DocM Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 Another regular customer, Payload: SES-12 commsat Customer: SES S.A. Launch date: May 24 Window: 0029-0127 EDT (0429-0527 UTC) Core: B1040.2 (X-37B OTV-5) Pad: KSC LC-40 Stage landing: expended (F9 Block 4) Satellite bus: Airbus Eurostar-3000EOR Orbit: Geostationary Transfer Orbit GEO position: 95° East Transponders: 54 Ku band (S. Asia, Asia-Pacific) Power: 19kw Propulsion: OKB Fakel SPT140D electric (Russian) Mass: 5,300kg anthdci and BetaguyGZT 2 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted May 17, 2018 Author Share Posted May 17, 2018 The Eastern Range is down from May 29 - June 8 for scheduled maintenance. Launch date: NET May 31 Launch window: abt. 0029-0127 EDT (0429-0527 GMT) If the NET date holds its likely SpaceX can launch because of their Autonomous Flight Safety System not needing the closed range assets. BetaguyGZT 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598267590 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted May 24, 2018 Author Share Posted May 24, 2018 BetaguyGZT 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598271738 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted May 24, 2018 Author Share Posted May 24, 2018 (edited) Window: 1100-1700 EDT (1500-2100 Edited May 24, 2018 by DocM BetaguyGZT 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598271878 Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaguyGZT Posted May 24, 2018 Share Posted May 24, 2018 Yep, they aren't even saving the Block-IV's for Falcon Heavy now. As expected. We called it, gents. So far we're 5/6. Only thing we missed was expecting them to build BFR/BFS stuff at the Cape, which SpaceX is apparently not going to do going forward (unless NASA foots the bill for the LF). Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598272404 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted May 25, 2018 Author Share Posted May 25, 2018 BetaguyGZT 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598272544 Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthdci Posted May 25, 2018 Share Posted May 25, 2018 All these expended launches feels weird even though it’s totally understandable. BetaguyGZT 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598272616 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted May 25, 2018 Author Share Posted May 25, 2018 Yeah, feels odd, but gotta empty the barns for F9 Block 5. BetaguyGZT and anthdci 2 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598272658 Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaguyGZT Posted May 25, 2018 Share Posted May 25, 2018 Yep. They're gonna have more Block 5's than they'll know what to do with, and BFS/BFR fab is going to become SpaceX's primary focus in very, very short order. There's a mad dash to hire/reassign personnel right now. They're actually quite short-handed atm. Starlink dev is in full swing too. First several hundred birds need to be in the sky to do Phase 2 testing ASAP. SpaceX needs that generating revenue so that they have the needed capital for the full-monty BFS/BFR stuff. That can't happen quickly/efficiently unless Starlink is doing it's thing. It might appear off-topic but these things are very interconnected with one another. SpaceX want/need to retire Falcon 9 by the late 2020's. There might (might) be one more revision to the Falcon 9 family if there are enough advances to warrant backporting from BFR/BFS dev, however unlikely that scenario plays out. (I personally doubt it, though; but hey, never say never!) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598272672 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted May 28, 2018 Author Share Posted May 28, 2018 Weather: 30% Delay day: 40% Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598274186 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beittil Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 Ouch Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598274228 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted May 28, 2018 Author Share Posted May 28, 2018 Gulf of Mexico subtropical storm Alberto is prepping to hit Florida's panhandle. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598274234 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted May 28, 2018 Author Share Posted May 28, 2018 No surprise at all, given the weather Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598274546 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beittil Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598276682 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted May 31, 2018 Author Share Posted May 31, 2018 Monday's forecast at the Cape is 50% thunderstorms, so they may need to shoot a gap in the weather. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598276856 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted May 31, 2018 Author Share Posted May 31, 2018 MVacD is beastly BetaguyGZT 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598276980 Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaguyGZT Posted June 1, 2018 Share Posted June 1, 2018 Bwahaha ... looks like the Referees are gonna be asked to get out the line markers for this one lmao ... Wouldn't it be neat if SpaceX has a little green strip on the Mission Timeline thing at the bottom of the screen to indicate how far past the milestone they get? I wanna SEE the progress past nominal cutoff. Not overcooked but supernominal. (Yes, that's a thing.) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598277150 Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaguyGZT Posted June 1, 2018 Share Posted June 1, 2018 Calculating the dV. SES-12, weighing just about 5,300 kg (but I rounded it to 5,300) could have +2,900 m/s excess horizontal velocity and +2,100 m/s vertical velocity upon staging if the target MECO is to occur at 160s. The S1, relieved of it's excess buik (Landing Legs and associated hardware) is a [bleeping] BEAST. Depends on their flight profile and they'll likely trim the vertical velocity because nobody launches like that. In that case they'll conserve that work the rocket could do to maintain the flight profile they want. Likely they'll trim that to about 1,800 m/s as they level off. Since they aren't going for reuse they'll give the S1 the full monty, so the horizontal number could likely double. The S2 will have a FAR better time getting the bird where it needs to be. There's SO much spare dV to dump into this launch it's almost stupid. In a good way, of course. DocM 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598277158 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted June 1, 2018 Author Share Posted June 1, 2018 (edited) Which also means the NLS-II performance numbers for Falcon 9/Heavy are gross understatements. DoD may be interested in that BetaguyGZT 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598277236 Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaguyGZT Posted June 1, 2018 Share Posted June 1, 2018 On 01/06/2018 at 04:52, DocM said: Which also means the NLS-II performance numbers for Falcon 9/Heavy are gross understatements. DoD may be interested in that Expand At this point it's a metaphysical certitude that they'll wanna launch heavier birds, or (more likely) co-hosted payloads. The DoD loves efficiency and "more = better". Those performance numbers, with the information that we're gleaning? HAH ... watch and see that the actual real-world performance of the Block-V Falcon 9's becomes "protected information". I betcha. DocM 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598277246 Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaguyGZT Posted June 1, 2018 Share Posted June 1, 2018 As an aside, if SpaceX were so inclined SES-12 could be put on TLI and there would still be enough dV left to deorbit the S2 wherever they wanted. Talk about hotshotting ... Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598277252 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted June 1, 2018 Author Share Posted June 1, 2018 (edited) And I wouldn't be surprised if USAF followed through on their Raptor development funding by ordering RUS (Raptor Upper Stage) for the EELV-2 competition. BetaguyGZT 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598277294 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted June 1, 2018 Author Share Posted June 1, 2018 Weather 70% for June 4 Weather 80% for June 5 (backup day) BetaguyGZT 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598277736 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted June 3, 2018 Author Share Posted June 3, 2018 bguy_1986 and BetaguyGZT 2 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598278798 Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaguyGZT Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 Fueling has begun. T-60 minutes. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1363586-falcon-9-ses-12-commsat-mission-thread/#findComment-598278918 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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