Artykuły o SpaceX space launches

[Orionid]

SpaceX says rideshare missions will launch on time, even if partly empty
by Caleb Henry — October 8, 2019 [SN]


SpaceX and other launch companies are adapting their rideshare offerings as they gain familiarity with aggregating smallsat customers. Credit: SpaceX

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California — SpaceX plans to launch regular Falcon 9 rideshare missions starting in March and won’t delay launches for tardy customers, a company executive said Oct. 8.

Tom Ochinero, vice president of commercial sales at SpaceX, said that the launch provider learned the importance of setting firm departure dates for rideshare missions by seeing the challenges customer Spaceflight had coordinating the 64 satellites that ultimately flew on the SSO-A mission SpaceX launched in December.
https://spacenews.com/spacex-says-rideshare-missions-will-launch-on-time-even-if-partly-empty/

SpaceX launches Turksat 5A
by Jeff Foust — January 7, 2021


A SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying the Turksat 5A communications satellite lifts off Jan. 7. Credit: SpaceX webcast

WASHINGTON — A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched a Turkish communications satellite Jan. 7 to start what may be the busiest year yet for the launch company.

The Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 9:15 p.m. Eastern, more than 45 minutes into a four-hour launch window. SpaceX delayed the launch from the start of the window because of a problem with a ground station downrange from the launch site.

The Falcon 9’s payload, the Turksat 5A communications satellite, separated from the Falcon 9’s upper stage 33 minutes after liftoff, entering into a geostationary transfer orbit. The rocket’s first stage, which previously launched the GPS SV03 satellite in June 2020 and two Starlink missions in September and October, landed on a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.

Turkish satellite operator Turksat ordered Turksat 5A and 5B from Airbus Defence and Space in 2017, with SpaceX selected to launch the two spacecraft. Turksat 5A weighed 3,500 kilograms at launch. The spacecraft, based on the Eurostar E3000 bus, is equipped with electric propulsion for both orbit raising and station keeping.

Turksat 5A will operate at 31 degrees east in GEO, providing Ku-band broadcast services over portions of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The satellite will enter service in the second quarter of 2021.

Turksat 5B, weighing 4,500 kilograms, will carry Ka- and Ku-band payloads and operate from 42 degrees east in GEO. It is expected to launch later this year, also on a Falcon 9.

The Turksat 5A launch is the first of the year for SpaceX, and the first orbital launch worldwide in 2021. SpaceX performed 25 orbital launches in 2020, all using Falcon 9 vehicles, while an additional Falcon 9 was launched for a suborbital in-flight abort test of the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft. SpaceX hasn’t disclosed a specific number of launches it plans to perform in 2021, but unofficial manifests suggest the company could perform more than 30 Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches in the year, for government and commercial customers as well as of its own Starlink satellites.

SpaceX is also continuing work on its next-generation Starship vehicle in Boca Chica, Texas. A Starship prototype could attempt an orbital launch later this year, depending on the progress the company makes on suborbital flights of other prototypes.

SpaceX’s next scheduled orbital launch is no earlier than Jan. 14, when a Falcon 9 will launch from Florida on the company’s first dedicated smallsat rideshare mission, called Transporter-1, carrying several dozen smallsats.

Source: https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-turksat-5a/

[Orionid]

SpaceX targeting 24-hour turnaround in 2019, full reusability still in the works
by Caleb Henry — May 11, 2018


A Falcon 9 lifts off Feb. 22 with Spain's PAZ satellite and SpaceX's two demo Starlink satellites. Credit: SpaceX

WASHINGTON — SpaceX has set an ambitious goal for 2019: using the same Falcon 9 booster to conduct two launches in 24 hours.

Such a feat would require more than just the rapid turnaround of Falcon 9’s reusable first-stage booster. It would also require a rapid turnaround of Air Force range support and some speedy payload integration — assuming SpaceX doesn’t want to launch an empty fairing second time around.

But Elon Musk, SpaceX’s founder and chief executive, has never been shy about setting bold goals. 

“We intend to demonstrate two orbital launches of the same Falcon 9 vehicle within 24 hours no later than next year,” Musk said May 10 during a call with reporters. “That will be, I think, truly remarkable to launch the same orbit-class rocket twice in one day.”

Musk mentioned the goal in the hours leading up to the first launch attempt of the Block 5 Falcon 9, which is designed with a first stage that can launch 10 times without refurbishment. That launch, carrying Bangladesh’s first telecom satellite, Bangabandhu-1, was rescheduled for today after a last-minute glitch scrubbed the countdown with 58 seconds left on the clock.

“Next year is when we intend … [to do] the same-day reflight of the same rocket,” Musk said. “I think that’s really a key milestone.”

The ability to relaunch the same first stage in a single day would help SpaceX bolster its case that a used rocket is more reliable than a new one. SpaceX executives often reference air travel as a model for future launch activity. Musk reiterated that point.

“Would you rather be flying in an aircraft that’s never had a test flight before, or would you rather fly in an aircraft that has flown many times successfully?” he said.

Musk said he thinks customers eventually “will actually prefer to fly on a flight-proven rocket than one that has never flown.”

SpaceX has given discounts to some early customers of Falcon 9 rockets with used first stages to ease their acceptance, particularly among risk-averse satellite operators who might otherwise be reluctant to launch a spacecraft costing $100 million or more on rocket booster already subjected to the rigors of launch and landing.

Musk said SpaceX lowered prices from “about $60 million to about $50 million for a reflown booster,” and expects “to see a steady reduction in prices” going forward. He cautioned though that SpaceX has lots of fixed costs, its future Starlink satellite internet constellation and development of the Big Falcon Rocket (BFR) that require revenue from launches, meaning prices can only go so low. Ocean recoveries, which require sending drone ships out to sea for landing Falcon 9 first stages, also cost “a few million dollars,” he said.

Given the extensive modifications made to Block 5, SpaceX will take extra time after the Bangabandhu-1 launch to disassemble and inspect the rocket.

“Ironically, we need to take it apart to confirm that it does not need to be taken apart,” Musk said. “This rocket probably won’t refly for probably a couple of months. But by late this year we should be seeing substantial reflight of Block 5 vehicles, probably with Block 5 boosters seeing their third, maybe their fourth reflight.”

Musk estimated the Falcon 9 Block 5 will make “something on the order of 300 flights,” before retiring. SpaceX plans to succeed the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy with the BFR, and is targeting a cargo mission to Mars with the larger rocket in 2022.

Full Reusability

SpaceX has attempted, so far unsuccessfully, to recover the Falcon 9 payload fairings used to protect satellites on their ascent through the atmosphere. The company has also talked about retrieving the upper stage instead of letting it burn up over the Pacific Ocean.

Musk said SpaceX won’t attempt fairing recovery on the Bangabandhu-1 mission, but is intent on saving the $6 million protective shrouds in the future.

Upper stage recovery is a longer-term goal.

“I’m certain we can achieve reusability of the upper stage, the question is simply what the mass penalty is,” he said. “We don’t want to put too much engineering effort into that relative to BFR, and we obviously will not take any action that creates risk for the ascent phase of the rocket.”

Over the course of this year, SpaceX will gradually add thermal protection to the upper stage to optimize the stage for the return journey to Earth, Musk said. For near-term flights, Musk said the goal will be mainly to gather data such as reentry temperature, altitude and health, likely using Iridium Communication’s satellite constellation to relay the data.

If SpaceX can reuse every part of the Falcon 9, “we would be able to reduce the cost for launch by an order of magnitude,” Musk said. “And then as our launch rate increases, we can further optimize the per-launch costs.”

Musk estimated 60 percent of the Falcon 9’s marginal cost comes from the first stage, 20 percent from the second stage, 10 percent for the fairing, and 10 percent for the everything else associated with the launch. Propellant costs a negligible $300,000 to $400,000, he said.

Musk said it is possible to reduce the marginal costs for a Falcon 9 launch to “down under $5 or $6 million,” in around three years.

Source: https://spacenews.com/spacex-targeting-24-hour-turnaround-in-2019-full-reusability-still-in-the-works/

[Orionid]

SpaceX launches SiriusXM satellite
by Jeff Foust — June 6, 2021 [SN]
Updated 10:20 a.m. Eastern with Maxar announcement of post-launch contact with SXM-8.


Maxar Technology's WorldView-3 satellite took this image of the Falcon 9 with the Maxar-built SXM-8 satellite on board June 5, less than 24 hours before its successful launch. Credit: Maxar Technologies

WASHINGTON — SpaceX successfully placed into orbit a Maxar-built satellite for for SiriusXM Satellite Radio June 6, six months after the launch of a similar satellite that later malfunctioned in orbit.

The Falcon 9 lifted off at 12:26 a.m. Eastern from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The rocket’s first stage, which previously launched the Crew-1 and Crew-2 commercial crew missions for NASA, landed on a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean 8 minutes and 45 seconds after liftoff.

The rocket’s upper stage deployed its payload, the SXM-8 satellite, into a geostationary transfer orbit 32 minutes after liftoff. Maxar announced several hours later that controllers has made contact with the spacecraft, which has deployed its solar arrays and started firing thrusters to move into geostationary orbit.

Source: https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-siriusxm-satellite-2/

[Orionid]

Falcon 9 launches GPS satellite in first national security mission with reused booster
by Sandra Erwin — June 17, 2021 [SN]


A U.S. Space Force GPS 3 SV-5 satellite flew to orbit June 17, 2021 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Credit: U.S. Space Force

The booster landing was the third time SpaceX recovered the Falcon 9 first stage in a National Security Space Launch mission

WASHINGTON — A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched a U.S. Space Force GPS 3 satellite June 17. The rocket lifted off at 12:09 p.m. Eastern from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

The Falcon 9 launched the Lockheed Martin-built GPS 3 Space Vehicle 5 — the 5th satellite of the GPS 3 constellation that provides positioning, navigation and timing signals to military and civilian users.

Source: https://spacenews.com/falcon-9-launches-gps-satellite-in-first-national-security-mission-with-reused-booster/

[Orionid]

Falcon 9 launches NASA X-ray astronomy satellite
by Jeff Foust — December 9, 2021 [SN]


A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifts off Dec. 9 carrying NASA's IXPE astrophysics satellite. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

WASHINGTON — A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched a small NASA X-ray astronomy satellite Dec. 9 to study black holes and neutron stars, an “appetizer” for the launch later this month of the much larger James Webb Space Telescope.

The Falcon 9 lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center at 1 a.m. Eastern. The rocket’s upper stage released the payload, NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) spacecraft, 33 minutes later.

Source: https://spacenews.com/falcon-9-launches-nasa-x-ray-astronomy-satellite/

[Orionid]

SpaceX launches Turkey’s Turksat 5B communications satellite
by Jason Rainbow — December 19, 2021 [SN]


The Turksat 5B satellite separates from a Falcon 9 second stage. Credit: SpaceX webcast

TAMPA, Fla. — SpaceX successfully launched the Turksat 5B Turkish communications satellite Dec. 18, less than 16 hours after launching a batch of Starlink broadband spacecraft.

Turksat 5B lifted off at 10:58 p.m. Eastern on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral in Florida.

Source: https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-turkeys-turksat-5b-communications-satellite/

[Orionid]

SpaceX preps for first of four ‘Transporter’ rideshare launches this year
January 12, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


A Falcon 9 rocket stands vertical on pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for liftoff on SpaceX’s Transporter 3 rideshare mission. Credit: SpaceX

With its small satellite launch business booming, SpaceX is set to double its cadence of dedicated rideshare missions this year, beginning with the liftoff of a Falcon 9 rocket Thursday from Cape Canaveral with 105 spacecraft for customers in 20 countries.

A 229-foot-tall (70-meter) Falcon 9 rocket is awaiting launch from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 10:25:39 a.m. EST (1525:39 GMT) Thursday.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/01/12/spacex-preps-for-first-of-four-transporter-rideshare-launches-this-year/

SpaceX launches third dedicated smallsat rideshare mission
by Jeff Foust — January 13, 2022 [SN]


A Falcon 9 lifts off Jan. 14 from Cape Canaveral on the Transporter-3 rideshare mission. Credit: SpaceNews/Jeff Foust

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A SpaceX Falcon 9 placed more than 100 smallsats into orbit Jan. 13 as the company accelerates the pace of its dedicated rideshare missions.

The Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 10:25 a.m. Eastern. The upper stage reached orbit eight and a half minutes later and, after a second burn 55 minutes after liftoff, deployed its payloads into a 525-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit over the following half-hour.

Source: https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-third-dedicated-smallsat-rideshare-mission/

SpaceX wins $102 million Air Force contract to demonstrate technologies for point-to-point space transportation
by Sandra Erwin — January 19, 2022 [SN]


Rendering of a 'rocket cargo' vehicle set to launch and deliver supplies for the U.S. military. Credit: Air Force Research Laboratory

Program manager Greg Spanjers: 'DoD is very interested in the ability to deliver the cargo anywhere on Earth to support humanitarian aid and disaster relief'

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force awarded SpaceX a $102 million five-year contract to demonstrate technologies and capabilities to transport military cargo and humanitarian aid around the world on a heavy rocket.

The contract is for the rocket cargo program, a new project led by the Air Force Research Laboratory to investigate the utility of using large commercial rockets for Department of Defense global logistics.
https://spacenews.com/spacex-wins-102-million-air-force-contract-to-demonstrate-technologies-for-point-to-point-space-transportation/

[Orionid]

Falcon 9 launches Italian radar satellite
by Jeff Foust — January 31, 2022 [SN]


A Falcon 9 lifts off from Cape Canaveral Jan. 31 carrying the CSG-2 radar mapping satellite. Credit: SpaceX webcast

WASHINGTON — A SpaceX Falcon 9 placed an Italian radar mapping satellite into orbit Jan. 31 after four days of delays caused by range and weather problems.

The Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 6:11 p.m. Eastern. The rocket’s upper stage deployed its payload, the Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation (CSG) 2 satellite for the Italian space agency ASI and the Italian military, an hour after liftoff.

Source: https://spacenews.com/falcon-9-launches-italian-radar-satellite/

[Orionid]

SpaceX launches classified satellite for U.S. National Reconnaissance Office
by Sandra Erwin — February 2, 2022 [SN]


A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched NROL-87, a National Reconnaissance Office satellite, Feb. 2, 2022, from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. Credit: SpaceX webcast

NROL-87 was SpaceX’s 143rd launch overall and the fifth of 2022

WASHINGTON — A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched a U.S. government spy satellite into orbit Feb. 2 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

The payload, designated NROL-87, was the National Reconnaissance Office’s first space mission of the year and the first orbital launch of 2022 from the Western Range.

Source: https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-classified-satellite-for-u-s-national-reconnaissance-office/

Space Development Agency, General Atomics eye options after setback in laser comms experiment
by Sandra Erwin — February 6, 2022 [SN]


Rendering of the Laser Interconnect and Networking Communications System (LINCS) satellites. Credit: General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems

SDA and General Atomics have been unable to communicate with the LINCS satellites launched June 30

WASHINGTON — After a setback in a laser communications experiment launched last June, the Space Development Agency and satellite manufacturer General Atomics are considering next steps.

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems on June 30 launched an experiment for SDA known as Laser Interconnect and Networking Communications System (LINCS) to demonstrate optical communications in space.
https://spacenews.com/space-development-agency-general-atomics-eye-options-after-setback-in-laser-comms-experiment/

Launcher buys additional SpaceX rideshare missions
by Jeff Foust — February 7, 2022 [SN]


Orbiter, an orbital transfer vehicle being developed by Launcher, will be able to carry up to 90U of cubesats or other smallsats, and fly on both Launcher Light and SpaceX's Falcon 9. Credit: Launcher

WASHINGTON — Launcher has purchased slots on three more SpaceX rideshare missions for its Orbiter tug as it continues development of a small launch vehicle.

Launcher announced Feb. 7 it signed a multi-launch contract with SpaceX for three additional missions of its Orbiter tug. Those tugs will fly on Falcon 9 rideshare missions in January, April and October of 2023.
https://spacenews.com/launcher-buys-additional-spacex-rideshare-missions/

Schedule tight for June launch of first Momentus tug
by Jeff Foust — March 9, 2022 [SN]

Momentus said March 8 that preparations for a June launch of its first Vigoride tug remain on track but that the schedule is tight as it wraps up work on the vehicle and seeks regulatory approvals. Credit: Momentus
WASHINGTON — In-space transportation company Momentus says it is making good progress toward the first launch of its Vigoride space tug, but that the schedule is “tight” for a launch in June.

In an earnings call March 8 after the release of its fourth quarter and full year 2021 financial results, company executives said its Vigoride 3 tug recently completed system-level thermal vacuum testing, and engineers are currently working on unspecified issues with the spacecraft found during those tests.
https://spacenews.com/schedule-tight-for-june-launch-of-first-momentus-tug/

SpaceX severs ties with longtime partner Spaceflight Inc.
by Debra Werner — March 21, 2022 [SN]


The Falcon 9 booster that launched Transporter-3 descends to a landing at Cape Canaveral. Credit: SpaceNews/Jeff Foust

Correction at 8:55 pm Eastern Time on March 21: Spaceflight was notified of SpaceX’s decision by text.

SAN FRANCISCO – SpaceX is severing ties with launch services company Spaceflight Inc. after years of working closely together, a move that surprised Spaceflight executives.

Source: https://spacenews.com/spacex-severs-ties-with-spaceflight/

German imaging satellite gets top billing on next SpaceX rideshare launch
March 31, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


The EnMAP spacecraft at its factory in Bremen, Germany. Credit: OHB/H. von der Fecht

A $330 million German hyperspectral Earth-imaging satellite will hitch a ride to orbit from Cape Canaveral with 39 smaller commercial payloads on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket set for blastoff Friday.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/03/31/german-imaging-satellite-gets-top-billing-on-next-spacex-rideshare-launch/

Transporter-4 Kicks Off Ambitious April for SpaceX
by Ben Evans April 1, 2022 [AS]


B1061 completes her seventh on-point landing in less than 18 months. Photo Credit: SpaceX

(...) Leading the hour-long deployment list was Germany’s Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program (EnMAP), devoted to hyperspectral imaging of Earth’s surface at resolutions down to 30 feet (10 meters). Other payloads were dedicated to Earth observations, Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), technology demonstrations, communications, amateur radio, navigation and ionospheric research. (...)
https://www.americaspace.com/2022/04/01/transporter-4-kicks-off-ambitious-april-for-spacex/

SpaceX launches fourth dedicated rideshare mission
by Jeff Foust — April 1, 2022 [SN]


A Falcon 9 lifts off April 1 on the Transporter-4 dedicated rideshare mission. Credit: Space Launch Delta 45

WASHINGTON — SpaceX launched the fourth in its series of dedicated rideshare missions April 1, placing one relatively large satellite and dozens of smallsats into low Earth orbit. (...)

It also marks the second time this year that a European government has turned to SpaceX, rather than Europe’s own Arianespace, to launch a satellite. A Falcon 9 launched Italy’s Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation 2 radar imaging satellite Jan. 31. The Italian space agency ASI said it selected SpaceX to launch that satellite because of delays with the Vega C rocket. (...)
https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-fourth-dedicated-rideshare-mission/

South Korea hires SpaceX to launch five spy satellites by 2025
by Park Si-soo — April 11, 2022


In this July 20, 2020, image, a SpaceX Falcon 9 lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with South Korea’s first military communications satellite, Anasis-2, aboard. South Korea recently signed a contract with SpaceX to launch five reconnaissance satellites by 2025, with the first launch on a Falcon 9 rocket by the end of 2023. Credit: SpaceX

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has signed a contract with SpaceX to launch five spy satellites by 2025, with the first launch on a Falcon 9 rocket by the end of 2023.

A spokeswoman for the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) confirmed the deal April 11, saying the 2023 launch would deliver an 800-kilogram electro-optical infrared satellite to low Earth orbit.
https://spacenews.com/south-korea-hires-spacex-to-launch-five-spy-satellites-by-2025/

Astranis adds extra year of life to small GEO satellite design
by Jason Rainbow — April 12, 2022 [SN]


An Astranis employee works on Arcturus inside a TVAC test chamber. Credit: Astranis

TAMPA, Fla. — Improvements Astranis has made to the propulsion systems of four small satellites slated to launch in 2023 will add at least another year to their operational lives, according to CEO John Gedmark.

The San Francisco-based startup has added “a very elegant gimbal design to our electric propulsion system,” Gedmark said in an interview, enabling future satellites to use less propellant during in-orbit maneuvers.

“That means we’re now going to get, conservatively, an extra year of lifetime,” Gedmark said, “from seven years out to eight years.”

The gimbal is an in-house Astranis design, a company spokesperson added, and is not procured from an outside vendor.

Astranis announced April 7 that it had signed a contract with SpaceX to book a dedicated Falcon 9 rocket for launching its latest generation of satellites.
https://spacenews.com/astranis-adds-extra-year-of-life-to-small-geo-satellite-design/

NASA shifts Earth science mission to previously flown Falcon 9
by Jeff Foust — April 14, 2022 [SN]


NASA will launch the SWOT spacecraft to measure water levels on a Falcon 9 with a previously flown booster, rather than a new one as stated in the original contract. Credit: NASA

WASHINGTON — NASA’s embrace of reused rockets continued with an agreement this month to switch the upcoming launch of an Earth science satellite from a new to a previously flown Falcon 9, a change whose full terms remain proprietary.

A contract modification published April 6 for the agency’s NASA Launch Services 2 contract with SpaceX changes the upcoming launch of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite from a new Falcon 9 booster to a previously flown own. The contract modification did not explain that change.
https://spacenews.com/nasa-shifts-earth-science-mission-to-previously-flown-falcon-9/

U.S. intelligence-gathering payloads awaiting launch on SpaceX rocket
April 14, 2022 Stephen Clark EDITOR’S NOTE: Updated with launch delay to Saturday, April 16. [SFN]


A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket sits horizontal Thursday at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Credit: Brian Sandoval / Spaceflight Now

SpaceX plans to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from California’s Central Coast just before sunrise Saturday, boosting a classified cargo into orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office on what is widely believed to be a naval reconnaissance mission.

The Falcon 9 rocket is set to take off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, a military base on the Pacific coastline northwest of Los Angeles, at 6:27 a.m. PDT (9:27 a.m. EDT; 1327 GMT) Saturday. SpaceX announced late Thursday the launch was being delayed to no earlier than Saturday, allowing time to “complete pre-launch checkouts and data reviews.”
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/04/14/u-s-intelligence-gathering-payloads-awaiting-launch-on-spacex-rocket/

SpaceX launches NROL-85 spy satellite for U.S. National Reconnaissance Office
by Sandra Erwin — April 17, 2022 [SN]


A SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying NROL-85 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, at 9:13 a.m. Eastern. Credit: SpaceX webcast

NROL-85 was the 148th launch of the Falcon 9 and the rocket’s 14th mission of 2022

WASHINGTON — A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched a U.S. National Reconnaissance Office spy satellite into orbit April 17 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

The payload, designated NROL-85, was the agency’s second mission of the year and the second orbital launch of 2022 from the Western Range.

The Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at 9:13 a.m. Eastern. After separation from the upper stage, the rocket’s first stage landed back at Landing Zone 4  about eight minutes after liftoff. This was the 114th booster successfully recovered by SpaceX.

NROL-85’s first stage previously flew NROL-87 in February. NROL-85 is the NRO’s first mission to reuse a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket booster. NROL-87 was the first NRO launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket intended to be reused for a future mission. (...)
https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-nrol-85-spy-satellite-for-u-s-national-reconnaissance-office/

SpaceX Launches Sixth Classified Payload, Reflies Falcon 9 Booster
by Ben Evans April 17, 2022 [AS]


Visible only as a tongue of flame in the darkness, B1071 takes flight from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., early Easter Sunday. Photo Credit: SpaceX

(...) It was the third Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg so far in 2022, coming on the heels of B1071’s maiden outing on 2 February to loft NROL-87 to orbit and a batch of 50 low-orbiting Starlink internet communications satellites on another mission just three weeks later. That already ties 2022 with the total number of Falcon 9s flown out of the West Coast in 2021 and jointly represents the highest amount of SpaceX missions from Vandenberg since 2018. With up to five more flights targeted from the West Coast, 2022 may end as Vandenberg’s most-flown year on record for the Hawthorne, Calif.-headquartered launch services organization. (...)

This morning’s flight was the sixth fully classified mission undertaken by SpaceX, coming on the heels of NROL-76 in May 2017, the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) in September 2017, the controversial Zuma—rumored to have been lost soon after its January 2018 launch—and more recently NROL-108 in December 2020 and last February’s NROL-87. And although NROL-108 also rode a previously-flown Falcon 9 core, the back-to-back NROL-87 and NROL-85 missions make B1071 the first individual booster to have flown twice in support of NRO objectives. (...)
https://www.americaspace.com/2022/04/17/spacex-launches-sixth-classified-payload-reflies-falcon-9-booster/

SpaceX launches and lands rocket National Reconnaissance Office mission
April 17, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


A Falcon 9 booster stage returns to Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, eight minutes after launching the NROL-85 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office. Credit: Gene Blevins / LA Daily News

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket with a classified payload at dawn Sunday for the National Reconnaissance Office, the U.S. government’s spy satellite agency, and landed the booster stage back at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. (...)

SpaceX’s live webcast of the mission focused on the booster’s return. The public webcast ended its live video coverage of the upper  stage a few minutes after liftoff, honoring a request from the NRO, which keeps details of its missions secret. (...)
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/04/17/spacex-launches-and-lands-rocket-on-mission-for-national-reconnaissance-office/

Satellogic to launch 68 satellites with SpaceX
by Jeff Foust — May 4, 2022 Updated May 5 with comment from Satellogic spokesperson. [SN]


A Falcon 9 lifts off April 1 on the Transporter-4 dedicated rideshare mission, which included five Satellogic satellites. Satellogic said May 4 it will launch 68 more satellites with SpaceX. Credit: Space Launch Delta 45

WASHINGTON — Earth imaging company Satellogic announced May 4 it signed a contract with SpaceX to launch 68 more satellites as it continues to build out its constellation.

Satellogic said the multiple launch agreement with SpaceX reserves capacity for 68 satellites on an unspecified number of future SpaceX launches. The companies did not disclose the terms of the agreement. A spokesperson for Satellogic said late May 4 that the agreement covers payload son at least four launches starting in early 2023.
https://spacenews.com/satellogic-to-launch-68-satellites-with-spacex/

SpaceX moved NROL-85 from the Cape to Vandenberg at no extra cost, in exchange for reusing booster
by Sandra Erwin — May 6, 2022 [SN]


A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched NROL-87 on Feb. 2, 2022. Credit: SpaceX

NROL-85 was moved to the West Coast at no extra cost to the government and in exchange the NRO agreed to fly a reused first stage

WASHINGTON – The National Reconnaissance Office’s NROL-85 mission launched April 17 by SpaceX was originally scheduled to fly from Cape Canaveral, Florida. But just 12 months before the launch, the NRO informed SpaceX it needed to send its payload to a different orbit so the launch had to be moved to the western range at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
https://spacenews.com/spacex-moved-nrol-85-from-the-cape-to-vandenberg-at-no-extra-cost-in-exchange-for-reusing-booster/

Geostationary comsats delivered to Florida for SpaceX launches in June
May 16, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


A spacecraft container is unloaded from a transport ship Saturday at Port Canaveral, Florida. Credit: Stephen Clark / Spaceflight Now

A transport ship delivered the SES 22 and Nilesat 301 geostationary communications satellites to Cape Canaveral over the weekend to prepare for two launches on SpaceX rockets in June, completing a trans-Atlantic journey from France originally planned on Russian-owned cargo planes.

The satellites will be prepared for launches on two Falcon 9 rockets next month. Nilesat 301 is scheduled for liftoff June 10 from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and SES 22 is set for launch in late June.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/05/16/geostationary-telecom-satellites-delivered-to-florida-for-spacex-launches-in-june/

Experimental payload with robotic arm to attempt metal cutting on orbit
by Sandra Erwin — May 23, 2022 [SN]


Nanoracks’ OMD-1 payload mounted onto SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Transporter-5 vehicle. Credit: Voyager Space

The Outpost Mars Demo-1 mission is scheduled to launch May 25 aboard SpaceX’s Transporter 5 rideshare

WASHINGTON — Voyager Space announced that one of its portfolio companies, Nanoracks, will launch a NASA-funded experiment to demonstrate on-orbit metal cutting using a robotic arm.

The mission named Outpost Mars Demo-1 is scheduled to launch May 25 aboard SpaceX’s Transporter 5 rideshare. The experiment originally was scheduled to launch in 2020.

The mission is part of Voyager’s outpost program that seeks to transform used launch vehicle upper stages into space habitat platforms.
https://spacenews.com/experimental-payload-with-robotic-arm-to-attempt-metal-cutting-on-orbit/

[Orionid]

Nanoracks experiment poised to demonstrate metal cutting in orbit
May 24, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


The Outpost Mars Demo-1 payload ready for launch on SpaceX’s Transporter 5 rideshare mission. Credit: Nanoracks

Nanoracks will fly an experiment with a small articulating robot arm on SpaceX’s Transporter 5 rideshare mission this week to demonstrate metal cutting in orbit, a test lasting just minutes that could advance in-space manufacturing technology to help convert used rocket stages into space habitats.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/05/24/nanoracks-experiment-poised-to-demonstrate-metal-cutting-in-orbit/

SpaceX launches Transporter-5 dedicated smallsat rideshare mission
by Jeff Foust — May 26, 2022 Updated 9:30 a.m. to correct landing site of booster. [SN]


A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifts off May 25 on the Transporter-5 rideshare mission carrying 59 payloads. Credit: SpaceX

LONG BEACH, Calif. — SpaceX launched several dozen payloads on its fifth dedicated rideshare mission May 25, illustrating the continued demand for such missions even as dedicated small launch vehicles emerge.

The Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 2:35 p.m. Eastern. The rocket’s booster, flying its eighth mission, landed back at Cape Canaveral’s Landing Zone One eight and a half minutes after liftoff.
https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-transporter-5-dedicated-smallsat-rideshare-mission/

SpaceX Launches Transporter-5 Rideshare , Wraps Up Multi-Mission May
by Ben Evans May 25, 2022


Today’s Transporter-5 rideshare included 59 discrete payloads, representating around a half-dozen sovereign nations. Photo Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX has successfully completed its third month to boast at least five Falcon 9 missions, as an eight-times-flown Falcon 9 booster speared aloft from storied Space Launch Complex (SLC)-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., at 2:35 p.m. EDT Wednesday. Laden with 59 small payloads, representing more than a half-dozen sovereign nations, and covering a smorgasbord of disciplines from Earth observations to technology demonstrations, from Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) to radio occultation and from education to a NanoRacks investigation to cut representative metal samples in support of future deep-space outposts, the mission wrapped up a banner fifth month of the year for SpaceX.
https://www.americaspace.com/2022/05/25/spacex-launches-transporter-5-rideshare-wraps-up-multi-mission-may/

SpaceX launches fifth Transporter rideshare mission
May 25, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


A Falcon 9 rocket lifts off on the Transporter 5 mission. Credit: Michael Cain / Spaceflight Now / Coldlife Photography

A Falcon 9 rocket lifts off on the Transporter 5 mission. Credit: Michael Cain / Spaceflight Now / Coldlife Photography
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket Wednesday packed with 59 small satellites and research experiments, including an innovative commercial water-propelled orbital transfer vehicle from Momentus and a pair of NASA tech demos testing laser communications and proximity operations. (...)

After engine cutoff, a self-contained payload from Nanoracks inside a box mounted on the upper stage was programmed to begin a 10-minute experiment to demonstrate metal cutting in orbit. The Outpost Mars Demo-1 experiment included three small coupons of corrosion resistant steel, which a robotic arm will attempt to cut using friction milling technology.

Nanoracks says the experiment is a first step in demonstrating metalworks in orbit, which could lead to advancements in space manufacturing and salvaging, including the conversion of used launch vehicle upper stages into orbiting habitats and research platforms.

The metal cutting experiment was expected to complete about 20 minutes after launch, then was supposed to downlink data and imagery to scientists through ground receiving stations.


The Mars Demo-1 payload ready for launch on SpaceX’s Transporter 5 rideshare mission. Credit: Nanoracks

The upper stage’s work wasn’t finished. Another engine firing occurred 55 minutes into the flight to place the satellite payloads into a near-circular orbit at an altitude of about 326 miles (525 kilometers), and an inclination of 97.5 degrees to the equator.

Then the Falcon 9 began releasing the rest of its commercial and government payloads.

The satellite passengers on the Transporter 5 mission included the first Vigoride orbital transfer vehicle built by a startup named Momentus, which will demonstrate a novel water-based propulsion system.

There was also a Sherpa transfer vehicle from Spaceflight, a company that specializes in brokering rides to space for small satellites, with its own roster of payloads. Another orbital transfer vehicle from the Italian company D-Orbit also separated from the Falcon 9 upper stage to conduct orbital maneuvers before releasing multiple commercial smallsats.

“The orbital transfer vehicle that we call Vigoride is very versatile,” said John Rood, Momentus’ chairman and CEO, in a pre-launch interview with Spaceflight Now. “It can carry small satellites, cube satellites, nanosatellites, pico satellites, all simultaneously, and it uses a water-based propellant and microwave electrothermal thruster.”

Headquartered in San Jose, California, Momentus had to wait longer than it hoped to fly the the first Vigoride orbital transfer vehicle. An earlier version of Vigoride was originally slated to launch in early 2021. The U.S. government withheld regulatory licenses for the Vigoride demo mission, citing national security concerns stemming from the company’s original ownership by two Russian citizens.

The hold-up forced the Russian owners to divest their interest in Momentus, which is now a public company. Rood took the helm of Momentus last year, and the company secured U.S. government approval for the Vigoride demo mission.


Momentus’ Vigoride orbital transfer vehicle. Credit: Niall David / Momentus

Momentus’ orbital transfer vehicle is similar in purpose to space tugs developed by other companies, like Spaceflight and D-Orbit, both of which had their CubeSat carriers on the Transporter 5 mission.

The space tugs can change their altitude, inclination, or other orbital parameters, delivering small payloads to different locations in space than the drop-off orbit of the main rocket. The transfer vehicles can reposition small satellites into orbits more favorable for their missions.

Some transfer vehicles use conventional propulsion, with thrusters powered by liquid propellants. Others are testing electric thrusters, a lower-thrust but higher-efficiency propulsion option.

Rood said the water-based propellant used on Vigoride vehicle provides performance in a “sweet spot” between chemical and electric propulsion, with higher efficiency then conventional rocket fuels, and higher thrust the ion thrusters.

“It’s H20, it’s water as a propellant,” Rood said. “The way this works is similar to the microwave you use in your home. We use microwave energy with a magnetron to heat water vapor to a temperature that’s roughly half the temperature of the surface of the sun.

“The real science comes in to control that resulting plasma, making sure it doesn’t just melt through everything inside, including the nozzle,” Rood said. “And then controlling that plasma to expel it through the rocket nozzle to therefore produce thrust.”

The first Vigoride vehicle carries several customer payloads. The flight plan called for the transfer vehicle to deploy those small satellites, then begin orbital adjustments using its two water-fueled thrusters.

The Vigoride orbital transfer vehicle had an empty weight, or dry mass, of about 270 kilograms (about 600 pounds), according to Rood.

“This microwave electrothermal thruster technology has been in development since the 1980s by university researchers, but Momentus is a real pioneer in bringing it to the marketplace and using it in space.”

Momentus demonstrated a scale version of the thruster in 2019, but the propulsion system on the Vigoride transfer vehicle has many advancements over that test unit.

“This will really be the first full-scale usage of the technology in space,” Rood said. “We expect to learn a lot.”

Momentus also booked a port on the Falcon 9 rocket to accommodate customer payloads, which deployed directly from the upper stage in orbit.

Other payloads on the Transporter 5 mission included five commercial ICEYE radar observation satellites, each nearly 200 pounds (100 kilograms) in mass. There were four small optical Earth-imaging satellites from the Argentine company Satellogic, growing its constellation to 26 operational spacecraft. The Transporter 5 mission launched three microsats from the Canadian company GHGSat, which is deploying a fleet of small satellites to monitor global greenhouse gas emissions.

There were also three formation-flying spacecraft on the Transporter 5 launch for HawkEye 360, a U.S. company building a satellite constellation to detect and locate the source of terrestrial radio signals. HawkEye 360 said earlier this year its RF monitoring satellites detected GPS interference in Ukraine as Russian military forces invaded the country.

Umbra, a startup based in Santa Barbara, California, launched its third radar remote sensing satellite on the Transporter 5 mission. Another California-based company, GeoOptics, also launched two small satellites for its commercial weather monitoring constellation.

There were five Lemur 2 CubeSats on-board from Spire Global to track weather, aviation and maritime activity from space, support data relay services, host an optical payload, and test radio frequency detection technology for the UK Ministry of Defense.

The U.S. military’s Missile Defense Agency had two small tech demo spacecraft on the Transporter 5 mission to test inter-satellite communications links.

NASA had two CubeSat missions launching on the Transporter 5 mission.

One of the CubeSats is named PTD 3, developed at NASA’s Ames Research Center to host a laser communication experiment from MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory. The Terabyte Infrared Delivery, or TBIRD, experiment will test laser data links between a small satellite and a ground station, helping prove technology that could allow satellite networks to transmit vast volumes of data much faster than through conventional radio systems.

The other NASA payload on the Transporter 5 launch was the CubeSat Proximity Operations Demonstration, which will demonstrate rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking using two shoebox-sized CubeSats.

One of the CubeSats on the Transporter 5 mission also carried the cremated remains of 47 people, part of a commercial memorial service provided by Celestis. (...)
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/05/25/spacex-launches-fifth-transporter-rideshare-mission/

Momentus attempting to fix anomalies with first Vigoride tug
by Jeff Foust — June 2, 2022 [SN]


Momentus is attempt to fix "some anomalous behaviors" with its first Vigoride tug launched May 25, including a communications system tuned to the wrong frequencies. Credit: Momentus

WASHINGTON — A week after the launch of its first space tug, Momentus is still dealing with “anomalies” with the vehicle, but the company’s chief executive remains optimistic those issues will be resolved.

Among the payloads on the SpaceX Transporter-5 rideshare mission that launched on a Falcon 9 May 25 was Vigoride-3, the first tug developed by Momentus. The vehicle, primarily a technology demonstration mission, carried nine small satellites from three customers for later deployment.
https://spacenews.com/momentus-attempting-to-fix-anomalies-with-first-vigoride-tug/

Globalstar spare satellite to launch on SpaceX rocket this month
June 7, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


File photo of a Globalstar second-generation satellite. Credit: Thales Alenia Space

A spare satellite for Globalstar’s data relay and messaging constellation will launch from Cape Canaveral on a Falcon 9 rocket later this month, multiple sources said, in a previously-undisclosed mission on SpaceX’s schedule.

The launch will be the first for a Globalstar satellite since 2013, and adds capacity for the company’s commercial network providing data connectivity for satellite phones, asset tracking, and internet-of-things applications.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/06/07/globalstar-spare-satellite-to-launch-on-spacex-rocket-this-month/

SpaceX readies Falcon 9 rocket to launch Egyptian communications satellile
June 7, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


The Nilesat 301 communications satellite undergoes a solar array deployment test. Credit: Thales Alenia Space

An Egyptian-owned communications satellite is nestled in the nose cone of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for launch Wednesday from Cape Canaveral, heading for an orbital position more than 22,000 miles over the equator.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/06/07/spacex-readies-falcon-9-rocket-to-launch-egyptian-communications-satellite/

SpaceX Launches Egyptian Satellite to Orbit, CRS-25 Stands Down Until 28 June
by Ben Evans June 8, 2022


SpaceX’s first mission of June powers smoothly uphill at 5:04 p.m. EDT Wednesday. Photo Credit: SpaceX

A seven-times-flown Falcon 9 booster kicked off June in fine style on Wednesday, by delivering a powerful Egyptian communications satellite on the first leg of its uphill trek to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). Nilesat-301, set to be emplaced at 7.0 degrees West longitude for a minimum 15-year operational life span, rose from storied Space Launch Complex (SLC)-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., at 5:04 p.m. EDT.
https://www.americaspace.com/2022/06/08/spacex-launches-egyptian-satellite-to-orbit-crs-25-stands-down-until-28-june/

SpaceX rocket hauls Egyptian telecom satellite toward geosynchronous orbit
June 8, 2022 Stephen Clark [SN]


SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket dashes past the moon carrying the Nilesat 301 satellite into orbit. Credit: Stephen Clark / Spaceflight Now

SpaceX launched an Egyptian communications satellite toward a high-altitude geostationary orbit Wednesday from Cape Canaveral. It was the first commercial launch of a geostationary payload this year, another sign of a market shift toward smaller, lower-orbiting communications satellites. (...)

The launch Wednesday was the 23rd Falcon 9 launch of the year, and the first with a satellite heading toward geostationary orbit, a popular location for TV broadcasting and data relay spacecraft. It was also the first truly commercial launch into a geostationary transfer orbit worldwide this year.

The geostationary satellite launch market was once a lucrative business for launch providers, including SpaceX. But the satellite market has shifted to smaller spacecraft, including constellations flying in low Earth orbit, or LEO, to beam broadband signals to consumers.

Geostationary satellites are typically large and carry more communications capacity than a single LEO telecom spacecraft. In geostationary orbit, they orbit in lock-step with Earth’s rotation, allowing an antenna on the ground to point at the same place in the sky for a continuous link with the satellite. (...)
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/06/08/spacex-rocket-hauls-egyptian-telecom-satellite-toward-geosynchronous-orbit/

Egypt’s Nilesat 301 passes health checks after SpaceX launch
by Jason Rainbow — June 9, 2022 [SN]


SpaceX launched Egypt's Nilesat 301 satellite June 8 on Falcon 9's 23rd mission so far this year. Credit: SpaceX

TAMPA, Fla. — Egyptian operator NileSat’s latest communications satellite is ready to move to its final orbit after clearing health checks following its June 8 SpaceX launch, according to the spacecraft’s prime contractor. (...)

Based on Thales Alenia Space’s Spacebus 4000-B2 platform, Nilesat 301 carries Ku-band transponders for TV broadcasting and Ka-band capacity for internet services.

The satellite has a projected 15-year operational lifetime and will eventually replace the Thales Alenia Space-built Nilesat 201, which the Egyptian company expects will run out of fuel in 2028 after its launch in 2010.

In addition to covering the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions that Nilesat already serves with Nilesat 201 and other satellites it leases, the company said Nilesat 301 expands its reach into new markets in southern Africa and the Nile River basin.

Nilesat said Nilesat 301 also supplements connectivity services across Egypt and other countries along the Nile provided by Tiba 1, the Egyptian government’s first satellite that launched in 2019.
https://spacenews.com/egypts-nilesat-301-passes-health-checks-after-spacex-launch/

BlueWalker 3 launch window opens Aug. 15
by Jason Rainbow — June 13, 2022 [SN]


An artistic rendering of a BlueBird satellite. Credit: AST SpaceMobile

TAMPA, Fla. — AST SpaceMobile said June 13 that SpaceX aims to launch the prototype for its cellphone-compatible broadband constellation in the week of Aug. 15.

The actual launch date is subject to final integration of the BlueWalker 3 test satellite, AST SpaceMobile added, and other factors including the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket’s readiness and weather.
https://spacenews.com/bluewalker-3-launch-window-opens-aug-15/

[Orionid]

Po rozpoczęciu misji Transporter-5 w dniu 25 maja, nadal holownik Vigoride-3 firmy Momentus wykazuje problemy z zasilaniem z powodu problemów z panelami słonecznymi. Wg ostatnich wiadomości udało się rozmieścić 2 satelity z 9. Coraz mniejsza jest szansa na umieszczenie pozostałych satelitów na odpowiednich orbitach.

Momentus orbital transfer vehicle suffers power problem after launch
June 14, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


Momentus’ Vigoride orbital transfer vehicle. Credit: Niall David / Momentus

The first test flight of a commercial orbital transfer vehicle from Momentus is suffering from a problem with its solar panels after launching last month on a SpaceX rocket, and the company said Monday that its confidence in completing the spacecraft’s demonstrations has “substantially declined.”

The Vigoride 3 space tug was one of dozens of small satellites launched on SpaceX’s Transporter 5 rideshare mission May 25. The spacecraft rode a Falcon 9 rocket into a polar orbit from Cape Canaveral, beginning a variety of communications, Earth observation, tech demo, and research missions.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/06/14/momentus-orbital-transfer-vehicle-suffers-power-problem-after-launch/

Momentus increasingly pessimistic about first Vigoride mission
by Jeff Foust — June 14, 2022 [SN]


Momentus said solar arrays on its first Vigoride tug failed to deploy properly after launch last month, causing power and communications issues. Credit: Momentus

PASADENA, Calif. — The first orbital transfer vehicle launched by Momentus continues to experience problems and the company says its confidence that the spacecraft can complete its mission has “substantially declined.”
https://spacenews.com/momentus-increasingly-pessimistic-about-first-vigoride-mission/

SpaceX planning another trifecta of launches this weekend
June 16, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


File photo of a Falcon 9 rocket on pad 39A on Dec. 8, 2021. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

SpaceX teams in Florida and California are preparing for three missions from three launch pads in three days, beginning Friday with a launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida with a reusable Falcon 9 booster flying for a record 13th time.

The flight Friday will deploy 53 more Starlink internet satellites, followed by a launch Saturday from Vandenberg Space Force Base with a German military radar observation satellite, then another mission from Cape Canaveral early Sunday with a commercial Globalstar messaging and data relay spacecraft.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/06/16/spacex-planning-another-trifecta-of-launches-this-weekend/

German military radar satellite ready for SpaceX rocket ride
June 17, 2022 Stephen Clark [SN]


A Falcon 9 rocket stands ready for launch with Germany’s SARah 1 radar satellite. Credit: SpaceX

The first satellite in a nearly billion-dollar program to provide the German military with improved radar surveillance imagery from space is set to rocket into a polar orbit Saturday from California’s Central Coast on a SpaceX Falcon 9 launcher.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/06/17/german-military-radar-satellite-ready-for-spacex-rocket-ride/

SpaceX launches German military radar satellite from California
June 18, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


A Falcon 9 rocket soars by the moon in the sky over California’s Central Coast, carrying Germany’s SARah 1 military imaging satellite into orbit. Credit: Brian Sandoval / Spaceflight Now

A four-ton, cloud-penetrating radar observation satellite for the German military soared into orbit Saturday from California on top of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, beginning a 10-year mission to collect all-weather reconnaissance imagery. (...)

SARah 1 is starting a 10-year mission providing reconnaissance imagery to the Bundeswehr, the Germany military.

The Falcon 9 targeted a polar orbit a few hundred miles above Earth, but the exact altitude and inclination reached on Saturday’s mission were not immediately available.

SARah 1 is the first of three radar imaging satellites the German government ordered from industry in 2013. OHB, based in Bremen, is the lead contractor on the SARah program and is building the second and third satellites in the series. Airbus teams in southern Germany manufactured SARah 1, the first and largest satellite in the program. (...)
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/06/18/spacex-launches-german-military-radar-satellite-from-california/

SpaceX launches third Falcon 9 rocket in less than two days
June 19, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


A Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station with the Globalstar FM15 satellite. Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX hauled a Globalstar communications satellite into orbit early Sunday from Cape Canaveral, pulling off the third Falcon 9 rocket flight in 36 hours, the fastest sequence of three missions by any commercial launch company in history. (...)

With Sunday’s mission for Globalstar, SpaceX notched three Falcon 9 flights in 36 hours, 18 minutes, the shortest span between three missions that any commercial rocket company has achieved.

The launches marked the 158th, 159th, and 160th flights of a Falcon 9 rocket overall, and the 24th, 25th, and 26th Falcon 9 missions this year, trying the 26-launch tally SpaceX achieved in the entire year of 2020. SpaceX is on pace to surpass the 31-launch mark — its total from last year — by the end of July.

Company officials are aiming for more than 50 Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches in 2022.

Some aspects of Sunday’s launch caused observers to raise questions about other spacecraft that may have been deployed alongside the Globalstar satellite.

SpaceX did not mention any other payloads in its live launch webcast or on the Globalstar mission page on its website.

But the relatively light weight of the Globalstar satellite would typically leave enough propellant reserve on the Falcon 9’s booster to return to landing. Instead, Sunday’s mission featured a landing on SpaceX’s offshore recovery platform.  (...)
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/06/19/spacex-launches-third-falcon-9-rocket-in-less-than-two-days/

SpaceX performs three launches within two days amid internal dissent
by Jeff Foust — June 19, 2022 Updated 3:30 p.m. Eastern after Globalstar statement. [SN]


A Falcon 9 lifts off June 17 carrying a batch of Starlink satellites, the first of three launches SpaceX performed over a little more than 36 hours. Credit: SpaceX

WASHINGTON — SpaceX completed a surge of three successful launches in a little more than 36 hours early June 19, days after an open letter within the company critical of founder Elon Musk led to the firing of several employees.
https://spacenews.com/spacex-performs-three-launches-within-two-days-amid-internal-dissent/

SpaceX launches SES-22 C-band replacement satellite
by Jason Rainbow — June 29, 2022 [SN]


A Falcon 9 launched the SES-22 broadcast satellite June 29 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Credit: SpaceX webcast

TAMPA, Fla. — SpaceX launched the first television broadcast satellite under SES’s C-band clearing plan June 29 from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 5:04 p.m. Eastern carrying the SES-22 satellite, which will help SES reap billions of dollars from vacating C-band frequencies for U.S. 5G networks.

SES-22 separated from the rocket in geostationary transfer orbit about 33 minutes later.

The Falcon 9’s reusable first stage successfully landed on a SpaceX drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean following the launch.

The booster previously supported a mission in May for Starlink, SpaceX’s broadband megaconstellation.

SES-22 is the first to launch of six geostationary satellites that SES ordered to migrate broadcast customers into a narrower swath of C-band.

SES and other C-band holders are in line for $9.7 billion in total from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) if they meet its deadlines for clearing 300 MHz of the spectrum.

The 3,500 kilogram SES-22 satellite was built by Thales Alenia Space, which is also constructing the company’s SES-23 C-band replacement satellite.

Northrop Grumman and Boeing are also building two C-band satellites apiece for SES.

United Launch Alliance is slated to launch two SES C-band replacement satellites in the third quarter of 2022, and SpaceX is due to deploy another two later in the year. (...)
https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-ses-22-c-band-replacement-satellite/

SpaceX closes out first half of 2022 with on-target launch for SES
June 29, 2022 Stephen Clark


SpaceX’s 27th mission of the year lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 5:04 p.m. EDT (2104 GMT) Wednesday. Credit: Michael Cain / Spaceflight Now / Coldlife Photography

SpaceX closed out the first half of 2022 on Wednesday with its 27th mission of the year, powering a commercial television broadcasting satellite into orbit for SES on a Falcon 9 rocket as the company is poised to break its annual launch record in the coming weeks. (...)
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/06/29/virgin-orbit-ready-for-first-night-launch-on-space-force-mission/

Second commercial Lynk Global satellite still looking for launch
by Jason Rainbow — July 8, 2022 [SN]


A Falcon 9 lifts off April 1 on the Transporter-4 dedicated rideshare mission. Credit: Space Launch Delta 45

TAMPA, Fla. — Lynk Global said it is still waiting for Spaceflight to rebook a flight for the second commercial satellite in its cellphone-compatible broadband network, four months after the launch services provider’s space tug was kicked off a SpaceX mission.

Lynk-07 was supposed to launch onboard Spaceflight’s Sherpa orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) in April on a Falcon 9 rideshare mission, Lynk Global CEO Charles Miller told SpaceNews.
https://spacenews.com/second-commercial-lynk-global-satellite-still-looking-for-launch/

Second ViaSat-3 payload arrives in California for integration
by Jason Rainbow — July 13, 2022 [SN]


The second ViaSat-3 payload module was delivered to Boeing by truck for integration. Credit: Viasat

TAMPA, Fla. — The payload for Viasat’s second ViaSat-3 broadband satellite has arrived in California to be integrated with a Boeing chassis, the operator said July 13.

The high-throughput payload traveled by truck from Viasat’s facility in Tempe, Arizona, to Boeing in El Segundo, where it will also undergo environmental tests in preparation for launch.

The first Ka-band ViaSat-3 satellite was integrated with Boeing’s 702 satellite bus platform last year. This satellite is slated to launch to geostationary orbit (GEO) later in 2022 on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket to cover the Americas.
https://spacenews.com/second-viasat-3-payload-arrives-in-california-for-integration/

Korean moon mission blasts off from Cape Canaveral on SpaceX rocket
August 4, 2022 Stephen Clark [SFN]


A Falcon 9 rocket lifts off Aug. 4 with the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter. Credit: SpaceX

South Korea’s first moon orbiter launched Thursday from Cape Canaveral on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, heading off on a mission to survey potential lunar landing sites and search for water ice hidden inside shadowed craters near the moon’s poles.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/08/04/korean-moon-mission-blasts-off-from-cape-canaveral-on-spacex-rocket/

[Orionid]

Co najmniej 114. Komercyjne tajemnice?

SpaceX launches 114 small satellites on first mission of 2023
January 3, 2023 Stephen Clark [SFN]


SpaceX’s Falcon 9 booster descends to Landing Zone 1 Tuesday to wrap up its 15th flight to space. Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX’s first launch of the year fired away from Cape Canaveral Tuesday and hauled 114 small satellites into polar orbit for operators in 23 countries, deploying a range of payloads for tech demo, Earth observation, and communication missions.

A 229-foot-tall (70-meter) Falcon 9 rocket did the lifting, kicking off the mission at 9:56 a.m. EST (1456 GMT) with a thundering launch from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch marked the first of as many as 100 missions on SpaceX’s schedule for 2023, following a record 61 launches last year.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2023/01/03/falcon-9-transporter-6-live-coverage/