 142215Z TO 150120Z, 152153Z TO 160058Z AND 162131Z TO 170037Z SEP IN AREAS BOUND BY: A. 28-39.53N 080-38.06W, 28-40.00N 080-38.00W, 29-10.00N 080-08.00W, 29-47.00N 079-23.00W, 29-41.00N 079-18.00W, 28-58.00N 080-00.00W, 28-30.00N 080-31.00W, 28-30.51N 080-33.05W. B. 32-09.00N 076-48.00W, 32-26.00N 076-27.00W, 32-49.00N 076-09.00W, 32-58.00N 075-51.00W, 33-14.00N 075-38.00W, 33-25.00N 075-12.00W, 33-24.00N 074-41.00W, 33-10.00N 074-31.00W, 32-55.00N 074-33.00W, 32-42.00N 074-54.00W, 31-57.00N 076-37.00W.2. CANCEL THIS MSG 170137Z SEP 22.//
060021Z SEP 22HYDROPAC 2455/22(83).SOUTH PACIFIC.DNC 06.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS 110224Z TO 110500Z, 120202Z TO 120439Z, 130141Z TO 130417Z, 140119Z TO 140355Z, 150058Z TO 150334Z, 160036Z TO 160312Z, 170014Z TO 170251Z SEP IN AREA BOUND BY 10-28.00S 157-00.00W, 00-25.00S 149-29.00W, 01-35.00S 147-57.00W, 13-52.00S 157-00.00W.2. CANCEL THIS MSG 170351Z SEP 22.
NGA notice.
Maps from the NGA notice. The booster landing area is an interesting shape, but I suspect the space debris area in French Polynesia is not yet complete.
060907Z SEP 22HYDROPAC 2460/22(83).EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.EASTERN SOUTH PACIFIC.DNC 06, DNC 13.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS 120115Z TO 120436Z SEP, ALTERNATE 130054Z TO 130404Z, 140032Z TO 140353Z, 150011Z TO 150331Z, 152349Z TO 160310Z, 162327Z TO 170248Z AND 172306Z TO 180226Z SEP IN AREA BOUND BY 03-30.00N 120-51.00W, 03-30.00N 123-11.00W, 14-19.00S 135-25.00W, 15-22.00S 133-50.00W.2. CANCEL THIS MSG 180326Z SEP 22.//
060907Z SEP 22NAVAREA XII 656/22(83).EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.EASTERN SOUTH PACIFIC.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS 120115Z TO 120436Z SEP, ALTERNATE 130054Z TO 130404Z, 140032Z TO 140353Z, 150011Z TO 150331Z, 152349Z TO 160310Z, 162327Z TO 170248Z AND 172306Z TO 180226Z SEP IN AREA BOUND BY 03-30.00N 120-51.00W, 03-30.00N 123-11.00W, 14-19.00S 135-25.00W, 15-22.00S 133-50.00W.2. CANCEL THIS MSG 180326Z SEP 22.//
Departure! Bob and ASOG head out for Starlink 4-2nasaspaceflight.com/fleetcam
These two Space Debris notices came out overnight (same notice for two different Navigational Areas), but the first hazard period isn't until early September 12 UTC, so I don't know if they are associated with this launch or not. But the times do move forward an appropriate amount each day.
There's a Starlink launch on the 12th (4-34) but that time would actually mean it is launching on the 11th local time so that's quite interesting if it moved up to the 11th
September 11 in the evening EDT.
Ben Cooper just updated his site that puts the launch at “around 9-10 pm” September 10, seems to be a referral to the alternative launch time of, IIRC (and per Space Delta 45’s weather forecast), 9:49 pm EDT September 10 = 01:49 UTC, September 11.
081942Z SEP 22HYDROPAC 2482/22(83).SOUTH PACIFIC.COOK ISLANDS.DNC 06.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS 110319Z TO 110355Z, 120257Z TO 120333Z, 130236Z TO 130312Z, 140214Z TO 140250Z, 150153Z TO 150229Z, 160131Z TO 160207Z, 170109Z TO 170145Z SEP IN AREA BOUND BY 01-35.00S 147-57.00W, 00-25.00S 149-29.00W, 29-43.00S 172-18.00W, 30-53.00S 147-57.00W.2. CANCEL HYDROPAC 2455/22.3. CANCEL THIS MSG 170245Z SEP 22.
CelesTrak has pre-launch SupGP data for the #Starlink Group 4-2 launch from Cape Canaveral set for 2022-09-11 at 01:10:10 UTC. Deployment of 34 satellites is set for 03:14:04.100 UTC: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/.
SpaceX is targeting Saturday, September 10 for a Falcon 9 launch of 34 Starlink satellites and AST SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker 3 satellite to low-Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The instantaneous launch window is at 9:10 p.m. ET, or 01:10 UTC on September 11, and a backup opportunity is available on Sunday, September 11 at 8:48 p.m. ET, or 00:48 UTC on September 12.The first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched Crew Demo-2, ANASIS-II, CRS-21, Transporter-1, Transporter-3, and eight Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This will also be Falcon 9’s first five-burn mission.A live webcast of this mission will begin about five minutes prior to liftoff.
One of our most complex missions
Tomorrow's mission will include 5 burns of Falcon 9's upper stage.The first two burns are to reach the orbit for BlueWalker-3 rideshare payload deployment.The third and fourth move to the Starlink deployment orbit.The final burn is to deorbit the stage.
It's time! 🚀 Our #BlueWalker3 test satellite is scheduled for liftoff at 9:10pm EDT on Sat. Sept. 10, from @NASAKennedy's Launch Complex 39A.We're hosting a live YouTube webcast starting ~8pm EDT on launch day. Subscribe to get notified when we go live:https://www.youtube.com/c/astspacemobile
BTW this flight is ending up with B1058, not 1067 as originally rumored.
https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1568312114967883782?s=20&t=GDwonodaz5Fhd2ZDd0zz7g
Lots of activity at launch complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. A Falcon 9 is standing upright at the pad in readiness for a launch tonight and the eighth section of the Florida Starship tower is being attached. Watch live: youtu.be/EncMXOirMYE
Congrats team!!! Guy in the white shirt is Dr. McLaren, #BlueWalker3 program manager, at the launch pad. BW3 just passed final tests, it's ready on top of the rocket... subscribe to our YouTube, we're hosting a webcast around 8pm! youtube.com/c/astspacemobi… 🤠🇺🇸📶 #5G
SpaceX will launch another Starlink rideshare mission tonight. B1058 will break a record with its 14th flight, and the upper stage will complete five burns, more than any previous SpaceX mission.By Danny Lentz: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/09/starlink-4-2-launch/
SpaceX LD: “Per recommendation from FAA, we’re actually going to move the clock back. So our new liftoff time will now be 01:20:00 UTC (21:20:00 EDT).”
Launch pushed back ten minutes to 01:20 UTC.https://twitter.com/EmreKelly/status/1568757482792669192Quote from: Emre KellySpaceX LD: “Per recommendation from FAA, we’re actually going to move the clock back. So our new liftoff time will now be 01:20:00 UTC (21:20:00 EDT).”
LAUNCH! Falcon 9 B1058 (14th!! Flight) launches with Starlink 4-2 mission with BlueWalker 3.Overview:https://nasaspaceflight.com/2022/09/starlink-4-2-launch/ - by Danny Lentz.Livestream:youtube.com/watch?v=ad7CraPir8o
Staging 1-2.
Falcon 9 B1058 lands on SpaceX drone ship "A Shortfall Of Gravitas", completing a record 14th mission for this booster!The landings are always cool, but the economics of 14 flights from a booster that most companies expend after one flight is game-changing!
B1058 becomes the first booster to complete 14 flights with Starlink 4-2!📷: Me for @SuperclusterHQ
"Nominal deorbit burn.""Starlink deploy confirmed."
Quote from: gongora on 09/11/2022 03:39 am"Nominal deorbit burn.""Starlink deploy confirmed."That was very strange. Were the Starlinks deployed after the deorbit burn? Also strange that for both BlueWalker 3 and the Starlink satellites, deployment was scheduled a few seconds after LOS. Also, at Malindi AOS there was no immediate confirmation of Starlink deploy and we had to wait until after confirmation of the deorbit burn.The Mission Audio stream has been made private.
The methodology to read telemetry is to start with the AOS and go backwards in time and read off events. The last item to occur is first to be read off.
B1058 to space and back 14 times! The fleet leader sent another batch of Starlink sats and the AST SpaceMobile BlueWalker 3 sat to orbit this evening. #Falcon9 #SpaceX 📸 for @Teslarati
A #SpaceX #Falcon9 rocket launches this evening beyond the Cape Canaveral lighthouse. #space #spacecoast #floridaspace
Great news! #BlueWalker3 successfully reached orbit and our engineers are talking to the spacecraft. Stay tuned for future updates as the mission progresses.
SpaceX successfully launches Starlink 4-2 from Kennedy Space Center’s LC-39A earlier this evening, marking the 14th flight (and safe return) of booster B1058.
Falcon arching to orbit
Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship – completing SpaceX’s first 14th flight of a first stage booster
No obvious limit to rocket reflight so far
First Falcon 9 to complete 14 flights to orbit, and SpaceX’s first 5 burn mission
A few shots of the @SpaceX #Starlink 4-2 launch on 10 Sep 2022. 📸Me for #SpaceCoastPictures and #WAI media @FelixSchlang @SchlangStefanie
Here is a comparison of the webcast telemetry from the Starlink 4-2 / BlueWalker-3 mission and 4-20 / Sherpa-LTC2.Both missions were rideshare, to similar orbital inclinations, with BlueWalker-3, at some 1.5t being the heaviest rideshare payload so far.The booster profiles were similar, neither of them demonstrating the performance improvements of the recent 4-27 and 4-23 'pure' Starlink missions.However, the 4-2 second stage demonstrated a similar burn time to those 'pure' missions, indicating an increased appetite for pushing the Falcon 9 performance envelope for paying customers.
Liftoff! Falcon 9 launches 34 Starlink satellites and AST SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker 3 satellite at 9:10 p.m. EDT this evening.This launch marked the first 14th flight of a Falcon booster!
Falcon 9 B1058 launches to space for the 14th time, a new record for the Falcon fleet!
CelesTrak has ephemeris-based SupGP data for 33 of 34 satellites from the #Starlink Group 4-2 launch (2022-111) from Cape Canaveral on 2022-09-11 at 01:10:10 UTC: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/
BlueWalker 3 is comfortably roaming around the globe, thermally stable and communicating with our ground stations! If you want to learn more about what's next, please take a look at this video: https://youtube.com/watch?v=uUBiGseRDw4 🤠🇺🇸📶#5G
B1058 is on the way back to Florida atop ASOG droneship. Bob is towing (Should have fairings too)Estimating arrival on Thursday (Ver subject to change)
AST SpaceMobile Confirms Successful Launch of BlueWalker 3 Into OrbitEngineers Have Established Communication, Stabilized and Taken Control of the Test SatelliteSeptember 13, 2022 09:31 PM Eastern Daylight TimeMIDLAND, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (“AST SpaceMobile”) (NASDAQ: ASTS), the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by standard mobile phones, has confirmed the successful placement of BlueWalker 3 into space.Quote"BlueWalker 3 is on course and securely circling the earth," said @scottwisniews, Chief Strategy Officer of AST SpaceMobile. "The satellite is thermally stable and communicating directly with ground stations." #BlueWalker3 #5GThe BlueWalker 3 test satellite successfully launched on Saturday, September 10, 2022, at 9:20 pm EDT from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Engineers made contact with BlueWalker 3 less than an hour after take-off, confirming its trajectory."BlueWalker 3 is on course and securely circling the earth," said Scott Wisniewski, Chief Strategy Officer of AST SpaceMobile. "The satellite is thermally stable and communicating directly with ground stations. Our team is now operating from three global mission control centers, including Maryland, Colorado and Australia, where we are directly receiving data from BlueWalker 3."AST SpaceMobile broadcasted live from launch pad 39A before lifting off, interviewing key partners from American Tower, Vodafone Group and Nokia. Replays of the show’s executive interviews, including Chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile Abel Avellan, can be found on the company’s YouTube page.“A major achievement in our mission to connect the unconnected has been accomplished," said Abel Avellan, Chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile. “We are working hard to ensure that no one becomes a second-class citizen, regardless of where they live or work, because of their lack of access to cellular broadband.”AST SpaceMobile has a portfolio of more than 2,400 patent- and patent-pending claims supporting its space-based cellular broadband technology, with agreements and understandings with over 25 Mobile Network Operators ("MNOs") globally, who collectively provide service to over 1.8 billion subscribers. MNOs in the mission's test plans include Vodafone Group, Rakuten Mobile, AT&T, Orange, and others.AST SpaceMobile continues preparations for the assembly and production of the next phase of satellites called BlueBirds in Texas. Once BlueWalker 3 is operational following in-orbit testing and configuration, testing is planned with MNOs and equipment providers on all 6 inhabited continents.In-orbit operations and deployment of the BlueWalker 3 satellite is subject to numerous contingencies and technical factors, which must occur successfully to enable the mission's goal of testing direct-to-cell phone broadband connectivity. These factors include, but are not limited to, opening of the satellite's phased array and in orbit operation of the satellite's hardware and software systems.Follow AST SpaceMobile on social media and the company's website for further updates on BlueWalker 3’s journey and future progress. For an explanation of how BlueWalker 3 works, watch this video.
"BlueWalker 3 is on course and securely circling the earth," said @scottwisniews, Chief Strategy Officer of AST SpaceMobile. "The satellite is thermally stable and communicating directly with ground stations." #BlueWalker3 #5G
Starlink 4-2: ASOG and B1058 should arrive early tomorrow morning, sometime after 5am ET. There shouldn't be any conflicting cruise traffic. Time updates to follow in the morning.This will be the return of the first booster to fly 14 times.
ASOG arrival time appears to be approx. midday, with the ship slowing accordinglyULA's Rocketship should also be departing Port Canaveral this morning
Out of the gloom comes the Return of the King: @SpaceX Falcon 9 fleet leader B1058-14 is in the Port Canaveral entrance channel aboard droneship Just Read the Instructions (JRTI) after 14 trips to space. Support vessel Bob has the tow. The SpaceX team continues to rock-it! 👍🏻🚀⛴
The @SpaceX launch support vessel Bob is hanging out essentially motionless in the Port Canaveral entrance channel with A Shortfall of Gravitas (ASOG) in tow. No tugs currently headed out that I can see. That’s a good looking booster for 14 trips to space and back! 👍🏻🚀⛴
Bob towing B1058-14 is making its way into Port Canaveral. @SpaceOffshore 📷: Me for @SuperclusterHQ
Welcome back B1058-14! #SpaceXFleet #SpaceX
My goodness, Bob, what a handsome rocket you have there…
Welcome back Bob, ASOG and the star of the show - B1058!Two fairing halves successfully recovered too.LIVE: nasaspaceflight.com/fleetcam
🔍 Booster Inspection 🔍Fleet leader B1058 still looking great after 14 flights! @NASASpaceflightLive here: NASASpaceflight.com/fleetcam
The first fourteen flight booster, B1058, has returned on A Shortfall of Gravitas. I can't even imagine attempting to clean this most unique booster that comes complete with a meatball and worm!Can't be in port? @NASASpaceflight has the views: nasaspaceflight.com/fleetcam
B1058 has already been unloaded from ASOG droneship. Bob has unloaded the fairing halves and is being refueled.Why so fast? SpaceX has another Starlink launch lined up (surprise) NET Sep 19th.Another rapid turnaround required...nasaspaceflight.com/fleetcam
SpaceX's Record Breaking Falcon 9 Returns to FloridaNASASpaceflight23 Sept 2022SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster, B1058, has returned to Port Canaveral after its record setting 14th mission to space. First to fly Bob & Doug to the International Space Station, B1058 has been the workhorse of SpaceX's fleet flying primarily Starlink missions.Video and Pictures from Space Coast Live.Production by Gav Cornwell (@SpaceOffshore). Edited by Brady (@TheFavoritist).All content copyright to NSF. Not to be used elsewhere without explicit permission from NSF.
BlueWalker 3 is stable, performing well and moving at more than 4 miles/sec! Orientation and orbit are locked in place and location is being tracked very precisely. Deploy is next, when all conditions are met in the coming weeks. Very exciting!!!! 🎯🇺🇸📶#5G
I can confirm @aang254 obs of #BlueWalker3. The signal is now similar to that observed just after launch and not seen since then. @ea4gpz discussed the differences in modulation and data content in his blog post here:https://destevez.net/2022/10/decoding-the-bluewalker-3-s-band-downlink/
Array fully deployed in space!!!!See photos from BlueWalker 3 unfolded in orbit with different sun angles. So proud of the team. 🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🤠🇺🇸📶#5G
AST SpaceMobile Deploys Largest-Ever Commercial Communications Array in Low Earth Orbit693-square foot array on Blue Walker 3 successfully completed deploymentNovember 14, 2022 07:01 AM Eastern Standard TimeMIDLAND, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (“AST SpaceMobile”) (NASDAQ: ASTS), the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by standard mobile phones, announced today that it had successfully completed deployment of the communications array for its test satellite, BlueWalker 3 (“BW3”), in orbit.“The successful unfolding of BlueWalker 3 is a major step forward for our patented space-based cellular broadband technology and paves the way for the ongoing production of our BlueBird satellites,” said @AbelAvellan, CEO of AST SpaceMobile.BW3 is the largest-ever commercial communications array deployed in low Earth orbit and is designed to communicate directly with cellular devices via 3GPP standard frequencies at 5G speeds. Now that it has been unfolded, the satellite spans 693 square feet in size, a design feature critical to support a space-based cellular broadband network. The satellite is expected to have a field of view of over 300,000 square miles on the surface of the Earth.The unfolding of BW3 was made possible by years of R&D, testing and operational preparation. AST SpaceMobile has a portfolio of more than 2,400 patent and patent-pending claims supporting its space-based cellular broadband technology. Additional details on the BlueWalker 3 mission can be seen in this video.“Every person should have the right to access cellular broadband, regardless of where they live or work. Our goal is to close the connectivity gaps that negatively impact billions of lives around the world,” said Abel Avellan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AST SpaceMobile. “The successful unfolding of BlueWalker 3 is a major step forward for our patented space-based cellular broadband technology and paves the way for the ongoing production of our BlueBird satellites.”AST SpaceMobile has agreements and understandings with mobile network operators (“MNOs”) globally that have over 1.8 billion existing subscribers, including a mutual exclusivity with Vodafone in 24 countries. Interconnecting with AST SpaceMobile’s planned network will allow MNOs, including Vodafone Group, Rakuten Mobile, AT&T, Bell Canada, MTN Group, Orange, Telefonica, Etisalat, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, Millicom, Smartfren, Telecom Argentina, Telstra, Africell, Liberty Latin America and others, the ability to offer extended cellular broadband coverage to their customers who live, work and travel in areas with poor or non-existent cell coverage, with the goal of eliminating dead zones with cellular broadband from space.“We want to close coverage gaps in our markets, particularly in territories where terrain makes it extremely challenging to reach with a traditional ground-based network. Our partnership with AST SpaceMobile – connecting satellite directly to conventional mobile devices – will help in our efforts to close the digital divide,” said Luke Ibbetson, Head of Group R&D, Vodafone and an AST SpaceMobile director.Tareq Amin, CEO of Rakuten Mobile and Rakuten Symphony and an AST SpaceMobile director, added “Our mission is to democratize access to mobile connectivity: That is why we are so excited about the potential of AST SpaceMobile to support disaster-readiness and meet our goal of 100% geographical coverage to our customers in Japan. I look forward not only to testing BW3 on our world-leading cloud-native network in Japan, but also working with AST SpaceMobile on integrating our virtualized radio network technology to help bring connectivity to the world.”Chris Sambar, President – Network, AT&T, added “We’re excited to see AST SpaceMobile reach this significant milestone. AT&T’s core mission is connecting people to greater possibilities on the largest wireless network in America. Working with AST SpaceMobile, we believe there is a future opportunity to even further extend our network reach including to otherwise remote and off-grid locations.”
An 3D-rendered animation that illustrates how AST SpaceMobile's BlueWalker 3 test satellite and its 693-square-foot array, the largest such commercial telecommunications array in low Earth orbit, fully deployed in space on November 10, 2022.AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today’s five billion mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain unconnected.
It appears object 54247/2022-111AS, cataloged Nov 14, is a piece of debris from the deployment of BlueWalker 3's array: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/table.php?NAME=BLUEWALKER%203
As expected, the discarded array cover/adapter from BlueWalker 3 has been cataloged, as 54247 / 2022-111AS, in a 500 x 520 km x 53.2 deg orbit. TLE separation indicates the adapter was jettisoned early on Nov 10
https://twitter.com/astro_jonny/status/1597334648908308480QuoteIAU issues a statement on the BlueWalker 3 satellite, now confirmed as one of the brightest objects in the night sky.“BlueWalker 3 is a big shift in the constellation satellite issue and should give us all reason to pause”https://www.iau.org/news/pressreleases/detail/iau2211/[…]
IAU issues a statement on the BlueWalker 3 satellite, now confirmed as one of the brightest objects in the night sky.“BlueWalker 3 is a big shift in the constellation satellite issue and should give us all reason to pause”https://www.iau.org/news/pressreleases/detail/iau2211/
The International Astronomical Union Center for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference expresses concern about the recently launched prototype BlueWalker 3 satellite’s impact on astronomy. New measurements reveal that this low Earth orbiting satellite is now one of the brightest objects in the night sky, outshining all but the brightest stars. In addition, the satellite’s use of terrestrial radio frequencies poses a new challenge to radio astronomy.On 10 September 2022 AST SpaceMobile launched a prototype satellite called BlueWalker 3 into low Earth orbit. This satellite, which has a 64-square-meter (693-square-foot) antenna system (the largest commercial antenna system ever deployed into low Earth orbit), is the first of what is expected to be more than a hundred similar or even larger satellites.New measurements by observers worldwide, coordinated by the International Astronomical Union’s CPS (IAU Center for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference), show that this satellite has become one of the brightest objects in the night sky — more so than other constellation satellites and at times as bright as some of the most recognizable stars [1]. Besides their visible brightness, these new satellites, which serve as “cell phone towers in space,” will transmit strong radio waves at frequencies currently reserved for terrestrial cell-phone communications. These orbiting transmitters, which are not subject to the same radio quiet zone restrictions [2] as ground-based cellular networks, have the potential to severely impact radio astronomy research as well as geodesy studies and space-physics experiments.The IAU and its CPS co-hosts, NSF's NOIRLab and the SKA Observatory (SKAO), are concerned about the impact these satellites will have on fundamental research and humanity’s ability to experience the natural night sky. “Astronomers build radio telescopes as far away as possible from human activity, looking for places on the planet where there is limited or no cell phone coverage. Frequencies allocated to cell phones are already challenging to observe even in radio quiet zones we have created for our facilities. New satellites such as BlueWalker 3 have the potential to worsen this situation and compromise our ability to do science if not properly mitigated,” said SKAO Director-General Philip Diamond. “This is a key reason why the SKAO is deeply involved in the IAU CPS and promoting the equitable and sustainable use of space.”The night sky is a unique laboratory that allows scientists to conduct experiments that cannot be done in terrestrial laboratories. Astronomical observations have provided insights into fundamental physics and other research at the boundaries of our knowledge and changed humanity’s view of our place in the cosmos. The pristine night sky is also an important part of humanity’s shared cultural heritage and should be protected for society at large and for future generations. “BlueWalker 3 is a big shift in the constellation satellite issue and should give us all reason to pause,” said Piero Benvenuti, Director of the IAU CPS. The IAU and CPS partners recognize that the new satellite constellations have an important role in improving worldwide communications. However, their interference with astronomical observations could severely hamper progress in our understanding of the cosmos. Their deployment should therefore be conducted with due consideration of their side effects and with efforts made to minimize their impact on astronomy. To better understand the effects of these new satellites, the IAU CPS invites further observations of BlueWalker 3. Visual and telescopic observations of BlueWalker 3 can be submitted online to SatHub, a worldwide public observing initiative of the IAU CPS.The IAU recently wrote a letter on behalf of the global astronomy community to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging them to seriously consider the potential impacts of satellite constellations on astronomy, the appearance of the night sky, and the environment. Earlier this month, the FCC announced its intention to create an office dedicated to space, to better deal with this rapidly emerging issue, an action that the IAU CPS applauds.Conversations between the IAU CPS and AST SpaceMobile have started. The IAU CPS fosters dialogue and cooperation between satellite operators and scientists. Recent discussions with some operators have led to mitigation measures but much more work is needed.Notes[1] The measurements show that BlueWalker 3 is around apparent visual magnitude 1 at its brightest — almost as bright as Antares or Spica (the 15th and 16th brightest stars in the night sky). Apparent magnitude in astronomy is a measure of the brightness of a star or other astronomical object as observed from Earth. The scale is reverse logarithmic: the brighter an object is, the lower its magnitude number. The brightest astronomical objects have negative apparent magnitudes: for example, Venus at −4.2 or Sirius at −1.46. The faintest stars visible with the naked eye on the darkest night have apparent magnitudes of about +6.5. [2] There are several areas around the globe that have special protections for radio astronomy that prescribe how fixed radio transmitters can be used so they do not interfere with astronomical observations. The United States National Radio Quiet Zone is a 13,000 square mile (34,000 square kilometer) region in which broadcast antennas must operate at reduced power and use highly directional antennas. More informationThe IAU is the international astronomical organization that brings together more than 12 000 active professional astronomers from more than 100 countries worldwide. Its mission is to promote and safeguard astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education and development, through international cooperation. The IAU also serves as the internationally recognised authority for assigning designations to celestial bodies and the surface features on them. Founded in 1919, the IAU is the world's largest professional body for astronomers.LinksCPS websiteContactsSiegfried EgglCo-Lead, Sathub, University of IllinoisEmail: [email protected]Mike PeelCo-Lead, Sathub, Instituto de Astrofísica de CanariasEmail: [email protected]Piero BenvenutiDirector of the IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation InterferenceEmail: [email protected]Constance E. WalkerNSF’s NOIRLabCo-Director of the IAU Center for the Protection of Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference Email: [email protected]Federico Di VrunoCo-Director of the IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from SatelliteConstellation Interference, SKAO Email: [email protected]Lars Lindberg ChristensenIAU Director of CommunicationsTel: +1 520 461 0433Cell: +49 173 38 72 621Email: [email protected]
