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]
