space General Space Discussion (Thread 1)

[DocM]

A very experienced astronomer satellite watcher who is disinterested in PR. 

[Jim K Global Moderator]

3 hours ago, DocM said:

A very experienced astronomer satellite watcher who is disinterested in PR. 

Ok then...still a watcher.

 

I'm still trying to figure out where you got this from (source) "And the prop used to make the plane change to get them there will cut about 5 years off their life. "  Even the watcher didn't say that (he said years) ... which, once again, is not fact.

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

 

[DocM]

And here, along with hosted DoD sensors on each satellite, is the anchor tenant for SpaceX's StarLink and other LEO satellite constellations using a compact phased array antenna. 

 

Should grease the wheels at the FCC.

 

If AFRL is "about to find out" if it would work, a reasonable assumption may be that soon a US fighter will grow a StarLink phased array antenna and attempt hooking up to SpaceX's two test satellites.

 

StarLink has end to end encryption.

 

For SpaceX, if it works, yet another funding engine for BFR/BFS development.

 

Aviation Week....

 

Quote

Could F-16s In Battle Talk Via Commercial Space Internet?

 

What if warfighters could install an antenna on their F-16s, much like homeowners do on their roofs, and establish a commercial internet connection, allowing them to send critical battlefield information rapidly to the rest of the force?  The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is about to find out. The Air Force is finally catching on to a revolution in the commercial small satellite world. Feb. 22 SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying two experimental satellites from ...{paywalled}

 

[DocM]

If only this really meant his Alabama Mafia paws were really off of NASA. THAT won't happen until he retires, perhaps after his current term ends in January 2023.

 

 

[DocM]

 

[DocM]

The worst possible "solution" to Russia's space problems,

 

 

[DocM]

Five launches were up for bid under the Phase 1A EELV program.

 

SpaceX gets all three GPS-3 launches in 2019-2020. This is five straight GPS-3 launch wins for SpaceX.

 

ULA gets the AFSPC-8 and AFSPC-12 Air Force Space Command launches, both in 2020.

[Beittil]

So...

 

SpaceX 3 launches for $290M (aka $96.6M a pop)

ULA 2 launces for $355M (aka $177,5M a pop) 

 

Over $80M more expensive per launch...

[BetaguyGZT]

Yep. And it's going to remain this way until BFR/BFS, where SpaceX's cost per launch will lower somewhat and be fuel only. ULA is still going to be using disposable hardware.

[DocM]

Looks like nations will rewrite the Outer Space Treaty themselves if the UN won't do it.

 

The US passed space mining legislation in the Spurring Private Aerospace Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship (SPACE) Act of 2015.

 

 

[BetaguyGZT]

Works for me. That's one of the things that has slowed progress, imo. "Can't claim bodies in space", etc.

[DocM]

This is so cool....

 

He's a writer for BBC Earth and Wired UK

 

 

[Beittil]

Aw man, dat JWST... Such trouble, much schedule slip. Omg. 

[BetaguyGZT]

Expect more of this. 70% confidence in this new date means they'll slip further to 2021 or further.

 

And the budget cap will likely be extended to $8.5b USD at least. They're too far in to cancel this one now (like SLS/Orion). Technology 10+ years out of date and all. 

[DocM]

Guess no one's heard of the Sunk Costs Fallacy.

[DocM]

Europa Clipper update

 

Quote

 

PALO ALTO, Calif., April 3, 2018 (Maxar PR) – SSL, a Maxar Technologies company (formerly MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd.) (NYSE: MAXR; TSX: MAXR), and a leading provider of innovative satellites and spacecraft systems, announced today it was selected by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to design and build critical equipment for a spacecraft that will explore Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons. The award reflects SSL’s leadership role in the space industry as a valued contractor supporting NASA mission needs and long-term commitment to accelerating innovation for the new space economy.

 

The Europa Clipper spacecraft, set to launch in the 2020’s, will perform repeated investigative flybys of Europa, an icy moon of Jupiter, which strong evidence suggests has an ocean of liquid water beneath its crust, potentially harboring conditions suitable for life. SSL will provide the Remote Engineering Unit, a critical interface between the spacecraft’s various attitude control systems, thermal sensors and the flight computer. Due to the highly radiative environment the spacecraft will be subjected to, the SSL design for the interface will include  innovative radiation-tolerant components expected to help power future exploration missions.

 

“SSL has a rich legacy of supporting NASA mission success with our commercial capabilities and innovative technologies,” said Richard White, president of SSL Government Systems. “Our work on the Europa Clipper mission continues our legacy with NASA and JPL, and furthers our overarching goal to develop disruptive technologies that advance humankind’s mission in space.”

 

Other examples of SSL’s long-term, trusted collaboration with NASA on deep-space exploration include a NASA Discovery Program to explore the metal asteroid Psyche, for which SSL is leveraging the company’s expertise in solar electric propulsion and automation technologies. SSL is also collaborating on NASA’s Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway by creating a module to provide power and control for this human crew-tended spaceport in lunar orbit that would function as an access point to the Moon and deep space.

 

About SSL

 

SSL, based in Palo Alto, California, is a leading provider of advanced spacecraft systems, with broad expertise to support commercial and government satellite operators and innovative space missions. The company designs and manufactures spacecraft for services such as direct-to-home television, video content distribution, broadband internet, mobile communications, in-orbit servicing, space exploration, and Earth observation. As a Silicon Valley innovator for 60 years, SSL’s advanced product line includes state-of-the-art small satellites, and sophisticated robotics and autonomous solutions for remote operations. SSL is a Maxar Technologies company (NYSE: MAXR; TSX: MAXR). For more information, visit www.sslmda.com.
 
About Maxar Technologies

 

Maxar Technologies (formerly MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd.) is a leading global provider of advanced space technology solutions for commercial and government markets including satellites, Earth imagery, geospatial data and analytics, is at the nexus of the new space economy, developing and sustaining its infrastructure and delivering products, services, systems and solutions that make it possible. As a trusted partner, Maxar Technologies provides unmatched end-to-end advanced systems capabilities and integrated solutions expertise to help our customers anticipate and address their most complex mission critical challenges with confidence. With more than 6,500 employees in 31 locations, the Maxar Technologies portfolio of commercial space brands includes: SSL, MDA, DigitalGlobe, and Radiant Solutions. Every day millions of people rely on Maxar Technologies to communicate, share information and data, and deliver insights that build a better world. Maxar trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange as MAXR. For more information visit maxar.com.

 

[DocM]

 

[Skiver Veteran]

Do we know if NASA's TESS satellite will be launching on a block 5? I thought Bangabandhu 1 was next on the schedule and first to use Block 5 so I'm assuming TESS won't be?

[DocM]

Tess will be core B1045.1, the last new Falcon 9 Block 4. B1046.1 forward are all Block 5's.

 

".X" = use number (.1, .2, .3 ...)

[DocM]

SpaceX's StarLink is the big recipient : $500 million from Fidelity Investments.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/10/space-angels-q1-report-small-rockets-backed-by-silicon-valleys-money.html

 

Investors pour nearly $1 billion into space companies in Q1

The space industry started the first quarter of this year the way it ended the last  with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of private funding flowing into commercial space companies.

There were 20 deals worth nearly $1 billion in the space industry in the first quarter, according to investment firm Space Angels  though $500 million of that was a single deal: A big investment from Fidelity Investments in Elon Musk's SpaceX to develop its constellation of 4,425 broadband satellites.

Small rockets  typically priced between $2 million to $5 million per launch  have been a dominant theme this year, especially thanks to Rocket Lab's first orbital launch of its Electron vehicle in January. With Vector and Virgin Orbit also pushing to reach orbital launch this year, these rocket builders are hoping to seize a part of the premium market to launch small satellites.

"We see the entry of small launch vehicles as a specialization within the sector and an indication that commercial launch is maturing," Space Angels CEO Chad Anderson wrote in the report.
>

[Beittil]

This stuff IS going to happen and it is going to be awesome! How awesome would if be to have a subscription to this and have access through some receiving stations that you can easily bring with you anywhere on the planet!

 

"I am going on vacation but will there be internet?"... "Who cares, just bring your own :D"

 

I'd be soooooooooooooooo happy to have proper internet anywhere and no longer having to rely on poopy wifi's that are shared with a ton of others, crapping out all the time because a couple of phones to many are hooked up at once

[Skiver Veteran]

6 minutes ago, Beittil said:

This stuff IS going to happen and it is going to be awesome! How awesome would if be to have a subscription to this and have access through some receiving stations that you can easily bring with you anywhere on the planet!

 

"I am going on vacation but will there be internet?"... "Who cares, just bring your own :D"

 

I'd be soooooooooooooooo happy to have proper internet anywhere and no longer having to rely on poopy wifi's that are shared with a ton of others, crapping out all the time because a couple of phones to many are hooked up at once

I may be missing something, but doesn't satellite broadband require a satellite at the receiving end also? I'm pretty sure that's how it used to work at least. I suspect you'll still need a satellite/router to be able to access this rather than the whole world acting as one giant hotspot.

[Beittil]

Well, it won't exactly be like those monolithic TV broadcast sats where you need to point a big dish at some fixed point in the sky. Here it will more likely be some custom Starlink antenna that you could literally plop on the roof of your car even and still enjoy perfect internet.

 

Hell this network has even been linked to an investigation by the Air Force to see if they can stick these things on war fighter planes to have real time updates & communication between units over the internet through Starlink.

[BetaguyGZT]

Think of it more like Sirius/XM antennas, but a bit wider for the dB gain. More antenna = better signal. Plus Starlink and other Satellite Internet that works this way is omnidirectional, and is higher power than something like HughesNet which isn't either.

 

 New 'n Tasty is what this is.