SpaceX F9 : USSF-62/WSF-M SV1 : VSFB : 11 April 2024 (14:25 UTC)

[Targeteer]

Discussion thread for USSF-62 mission.

Launched April 11, 2024 at 14:25 UTC (7:25 am PDT) on Falcon 9 B1082-3 from Vandenberg. Landed at LZ-4. Initial orbit: 819 x 828 km x 98.7 deg sun-synch orbit with 06:00 local time orbital plane. Satellite ~1200kg.

Main Payloads:
WSF-M SV-1 (Upper Payload Slot)
BLAZE (Lower Payload Slot)

Rideshare Payloads:
ELaNa 56: TRYAD (2x 6U, Auburn U./NASA SOMD)


Ball Aerospace Enters Final Stages of Building Space Force's Next-Gen Operational Weather Satellite

January 10, 2023

    Ball Aerospace completes satellite bus integration and microwave imager testing

BROOMFIELD, Colo., Jan. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Aerospace completed the spacecraft bus for the Weather System Follow-on-Microwave (WSF-M) satellite, the U.S. Space Force's next-generation operational environmental satellite system. Ball also finalized environmental testing on the Microwave Imager (MWI) instrument and has started final space vehicle assembly, integration and testing.

Ball Aerospace makes progress on the Weather System Follow-on-Microwave satellite for the U.S. Space Force.

Upon delivery, WSF-M will provide mission data to Department of Defense's (DoD) environmental prediction systems that support all warfighter domains. In addition, it will broadcast real-time, actionable environmental intelligence to on-going military operations across the globe.

"The nearly simultaneous completion of the spacecraft bus and instrument testing mark a significant milestone for the WSF-M program," said, Hope Damphousse, vice president, Strategic Operations, Ball Aerospace. "We are moving forward with spacecraft integration of the MWI sensor, along with a government-furnished Energetic Charged Particle (ECP) sensor, which will be followed by a suite of space vehicle performance and environmental tests."

At the heart of the WSF-M payload is the Ball-built MWI sensor that takes calibrated passive radiometric measurements at multiple microwave frequencies to measure sea surface winds, tropical cyclone intensity and additional environmental data. The ECP sensor will provide critical space weather measurements. WSF-M was designed to mitigate three high-priority DoD Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) gaps: ocean surface vector winds, tropical cyclone intensity and the space weather gap, low Earth orbit (LEO) energetic charged particles. It will also address three additional SBEM gaps: sea ice characterization, soil moisture and snow depth. Ball Aerospace was recently awarded the contract modification to develop and build the second WSF-M space vehicle, expected to be completed by late 2027.

Ball Aerospace has played key roles on numerous operational weather satellite programs. Its Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) instruments are operating on the Ball-built Suomi NPP and NOAA-20 satellites, launched in 2011 and 2017, respectively. OMPS is also on board the Joint Polar Satellite System-2 (JPSS-2), which launched on November 10, 2022. Ball is on contract with NASA to build two additional OMPS instruments for JPSS-3 and JPSS-4. The Ball-built Ion Velocity Meter (IVM) space weather sensors are flying on five of the six Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate-2 (COSMIC-2) satellites, a joint program with the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force, Taiwan's National Space Organization, NOAA and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research that launched in 2019.

Mod edit: updated mission payload information and update the WSF-M entry to include the Space Vehicle 1 tag as more than one WSF-M Space Vehicle has been ordered with additional orders proposed.

[Comga]

To my knowlege, there has been no launch announcement.
On May 27 Salo changed the WSF-M launcher on his US Launch Schedule from NLSP-II to Falcon 9.
(The sole alternative was Atlas-V, and there are none of those available anymore, so F9 is a foregone conclusion.)
Salo now has it listed as "TBD - USSF-62: TBD, WSF-M 1, BLAZE - Falcon 9 - Vandenberg SLC-4E"
Ridesharing with a USSF payload could be the reason for the lack of public statement.

A contact on the program says that they will indeed launch on a Falcon 9, with an undisclosed rideshare, as early as next January.
("NET Jan '24" doesn't provide any more information than "2024" so no change in thread title is suggested.)


edit: Thanks gongora. There WAS an announcement of the launcher, on May 26.
Normally we start these threads with an announcement like that.

[DanClemmensen]

To my knowlege, there has been no launch announcement.
On May 27 Salo changed the WSF-M launcher on his US Launch Schedule from NLSP-II to Falcon 9.
(The sole alternative was Atlas-V, and there are none of those available anymore, so F9 is a foregone conclusion.)
Salo now has it listed as "TBD - USSF-62: TBD, WSF-M 1, BLAZE - Falcon 9 - Vandenberg SLC-4E"
Ridesharing with a USSF payload could be the reason for the lack of public statement.

A contact on the program says that they will indeed launch on a Falcon 9, with an undisclosed rideshare, as early as next January.
("NET Jan '24" doesn't provide any more information than "2024" so no change in thread title is suggested.)

What is the earliest theoretically possible launch of Vulcan Centaur on an NSSL mission? I understand USSF will require two successful non-NSSL flights first, but then what? Must USSF wait for those two flights before they can even start, or can they tentatively assign a flight to Vulcan and then switch it to F9 if Vulcan is not yet available?

[gongora]

There are already flights assigned to Vulcan, and it would probably take a multi-year delay from now for them to switch to F9

[gongora]

To my knowlege, there has been no launch announcement.

https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Portals/3/Documents/PRESS%20RELEASES/SSC%20Issues%20Launch%20Task%20Orders%20for%20FY22%20NSS%20Missions.pdf?ver=eR_TvXz3KYJArhCmiTk9TA%3D%3D [May 26 2022]

The USSF-62 mission, to be launched onboard a Falcon 9 rocket from the western range into a polar orbit, includes the first Weather System Follow-on (WSF) satellite.

[gongora]

https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=9O_rQGKifLk%3d&portalid=3 [Jan 26]

"The Ball team is making outstanding progress on the first WSF-M space vehicle. It entered the integration and test phase this fall and is on track for launch at the end of 2023,” said Capt. Nicholas David, WSF-M chief engineer, SSC Space Sensing. “The second space vehicle will leverage the same team and design.”

[gongora]

0915-EX-CN-2023  TRYAD (2x 6U), Auburn University
[May 4]

TRYAD is sponsored by the Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. ... which will be flown on the USSF-62 mission to a 550km sun-synchronous orbit. The current launch date is planned for NET 01/01/2024.
...
Overview
TRYAD is a pair of 6U CubeSats designed to simultaneously measure terrestrial gammaray flashes (TGFs) from LEO in order to derive constraints on the electric fields that accelerate the electrons responsible for gamma-ray emissions.

The Payload is a gamma-ray scintillation detector that is comprised of four plastic scintillator bars with silicon photomultiplier (SiPMs) arrays at the end of each bar to detect visible scintillation light produced by gamma-ray interaction with the detector. These detected light pulses are proportional to incident gamma-ray energy.

[GewoonLukas_]

Testing completed and on track for launch early next year:

Ball Aerospace Completes Testing on Space Systems Command Operational Weather Monitoring Satellite
September 07, 2023

Ball Aerospace successfully concluded testing on the Weather System Follow-on – Microwave (WSF-M) satellite this week, representing the completion of the first of two satellites Ball is delivering for the U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command next-generation operational environmental satellite system.

Once on orbit, WSF-M will provide the Department of Defense with critical data meant to fill gaps in existing space-based environmental monitoring, such as the speed and direction of ocean winds, tropical cyclone intensity, ice thickness, snow depth and soil moisture. The satellite is scheduled to launch early next year from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

[...]

[vaporcobra]

Full image

[Salo]

https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/6962

USSF-62
Launch Time
NET October, 2024

[GewoonLukas_]

WSF-M1 has been shipped to Vandenberg, launch is scheduled for Late-March:

Ball Aerospace Ships Space Systems Command Operational Weather Satellite for Launch
07 Feb, 2024

Ball Aerospace successfully shipped the Weather System Follow-on – Microwave (WSF-M) satellite to Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California last week. The satellite is the first of two that Ball Aerospace will deliver for the U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command next-generation operational environmental satellite system.

The satellite is scheduled to launch in late March aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Once in orbit, WSF-M will dramatically improve space-based environmental monitoring capabilities for the Department of Defense, utilizing a Ball-built Microwave Imager (MWI) to capture real-time data on sea ice and surface winds, tropical cyclone intensity, snow depth, soil moisture and more.

[...]

Edit to add:

New! ➡ The Weather System Follow-on – Microwave (WSF-M) satellite has successfully shipped to Vandenberg Space Force Base where it is expected to launch late next month.

📰: https://bit.ly/4bHN1wb

https://twitter.com/BallAerospace/status/1755317530036461610

[catdlr]

https://twitter.com/GewoonLukas_/status/1755303794194137254

Ball Aerospace has shipped the 1st Weather System Follow-on – Microwave (WSF-M) satellite to Vandenberg! It is scheduled to be launched as the primary payload aboard the USSF-62 mission in Late-March aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ball-aerospace-ships-space-systems-command-operational-weather-satellite-for-launch-302055925.html

Ball Aerospace Ships Space Systems Command Operational Weather Satellite for Launch

07 Feb, 2024, 12:00 ET

BROOMFIELD, Colo., Feb. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Aerospace successfully shipped the Weather System Follow-on – Microwave (WSF-M) satellite to Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California last week. The satellite is the first of two that Ball Aerospace will deliver for the U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command next-generation operational environmental satellite system.

The satellite is scheduled to launch in late March aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Once in orbit, WSF-M will dramatically improve space-based environmental monitoring capabilities for the Department of Defense, utilizing a Ball-built Microwave Imager (MWI) to capture real-time data on sea ice and surface winds, tropical cyclone intensity, snow depth, soil moisture and more.

"The WSF-M satellite will provide a new level of environmental intelligence for our nation's military across all domains," said Thai Sheridan, vice president & general manager, Military Space, Ball Aerospace. "We're proud of our role in this critical mission to support the safety of our warfighters and the success of their crucial operations around the world."

In addition to the MWI, Ball Aerospace was responsible for designing, building and integrating the spacecraft bus and ground data processing software. The satellite also features a government-built Energetic Charged Particle (ECP) sensor that will provide space weather measurements.

In 2022, Ball Aerospace was awarded a follow-on contract to build and deliver a second WSF-M satellite, which will be completed in 2026.
<snip>

[GewoonLukas_]

#SpaceSystemsCommand 1st Weather System Follow-on-Microwave satellite scheduled for March launch represents #USSF’s next gen space-based environmental monitoring systems

Stay tuned for more about the benefits weather monitoring from our #SpaceSensing team of weather #Guardians.

https://twitter.com/USSF_SSC/status/1755718504299532348

[zubenelgenubi]

Follow-on to DMSP-5D3 (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Block 5D3)

Follow-on to canceled NPOES 1, 2

Follow-on to canceled DWSS 1, 2


Ball Aerospace Wins Major U.S. Air Force Contract for Next-Gen Weather Satellite

November 29, 2017
BOULDER, Colo., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Aerospace has been selected by the U.S. Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) to deliver the next-generation operational environmental satellite system, Weather System Follow-on – Microwave (WSF-M), for the Department of Defense (DoD). WSF-M is a predominantly fixed price contract that will provide for system design and risk reduction of a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite with a passive microwave imaging radiometer instrument and hosted Government furnished energetic charged particle (ECP) sensor. The contract will include options for the development and fabrication of two LEO satellites as well as options for launch vehicle integration, launch and early orbit test, and operational test and evaluation support. This mission will improve weather forecasting over maritime regions by taking global measurements of the atmosphere and ocean surface.

Ball Logo. (PRNewsFoto/Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.)

"This is an exciting win for us, and we're looking forward to expanding our work with the Air Force and continuing to support warfighters and allies around the world," said Rob Strain, president, Ball Aerospace. "WSF-M extends Ball's legacy of providing precise measurements from space to enable more accurate weather forecasting."

As the prime contractor, Ball will be responsible for developing and integrating the entire microwave system, which includes the microwave instrument, spacecraft and system software.

WSF-M is designed to mitigate three high priority DoD Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) gaps: ocean surface vector winds, tropical cyclone intensity and LEO energetic charged particles.

This new environmental satellite system leverages the Ball-built Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI) instrument, which is the on-orbit reference standard for calibrating precipitation measurements in NASA's GPM constellation. The WSF-M bus will be based on the Ball Configurable Platform, a proven, agile spacecraft with 50 years of on-orbit operations for affordable remote sensing applications.

Ball has played key roles on numerous national and international programs that make critical measurements of the physical environment. These include designing and building the weather spacecraft for both the recently launched Joint Polar Satellite System-1 (JPSS-1) and for the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP).

Ball Aerospace pioneers discoveries that enable our customers to perform beyond expectation and protect what matters most. We create innovative space solutions, enable more accurate weather forecasts, drive insightful observations of our planet, deliver actionable data and intelligence, and ensure those who defend our freedom go forward bravely and return home safely. For more information, visit www.ball.com/aerospace or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.

Ball Corporation supplies innovative, sustainable packaging solutions for beverage, food and household products customers, as well as aerospace and other technologies and services primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ 18,450 people worldwide and 2016 net sales were $9.1 billion. For more information, visit www.ball.com, or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.
<snip>

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

NET October 2021-  2022-2023 - WSF-M 1  Weather Satellite Follow-on 1  - Vulcan/Falcon 9  TBD - Vandenberg SLC-3E/4E

Changes on November 29th, 2017

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

2022-2023 - WSF-M 1 - NLSP-II - Vandenberg

Changes on August 11th, 2019

https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/space/2020/04/21/ball-hits-milestone-with-weather-system-follow-on/

According to the Space Force, the WSF satellite is projected for a launch in fiscal 2024.

= NET CY Q4 2023

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

2024
TBD - USSF-62: TBD, WSF-M 1 - NLSP II  Falcon 9 - Vandenberg SLC-4E  (or Q4 2023)

Changes on May 26th, 2022

http://milsatmagazine.com/story.php?number=1825099460 [June 2022]

...said Capt. Carmen J. Riazzi, one of the MMO program managers who worked on two coming missions — EZIO on SBIRS GEO-6 and BLAZE, flying on the USSF 62.

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

2024
TBD - USSF-62: TBD, WSF-M 1, BLAZE - Falcon 9 - Vandenberg SLC-4E

Changes on June 27th, 2022

Edited

[gongora]

https://twitter.com/USSF_SSC/status/1769876500143034434

Introducing Capt. Terranika Johnson, WSF-M Deputy Program Manager, SSC Environmental and Tactical Surveillance Acquisition Delta. Capt Johnson is part of the USSF-62 Weather System follow-on – Microwave (WSF-M) satellite program office, projected for an April launch.

[GewoonLukas_]

NET April 11th at 12:00 UTC:

Cross-posts:

Does anybody know what this is?

030817Z APR 24
NAVAREA XII 231/24(18,83).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS:
   A. 1354Z TO 1504Z DAILY 11 THRU 17 APR
      IN AREA BOUND BY
      30-49.00N 121-55.00W, 31-49.00N 121-55.00W,
      31-00.00N 122-44.00W, 30-11.00N 122-55.00W,
      30-04.00N 122-30.00W, 30-08.00N 122-15.00W.
   B. 1603Z TO 1636Z DAILY 11 THRU 17 APR
      IN AREA BOUND BY
      15-00.00N 149-34.00W, 15-30.00N 151-53.00W,
      06-26.00N 153-53.00W, 05-56.00N 151-38.00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 171736Z APR 24.

Seems plausible for Worldview Legion or NROL-174, but I haven't found anyone making "let's go" posts, so no clear association.

There's a dogleg: the ascent is on a 201 deg heading, while the 2nd stage splash zone is aligned to 192 deg heading. (I think the latter is still consistent with a sun-sync orbit, right?)
Interested in your thoughts...

Seems plausible for Worldview Legion or NROL-174, but I haven't found anyone making "let's go" posts, so no clear association.

USSF-62 is also launching to SSO.

Thanks, zubenelgenubi, it looks like you’re a winner:
From https://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_spt.jsp

USSF-62 VANDEBERG, CA
PRIMARY:      04/11/24.      1200Z-1636Z
BACKUP(S):   04/12-04/17  1200Z-1636Z

So, is there a SpaceX/USSF-62 thread?

[OneSpeed]

Seems plausible for Worldview Legion or NROL-174, but I haven't found anyone making "let's go" posts, so no clear association.

USSF-62 is also launching to SSO.

A map from the NGA notice that shows the required second stage dogleg (but not necessarily an accurate groundtrack).

[GewoonLukas_]

NASA's Athena smallsat will also be on board:

[...]

New Path to Launch

Athena is a one-year mission that was selected to launch on the USSF-62 Blaze SpaceX mission that is scheduled for an
early 2024 launch. The USSF-62 mission will be launched onboard a Falcon 9 rocket from the western range into a polar
orbit.

[...]

This also makes it sound like Blaze is the designation of the ESPA Secondary Payload Adapter, similar to L9EFS that was launched on the Landsat-9 mission,

[realnouns]

Go Beyond departed PoLB on Apr 10 @ 6:19pm PT / 9:19pm ET

[Ken the Bin]

From the USCG District 11 weekly Local Notice to Mariners which came out today ...

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA-VANDENBERG SFB-HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS
Hazardous operations will be conducted from Vandenberg SFB, CA for Western Range 2412 from 6:54am on 11 April, 2024 until 8:04pm on 15 April, 2024. Hazardous operation areas are bounded by the following coordinates:
HAZARD AREA A:
34-41-00N 120-29-00W
34-41-00N 120-41-00W
34-32-00N 120-46-00W
33-45-00N 121-07-00W
33-30-00N 121-10-00W
33-28-00N 121-08-00W
33-34-00N 121-02-00W
34-31-00N 120-27-00W
34-41-00N 120-29-00W (CLOSING THE FIRST POINT)
HAZARD AREA B:
30-11-00N 122-55-00W
30-04-00N 122-30-00W
30-08-00N 122-15-00W
30-49-00N 121-55-00W
31-49-00N 121-55-00W
31-00-00N 122-44-00W
30-11-00N 122-55-00W (CLOSING THE FIRST POINT)
Mariners are advised to remain clear of these areas for the duration of operations. For more details or comments contact Vandenberg SFB at 805-606-8825 or on VHF-FM Chan. 06 or 16.

6:54am PDT = 13:54 UTC, which agrees with the NGA notice, and disagrees with the 12:00 UTC on the FAA ATCSCC Current Operations Plan Advisory.