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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185988.jpg) Peter B. de Selding‏ @pbdes (https://twitter.com/pbdes) 45 мин назад (https://twitter.com/pbdes/status/890550432141119488)

Next @IridiumComm (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm) launch by @SpaceX (https://twitter.com/SpaceX) is set for Sept. 30 from VAFB, Iridium says.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67521.jpg) Stephen Clark‏ @StephenClark1 (https://twitter.com/StephenClark1) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/StephenClark1/status/890578570363514881)

Iridium confirms its next 10 satellites target launch on a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg AFB on Sept. 30 at 6:30am PDT.

ЦитироватьIridium Announces Third Iridium® NEXT Launch Date
by Iridium (https://blog.iridium.com/author/iridium/) | Jul 28, 2017 | Iridium NEXT (https://blog.iridium.com/category/iridium-next/)

Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM) announced today that the upcoming Iridium NEXT launch has been targeted for September 30, 2017 at 6:30 a.m. PDT. This launch will deliver another 10 Iridium NEXT satellites to orbit on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and will bring the total number of Iridium NEXT satellites deployed to 30. SpaceX sel ected the September 30th launch date based on rocket and Vandenberg Air Force Base range availability. SpaceX's targeted launch schedule accommodates completion of the Iridium NEXT constellation as planned in mid-2018. In total, SpaceX will deliver 75 Iridium NEXT satellites to orbit. In case of inclement weather, a backup launch date has been scheduled for October 1.

Спойлер

Unlike previous launches where some Iridium NEXT satellites were sent drifting to an orbital plane different from where they were launched, all 10 satellites for this launch are currently planned to provide service in orbital plane four. The Iridium constellation's unique architecture is designed with six polar orbiting planes consisting of 11 interconnected satellites per plane, with in-orbit spares, creating a true web of connectivity around the planet.

SpaceX has scheduled the fourth launch to take place in late November. Iridium NEXT manufacturing has completed enough satellites for nearly the next three SpaceX launches. All Iridium NEXT launches take place fr om SpaceX's West Coast launch facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Iridium NEXT is the company's $3 billion next-generation mobile, global satellite network scheduled for completion in 2018. Iridium NEXT will replace the company's existing global constellation in one of the largest technology upgrades ever completed in space. It represents the evolution of critical communications infrastructure that governments and organizations worldwide rely upon to drive business, enable connectivity, empower disaster relief efforts and more. Iridium NEXT will enable and introduce new services like the company's next-generation communications platform, Iridium CertusSM, and the AireonSM space-based ADS-B aircraft surveillance and flight tracking network. The Iridium NEXT satellites are manufactured by Thales Alenia Space and assembled by its subcontractor, Orbital ATK, at its facility in Gilbert, Arizona.

For more information about Iridium NEXT, please visit www.IridiumNEXT.com (https://www.iridiumnext.com).

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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67496.jpg) Matt Desch‏ @IridiumBoss (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss) 35 мин назад (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/901130535573102592)

Formosat-5 now off "our" pad. @SpaceX (https://twitter.com/SpaceX) informs us they need a few more days, so our L3 now Oct 4, 6:06am local. Ship 1st 2 sats tomorrow!
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/166604.jpg)

ЦитироватьНовая переписка

 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185443.jpg) Alessandro Lovesio‏ @AleLovesio (https://twitter.com/AleLovesio) 1 ч назад (https://twitter.com/AleLovesio/status/901163030062432257)

What SVs will you launch on #Iridium (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iridium?src=hash)-3?


 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67496.jpg) Matt Desch‏ @IridiumBoss (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss) 1 ч назад (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/901166176440602624)

Latest view is: SV100,101,107,119,122,125,132,133,129,139

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185770.png) Iridium Corporate‏Подлинная учетная запись @IridiumComm (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm/status/902595992419258368)

Iridium-3 Update: Excited to share that 2 of 10 #IridiumNEXT (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IridiumNEXT?src=hash) SVs for launch 3 arrived to @SpaceX (https://twitter.com/SpaceX) VAFB facility & started launch processing
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/166477.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185770.png) Iridium Corporate‏Подлинная учетная запись @IridiumComm (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm) 3 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm/status/902977914450391040)

As we approach Iridium-3 on 10/4, keep an eye out for behind the scenes looks of #IridiumNEXT (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IridiumNEXT?src=hash) SV prep! @SpaceX (https://twitter.com/SpaceX) @Thales_Alenia_S (https://twitter.com/Thales_Alenia_S) @OrbitalATK (https://twitter.com/OrbitalATK)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/166613.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67496.jpg) Matt Desch‏ @IridiumBoss (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss) 11 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/904853448960696320)

7th and 8th sats for Launch #3 just pulled out to head towards VAFB. I feel better knowing there's a guard riding along to protect them!
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/166411.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67496.jpg) Matt Desch‏ @IridiumBoss (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss) 17 сент. (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/909436252092583937)

Final plan for launch 3: SV100(renamed as SV127),107,119,122,125,126,132,133,136,139. All at VAFB, mated, and ready for 10/4 launch!


 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/34512.jpg) Gunter Krebs‏ @Skyrocket71 (https://twitter.com/Skyrocket71) 18 сент. (https://twitter.com/Skyrocket71/status/909797797880360960)

But hasn't SV126 already been launched in last flight (2017-039G)?


 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67496.jpg) Matt Desch‏ @IridiumBoss (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss) 18 сент. (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/909974014621253632)

В ответ @Skyrocket71 (https://twitter.com/Skyrocket71) @AleLovesio (https://twitter.com/AleLovesio) @SpaceX (https://twitter.com/SpaceX)

You are right - my bad. Let me try again: 107, 119, 122, 125, 127, 129, 132, 133, 136, 139. Thanks for double checking me.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185443.jpg) Alessandro Lovesio‏ @AleLovesio (https://twitter.com/AleLovesio) 17 сент. (https://twitter.com/AleLovesio/status/909479937807126530)

Fantastic! Are the Falcon 9 Stages and the fairings already at VAFB too?


 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67496.jpg) Matt Desch‏ @IridiumBoss (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss) 17 сент. (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/909513354712162309)

Yep! T minus 17 days...

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185770.png) Iridium Corporate‏Подлинная учетная запись @IridiumComm (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm) 1 ч.назад (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm/status/910526263642566657)

Iridium-3 Update: All 10 #IridiumNEXT (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IridiumNEXT?src=hash) SVs for launch 3 are onsite @ VAFB & completing pre-launch processing http://bit.ly/2fj9sR1  (https://t.co/a5gaQNCAIP) @SpaceX (https://twitter.com/SpaceX)

ЦитироватьFull Payload of Satellites for Third Iridium® NEXT Launch are Onsite at Vandenberg Air Force Base
by Iridium (https://blog.iridium.com/author/iridium/) | Sep 20, 2017 | Iridium (https://blog.iridium.com/category/iridium/), Iridium NEXT (https://blog.iridium.com/category/iridium-next/)

Pre-Launch Processing Nearly Complete in Anticipation of October 4th Launch
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Iridium Communications (NASDAQ: IRDM), today announced that all 10 Iridium NEXT satellites for the third launch are onsite at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) in California. Pre-launch processing activities are underway, which includes mating them to the dispensers, fueling and encapsulation within the fairing. The Falcon 9 rocket stages and fairing components are also onsite and in processing for launch. Scheduled for October 4, 2017 at 6:06am PDT (1:06pm UTC), this early morning launch continues the ambitious deployment pace for the Iridium NEXT program, set to launch a total of 75 satellites on SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets. A total of 81 Iridium NEXT satellites are being built – 66 are required for the operational constellation, with the remaining 15 serving as on-orbit spares (nine) and ground spares (six).

Спойлер

"Our teams, not only in California, but also in Arizona and in Northern Virginia, have maintained a steady and impressive pace when it comes to pre-and-post launch operations," said Matt Desch, CEO, Iridium. "We're setting a new industry standard for satellite deployment, in terms of both time and efficiency. On our end, all systems are go for our coming predawn launch."

The October 4th launch is the third of eight launches for the Iridium NEXT program. Under the lead of Thales Alenia Space (Iridium NEXT System Prime Contractor), the satellites were shipped in pairs from the Orbital ATK Satellite Manufacturing Facility in Gilbert, Arizona to VAFB. The satellites were delivered in specially designed motion and temperature-controlled containers designed to maintain optimal environmental conditions.

Iridium NEXT is the company's next-generation global satellite constellation scheduled for completion in 2018. Iridium NEXT represents the evolution of critical communications infrastructure that governments and organizations worldwide rely upon to drive business, enable connectivity, empower disaster relief efforts and more. Iridium NEXT will introduce new capabilities, such as Iridium CertusSM, the company's next-generation multi-service communications platform, which will deliver broadband speeds over L-band for aviation, maritime, land mobile, Internet of Things applications for commercial and government organizations. It will also enable the AireonSM space-based ADS-B, real-time, global aircraft surveillance and flight tracking system.

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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67496.jpg) Matt Desch‏ @IridiumBoss (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss) 10 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/910528864807473152)

T - minus 14 days and counting! Satellites all mated and being fueled today.

Цитировать

НК №08-2017   про Iridium NEXT2

«До запуска 18 дней!» Внимательные «болельщики» на форуме «Новостей космонавтики» отметили: «Они в каждом сообщении ставят акцент на 25 июня как будто нарочно, чтобы SpaceX не пыталась соскочить с этой даты».

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 18 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/911211592876003328)

Falcon 9 (Iridium-3) placeholders of Sept. 30 for Static Fire, Oct. 4 launch, but dates may be under review. Sam Sun (NSF) Iridium-2 photo.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168219.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 13 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/912336774575394816)

We expect the Falcon 9 launch with the third set of Iridium NEXT satellites from Vandenberg to be NET Oct. 9. Philip Sloss (NSF) IR-2 photo.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/167933.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 6 ч назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/912465022302945280)

ARTICLE: SpaceX realign near-term manifest ahead of double launch salvo - https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/09/spacex-realign-manifest-double-launch-salvo/ ... (https://t.co/hzp60lsLGy)
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ЦитироватьSpaceX realign near-term manifest ahead of double launch salvo
September 25, 2017 by Chris Bergin

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/209220.jpg)

SpaceX is deep into pre-launch preparations for two upcoming missions that are set to lift off within a couple of days of each other. Both target launch dates have moved to the right by a matter of days, with the SES-11 mission from KSC's 39A now tracking an October 7 departure, while on the West Coast the Iridium NEXT-3 mission now has a launch placeholder of October 9.

Спойлер

Launch Date Realignment:

While both pre-launch flows are deemed to be issue-free, changes to the launch date targets are not unusual, especially for the busy Eastern Range (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/08/eastern-range-return-two-key-launches-stand-down/).

...

Over on the West Coast, SpaceX is also preparing another Falcon 9 for launch, involving the third set of Iridium NEXT satellites (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/?s=Iridium).

This launch follows on from the Iridium NEXT-2 launch that took place in June (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/06/spacex-falcon-9-iridium-next-2-launch/), with the third launch set to transport another 10 satellites into a constellation that will eventually number 75 spacecraft (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/07/iridium-satellite-network-55-more/).

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/209219.jpg)

The Falcon 9 involved with the third flight, B-1041.1, was set to undergo a Static Fire test on the SLC-4E pad at Vandenberg on September 30, ahead of an October 4 launch.

However, that schedule has moved to the right by a few days, mirroring the SES-11 realignment by moving to a Static Fire target of October 5, ahead of a launch target of October 9. Iridium and SpaceX are yet to officially update the launch date, although it is now on the Western Range's schedule.

It is known there are no issues with the payload or rocket, meaning this was a pure schedule realignment.

SpaceX does have separate launch teams for both its East and West coast operations, but can opt to protect its manifest running order with such realignments, as appears to have been the case with these two upcoming missions.

...

(Images: SpaceX, SES, ULA, Boeing and L2 imagery via Gary Blair at McGregor and Brady Kennison (http://www.bradykenniston.com/) at KSC for NASASpaceFlight.com)

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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 54 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/912684519848857600)

The realigned launch dates for SES-11 and Iridium NEXT-3 now official, per @spaceX (https://twitter.com/SpaceX) tweets today. ARTICLE: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/09/spacex-realign-manifest-double-launch-salvo/ ... (https://t.co/hzp60lsLGy)
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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/69029.jpg) SpaceX‏Подлинная учетная запись @SpaceX (https://twitter.com/SpaceX) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/912680164827447296)

Iridium-3 launch slated for 10/9 from Vandenberg, AFB in California—setting up back-to-back launches in early October.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67496.jpg) Matt Desch‏ @IridiumBoss (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/912691749226729474)

Patience everything in spaceflight, but success better than fast! Our sats are ready and looking fwd to their (very) early morning flight!

ЦитироватьSpaceX (https://twitter.com/SpaceX) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/912680164827447296)

Iridium-3 launch slated for 10/9 from Vandenberg, AFB in California—setting up back-to-back launches in early October.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186207.jpg) Christian Daniels‏ @CJDaniels77 (https://twitter.com/CJDaniels77) 1 ч назад (https://twitter.com/CJDaniels77/status/912693075176230914)

What's with the delay?


 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67496.jpg) Matt Desch‏ @IridiumBoss (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss) 29 мин назад (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/912703915384242176)

Don't have specifics, but no big issues. SpaceX was running late on second stage processing at VAFB and needed more time.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185770.png) Iridium Corporate‏Подлинная учетная запись @IridiumComm (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm/status/912680882657546241)

It's an early morning (5:37 am PDT) #ColumbusDay (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ColumbusDay?src=hash) launch from the #NewWorld (https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewWorld?src=hash) out of VAFB! #IridiumNEXT (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IridiumNEXT?src=hash) #Nina (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nina?src=hash) #Pinta (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pinta?src=hash) #SantaMaria (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SantaMaria?src=hash) #Falcon9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Falcon9?src=hash)

ЦитироватьSpaceX sets target launch dates for back-to-back flights next month
September 26, 2017 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/09/) Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

SpaceX engineers are readying two Falcon 9 rockets for launches Oct. 7 and Oct. 9 from Florida and California, setting up another quick turnaround to first deploy a large TV broadcasting satellite for SES and EchoStar over the United States with a previously-flown booster, then add 10 more spacecraft to Iridium's fleet of new-generation voice and data relay network.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126884.jpg)
File photo inside SpaceX's hangar at pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: SpaceX

...

A Falcon 9 rocket with an unflown first stage could lift off from SpaceX's West Coast launch base a day-and-a-half later with the third set of 10 new-generation spacecraft for Iridium's network supporting global satellite phone calls, ship and aircraft tracking, and data relay services.

Liftoff of the Iridium satellites, each weighing around 1,896 pounds (860 kilograms) fully fueled, from Space Launch Complex 4-East at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California is targeted for 5:37 a.m. PDT (8:37 a.m. EDT; 1237 GMT) on Oct. 9, a company spokesperson said Tuesday.

The Iridium flight had previous target launch dates of Sept. 30 and Oct. 4. Iridium chief executive Matt Desch said both slips were requested by SpaceX to allow additional time for rocket processing.

Iridium has a contract for eight Falcon 9 launches to carry 75 of its satellites into low Earth orbit. Two of the missions, each with 10 satellites, blasted off successfully in January and June.

Another batch of 10 Iridium Next spacecraft, manufactured in Arizona by Thales Alenia Space and Orbital ATK, are due to launch on a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg in late November, followed by four more launches in the first half of 2018.

Desch told Spaceflight Now earlier this month that Iridium and SpaceX are discussing launching some of the missions on previously-flown Falcon 9 rockets.

But the discussions have not closed, Desch said, and he would not rule out any Iridium's future launches using a previously-flown booster, beginning with the late November flight.

Iridium says it will not switch any of its launches to reused vehicles until it is satisfied with three factors: the reliability of SpaceX's previously-flown first stages, assurance that a reused rocket flight could help launch Iridium satellites sooner, and an acceptable financial discount.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126886.jpg)
The 10 Iridium Next satellites set for launch in October have been fueled and mounted to the two-tier multi-payload dispenser before installation on top of the Falcon 9 rocket. Credit: Iridium

In response to a question on Twitter asking if Iridium eager to take a 30 to 40 percent discount offered by SpaceX for launching on a reused booster, Desch replied: "No news, but I wish those were the discounts! I think you're reading speculation."

...

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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185770.png) Iridium Corporate‏Подлинная учетная запись @IridiumComm (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm) 8 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm/status/915239432869089282)

With #Iridium (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iridium?src=hash)-3 now 6 days away, we're excited to share the official launch patch! Check it out along w/ other gear http://bit.ly/2yFW0dM  (https://t.co/TbTZ6uBtCG)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168705.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185936.jpg) The FAA‏Подлинная учетная запись @FAANews (https://twitter.com/FAANews) 50 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/FAANews/status/915629986501005313)

The @SpaceX (https://twitter.com/SpaceX) rocket launch on Oct. 9 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA, is licensed by FAA @FAANews (https://twitter.com/FAANews). (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125513.png)
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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185770.png) Iridium Corporate‏Подлинная учетная запись @IridiumComm (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm) 7 мин назад (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm/status/915696256693014528)

Iridium-3 Update: #IridiumNEXT (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IridiumNEXT?src=hash) SVs are mated & stacked in prep for encapsulation! T-5 days to launch @SpaceX (https://twitter.com/SpaceX) @30thSpaceWing (https://twitter.com/30thSpaceWing) #NationalTacoDay (https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalTacoDay?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168863.jpg)

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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185313.jpg) 30th Space Wing‏ @30thSpaceWing (https://twitter.com/30thSpaceWing) 42 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/30thSpaceWing/status/915691830091464704)

Next launch: Team Vandenberg is scheduled to launch Iridium msn on @SpaceX (https://twitter.com/SpaceX) Falcon 9 on Oct 9th! 5:37am local time!

ЦитироватьFalcon 9 Scheduled for Launch
30th Space Wing Public Affairs / Published October 04, 2017

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --
Team Vandenberg is scheduled to launch the third Iridium mission consisting of 10 satellites on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex-4 here Monday, Oct. 9, at 5:37 a.m. PDT.

Col. Michael S. Hough, 30th Space Wing commander, is the space launch commander.

Спойлер

"Our mission is to provide assured access to space and to do it safely and securely. We can't accomplish this without great mission partners like SpaceX," said Hough. "SpaceX's and 30 SW's ever present 'can-do-attitude' and job pride will be on display for the Iridium-3 launch."

For questions about the booster please contact John Taylor, SpaceX communications director, at 202-649-2632.

Due to the early morning launch time, the Hawk's Nest on Hwy 1 south of Vandenberg Air Force Base's main gate will not be open.

- 30 -

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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/915883924852797442)

ARTICLE: SpaceX preps Falcon 9 for Iridium 3 static fire, Vandenberg manifest realigns - https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/10/spacex-falcon-9-iridium-3-static-fire-vandenberg-manifest-realigns/ ... (https://t.co/mPy0uhAUvF) - by @CwG_NSF (https://twitter.com/CwG_NSF) Falcon 9 is on SLC-4E for early morning firing. Standing by for prop load.
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Цитировать

SpaceX preps Falcon 9 for Iridium 3 static fire, Vandenberg manifest realigns (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/10/spacex-falcon-9-iridium-3-static-fire-vandenberg-manifest-realigns/)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/915922253019320320)

Window for the Falcon 9 (Iridium NEXT-3) Static Fire opens at the top of the hour.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/69029.jpg) SpaceX‏Подлинная учетная запись @SpaceX (https://twitter.com/SpaceX) 1 мин назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/915932492460380160)

Static fire test of Falcon 9 complete—targeting October 9 launch of Iridium-3 from Vandenberg AFB in California.

ЦитироватьOrbitalATK and Iridium NEXT

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220773.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLr1shBflPt0esLOrNFqAPA) Orbital ATK (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLr1shBflPt0esLOrNFqAPA)

Опубликовано: 5 окт. 2017 г.

Under a contract from Thales Alenia Space, Orbital ATK is assembling and testing the 81 Iridium NEXT satellites at its Gilbert, Arizona satellite manufacturing facility. Orbital ATK engineers highlight the challenges and rewards of working on this exciting program.

ЦитироватьGeorgea (http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/user/45314/) пишет:
5:37 по Ванденбергу - это сколько же по Москве? Всё время забываю...  :oops:  

ЦитироватьNAVAREA XII 439/2017 (18,21)

EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
CALIFORNIA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 091201Z TO 091336Z OCT,
   ALTERNATE 101201Z TO 101336Z OCT
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   33-00N 121-30W, 33-13N 120-23W,
   33-00N 119-20W, 32-52N 119-05W,
   32-00N 118-20W, 31-10N 118-16W,
   31-00N 118-20W, 29-00N 119-00W,
   28-30N 119-20W, 28-23N 119-39W,
   28-20N 120-00W, 28-30N 121-11W,
   28-50N 121-30W, 30-31N 121-50W,
   31-10N 121-50W, 32-50N 121-50W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 101436Z OCT 17.

( 040600Z OCT 2017 )

ЦитироватьNZZO

B4786/17 - TEMPO DANGER AREA NZD026 (EAST AUCKLAND OCEANIC FIR) IS PRESCRIBED
AS FLW:
ALL THAT AIRSPACE BOUNDED BY A LINE JOINING
S 30 00, W 138 54
S 73 06, W 138 54
S 73 06, W 147 18
S 30 00, W 147 18
S 30 00, W 138 54
ACTIVITY: SPACE DEBRIS RETURN
USER AGENCY: FOREIGN SPACE AGENCY
PRESCRIBED PURSUANT TO CIVIL AVIATION RULE PART 71 UNDER A DELEGATED
AUTHORITY ISSUED BY THE DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION. SFC - FL999, 09 OCT 14:00
2017 UNTIL 09 OCT 15:05 2017. CREATED: 28 SEP 19:21 2017
 

Цитировать

IRIDIUM-3 MISSION

SpaceX is targeting launch of Iridium-3 from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The instantaneous launch window is at 5:37 a.m. PDT, or 12:37 UTC on Monday, October 9. The satellites will begin deployment about an hour after launch. A backup launch opportunity opens at 5:31 a.m. PDT, or 12:31 UTC on Tuesday, October 10.

Following stage separation, the first stage of Falcon 9 will attempt a landing on the "Just Read the Instructions" droneship that will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean. You can watch the live webcast below and find more information about the mission in our press kit. (http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/iridium3presskit.pdf)

Цитировать

spacex.com/webcast (http://www.spacex.com/webcast)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/69029.jpg) SpaceX‏Подлинная учетная запись @SpaceX (https://twitter.com/SpaceX) 27 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/917127765555503104)

Falcon 9 and Iridium-3 are vertical on SLC-4E at Vandenberg AFB. Weather is 90% favorable for tomorrow's launch at 5:37 a.m. PDT, 12:37 UTC.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168732.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 25 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/917128653422649350)

FEATURE ARTICLE: SpaceX Falcon 9 to launch another set of Iridium-NEXT satellites - https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/10/spacex-falcon-9-launch-third-set-iridium-satellites/ ... (https://t.co/72NygFwE9g) - by William Graham
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168736.jpg)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168737.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168738.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168739.jpg)

[свернуть]

Цитировать

SpaceX Falcon 9 to launch another set of Iridium-NEXT satellites (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/10/spacex-falcon-9-launch-third-set-iridium-satellites/)

ЦитироватьFalcon 9 Rocket is Vertical at Vandenberg Air Force Base
by Iridium (https://blog.iridium.com/author/iridium/) | Oct 8, 2017 | Iridium (https://blog.iridium.com/category/iridium/), Iridium NEXT (https://blog.iridium.com/category/iridium-next/)

Ready for Third Iridium® NEXT Launch

What:Iridium Communications, in partnership with SpaceX, is prepared to launch its third set of 10 Iridium NEXT satellites tomorrow, October 9th, on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. The full payload and rocket have been transported to the launch pad, and the rocket is vertical for launch. Once deployed, there will be a total of 30 Iridium NEXT satellites in low Earth orbit.

Спойлер

Iridium NEXT is the company's $3 billion, next-generation, mobile, global satellite network scheduled for completion in 2018. Iridium NEXT will replace the Company's existing global constellation in one of the largest technology upgrades ever completed in space. It represents the evolution of critical communications infrastructure that governments and organizations worldwide rely upon to drive business, enable connectivity, empower disaster relief efforts and more. Iridium NEXT will enable and introduce new services like the Company's next-generation communications platform, Iridium CertusSM, and the AireonSM space-based ADS-B aircraft surveillance and flight tracking network. The Iridium NEXT satellites are manufactured by Thales Alenia Space and assembled by its subcontractor, Orbital ATK, at its facility in Gilbert, Arizona.

[свернуть]

When:Launch is Scheduled for Monday, October 9th at 5:37a.m. PDT / 12:37 p.m. UTC

Who: Iridium Communications and SpaceX

Where:Vandenberg Air Force Base, California – SpaceX launch site

A live feed of the launch will be available starting twenty minutes prior to launch at: www.spacex.com/webcast (http://www.spacex.com/webcast)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @CwG_NSF (https://twitter.com/CwG_NSF) 9 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/CwG_NSF/status/917142524367532032)

Hello gorgeous. Low res tease. Hi-res on @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) later today! #SpaceX (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceX?src=hash) #Iridium3 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iridium3?src=hash) #Falcon9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Falcon9?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168749.jpg)

Цитировать10/09/2017 02:57

(https://24liveblog.tradingfront.cn/event/5eaadea0ac8211e79602f23c919295de/20171008235728_380923.jpg)

Ten new satellites for Iridium's $3 billion next-generation communications network are set for launch Monday from California's Central Coast aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

The mission's Falcon 9 booster passed a pre-launch hold-down test firing Thursday, clearing the way for liftoff Monday at 5:37:24 a.m. PDT (8:37:24 a.m. EDT; 1237:24 GMT). The Falcon 9 has an instantaneous predawn launch opportunity Monday to deploy the Iridium satellites into orbit.

There is a 90 percent chance of favorable weather, according to the official launch weather outlook.

ЦитироватьIridium's third batch of new satellites set for Monday launch
October 8, 2017 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/10/) Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

Ten new satellites for Iridium's $3 billion next-generation communications network are set for launch Monday from California's Central Coast aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

The mission's Falcon 9 booster passed a pre-launch hold-down test firing Thursday, clearing the way for liftoff Monday at 5:37:24 a.m. PDT (8:37:24 a.m. EDT; 1237:24 GMT). The Falcon 9 has an instantaneous predawn launch opportunity Monday to deploy the Iridium satellites into orbit.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126959.jpg)
The third set of 10 Iridium Next communications satellites were prepared for launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base over the last month. Credit: Iridium

There is a 90 percent chance of favorable weather, according to the official launch weather outlook.

The 229-foot-tall (70-meter) rocket was rolled out to its launch pad over the weekend at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, and lifted vertical for final countdown preps.

The time of Monday's launch was calculated to place the 10 Iridium spacecraft into Plane 4 of the company's constellation, which is spread among six orbital planes, for a total of 66 operational satellites. Two previous deployments of Iridium's new-generation satellites by SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets in January and June began refreshing the company's fleet, replacing aging voice and data relay platforms launched in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Designed by Thales Alenia Space of France and built in Arizona in partnership with Orbital ATK, the Iridium Next satellites are mounted on a two-tier dispenser inside the Falcon 9's payload shroud. The satellites, which each weigh 1,896 pounds (860 kilograms), will separate from the Falcon 9's upper stage one at a time beginning around 57 minutes after liftoff.

Monday's mission will give Iridium 30 new-generation satellites in orbit. Iridium ordered 81 Iridium Next spacecraft from Thales Alenia Space, and 75 of them have been assigned for launch on SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets.

Of the 20 Iridium Next satellites launched to date, 13 are already in service, and the other seven are drifting to their designated orbital planes, according to Jordan Hassin, an Iridium spokesperson.

All 10 satellites launching Monday will go into service in Plane 4 within a few weeks of their arrival in space, taking the slots of the spacecraft currently occupying the plane.

The Iridium fleet provides global coverage from polar orbits 485 miles (780 kilometers) high, employing inter-satellite links to relay voice and data messages between spacecraft, bouncing signals around the world via an interconnected communications web.

With 11 operational satellites spread among six orbital planes, the constellation is used by the U.S. military, oil and gas companies, aviation and maritime operators, and mining and construction contractors. Product distributors and transportation companies are also Iridium clients.

Iridium's roster of subscribers totaled more than 900,000 at the end of June.

The new satellites will ensure Iridium's network continues uninterrupted service, but new capabilities will come online as more spacecraft are launched. Iridium announced last week that one new service set to debut with the Iridium Next fleet has begun in-orbit testing.

The Iridium Certus offering will permit customers to transmit and receive higher-bandwidth messages, including high-definition video and Internet services. Designed for ships, airplanes and other users on-the-go, Iridium Certus will provide Iridium customers with up to 1.4 megabits per second of L-band connectivity, up from 128 kilobits per second available with the existing satellites.

"Iridium Certus is going to fundamentally change the status quo in satellite connectivity for aviation, maritime, land-mobile, Internet of Things and government users," said Matt Desch, Iridium CEO. "Achieving this major milestone continues our momentum for our mission to introduce world-changing broadband services and applications designed to help our partners provide critical connectivity solutions, both standalone and in support of other broadband technologies."

Connecting with ground terminals fastened to vessels, aircraft and land vehicles, Iridium Certus will offer a range of service, from relatively low-bandwidth, low-cost asset tracking, remote monitoring, and emergency communications up to higher-throughput HD video, Internet and telemedicine applications.

Piggyback payloads on the Iridium satellites launching Monday will help commercial companies track and stay in contact with airplanes and ships outside the reach of land-based radars.

All of the Iridium Next satellites host radio receivers for Aireon, an affiliate of Iridium established in partnership with air traffic control authorities in Canada, Ireland, Italy and Denmark.

Eight of the 10 satellites awaiting liftoff Monday carry ship tracking antennas for exactEarth, a Canadian company.

The Iridium Next satellites are manufactured in assembly line fashion in a specially-equipped clean room at Orbital ATK's facility in Gilbert, Arizona. The factory can churn out up to five satellites per month.

"Our teams, not only in California, but also in Arizona and in Northern Virginia, have maintained a steady and impressive pace when it comes to pre-and-post launch operations," Desch said in a statement. "We're setting a new industry standard for satellite deployment, in terms of both time and efficiency. On our end, all systems are go for our coming predawn launch."

SpaceX engineers will switch on the Falcon 9's avionics and computers in the final hours of the countdown, and a poll of the launch team set for 4:24 a.m. PDT (7:24 a.m. EDT; 1124 GMT).

Filling of the Falcon 9 with super-chilled, densified RP-1 fuel should begin around three minutes later, according to SpaceX's launch press kit. Cryogenic liquid oxygen is scheduled to be pumped aboard beginning at 5:02 a.m. PDT (8:02 a.m. EDT; 1202 GMT).

The rocket's cold propellants will be flowed through the first stage engines beginning at about T-minus 7 minutes, chilling the propulsion system's plumbing in preparation for ignition. In the final minute of the countdown, the Falcon 9's propellant tanks will be pressurized for flight, and the rocket's flight computer will begin automated preflight health checks.

The on-board computer will send the command to ignite the Falcon 9's nine Merlin 1D main engines at T-minus 3 seconds, and hold-down clamps will release the rocket when the countdown clock hits zero.

The liquid-fueled rocket will head south from Vandenberg over the Pacific Ocean, passing the speed of sound within about a minute and climbing into the stratosphere before dropping its first stage at T+plus 2 minutes, 27 seconds.

The booster will pulse cold gas nitrogen thrusters to re-orient to fly tail first, then reignite a subset of its Merlin engines for a controlled descent toward a floating platform in the Pacific Ocean downrange from Vandenberg. The Falcon 9's first stage will aim for touchdown on the barge around seven-and-a-half minutes into the mission.

Meanwhile, the Falcon 9's upper stage will fire a single Merlin engine two times to inject the Iridium Next satellites into a circular 388-mile-high (625-kilometer) orbit inclined 86 degrees to the equator.

Separation of the 10 satellites will begin at T+plus 57 minutes, 6 seconds. One spacecraft is programmed to deploy from the Falcon 9's upper stage approximately every 90 seconds.

Once clear of the rocket, the satellites will extend power-generating solar arrays and begin maneuvers to raise their orbits to reach the rest of the Iridium fleet 485 miles (780 kilometers) above Earth.

Monday's flight is the first of two planned by SpaceX this week.

Crews at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida are readying another Falcon 9 rocket for liftoff Wednesday evening with a geostationary communications satellite for SES and EchoStar. That flight was slated to take off Saturday, but SpaceX delayed the launch to resolve a technical issue on the rocket.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьTimeline for Falcon 9's third launch of Iridium satellites
October 8, 2017 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/10/) Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

Follow the key events of the Falcon 9 rocket's ascent to orbit with the third set of 10 next-generation satellites for Iridium's voice and data relay fleet.

The 229-foot-tall (70-meter) rocket will lift off Monday at 5:37 a.m. PDT (8:37 a.m. EDT; 1237 GMT) from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Data source: SpaceX

Спойлер

T-0:00:00: Liftoff

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100590.png) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100590.png)
After the rocket's nine Merlin 1D engines pass an automated health check, the Falcon 9 is released from Space Launch Complex 4-East at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

T+0:01:10: Max-Q

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100589.png) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100589.png)
The Falcon 9 rocket reaches Max Q, the point of maximum aerodynamic pressure. The first stage's nine Merlin 1D engines produce about 1.7 million pounds of thrust.

T+0:02:23: MECO

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100598.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100598.jpg)
The Falcon 9's nine Merlin 1D engines shut down.

T+0:02:27: Stage 1 Separation

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100597.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100597.jpg)
The Falcon 9's first stage separates from the second stage moments after MECO.

T+0:02:36: Stage 2 Ignition

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100588.png) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100588.png)
The second stage Merlin 1D vacuum engine ignites for an approximately 6-and-a-half-minute burn to inject the Iridium Next satellites into a parking orbit.

T+0:03:09: Fairing Jettison

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100586.png) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100586.png)
The 5.2-meter (17.1-foot) diameter payload fairing jettisons once the Falcon 9 rocket ascends through the dense lower atmosphere. The 43-foot-tall fairing is made of two clamshell-like halves composed of carbon fiber with an aluminum honeycomb core.

T+0:05:41: Stage 1 Entry Burn

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100622.png)
A subset of the first stage's Merlin 1D engines ignite for an entry burn to slow down for landing. A final landing burn will occur just before touchdown.

T+0:07:23: Stage 1 Landing

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100621.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100621.jpg)
The Falcon 9 rocket's first stage booster touches down on SpaceX's drone ship in the Pacific Ocean.

T+0:09:01: SECO 1

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100587.png) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100587.png)
The Merlin 1D vacuum engine turns off after placing the Iridium satellites in a temporary parking orbit, beginning at 43-minute coast in space.

T+0:52:02: Stage 2 Restart

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100585.png) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100585.png)
The Falcon 9's second stage engine ignites again for a 3-second burn to circularize its orbit.

T+0:52:05: SECO 2

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100584.png) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100584.png)
The Merlin 1D vacuum engine shuts down after reaching a target orbit about 388 miles (625 kilometers) high with an inclination of 86 degrees.

T+0:57:06: Begin Iridium Deployments

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100624.png)
The 1,896-pound (860-kilogram) Iridium Next satellites begin deploying from their two-tier dispenser on the Falcon 9 rocket's second stage, separating at intervals of approximately every 90 seconds.

T+1:12:06: End Iridium Deployments

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/100625.png)
The last of the 10 Iridium Next satellites will separate from the rocket.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьPhotos: SpaceX preps Falcon 9 rocket for launch from Vandenberg
October 8, 2017 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/10/) Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

SpaceX aims to launch a Falcon 9 rocket Monday from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California with 10 new satellites for Iridium's tracking and message relay constellation in low Earth orbit.

Спойлер

The 229-foot-tall (70-meter) rocket is set to lift off from Space Launch Complex 4-East at 5:37 a.m. PDT (8:37 a.m. EDT; 1237 GMT) Monday.

Read our full story (https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/10/08/iridiums-third-batch-of-new-satellites-set-for-monday-launch/) for details.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126960.jpg)
Credit: SpaceX

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126962.jpg)
Credit: Gene Blevins/LA Daily News

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126963.jpg)
Credit: Gene Blevins/LA Daily News

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126964.jpg)
Credit: Gene Blevins/LA Daily News

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126965.jpg)
Credit: Gene Blevins/LA Daily News

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/126961.png)
Credit: SpaceX

[свернуть]

Цитировать10/09/2017 13:38

T-minus 2 hours. Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4-East at Vandenberg remains set for 5:37:24 a.m. PDT (8:37:24 a.m. EDT; 1237:24 GMT).

Цитироватьdaniel‏ (https://twitter.com/DMOberhaus) @DMOberhaus (https://twitter.com/DMOberhaus)  12h (https://twitter.com/DMOberhaus/status/917154958134304768)

Setting up remote cameras for the SpaceX/Iridium launch tomorrow

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185376.jpg) Spaceflight101 LIVE‏ @S101_Live (https://twitter.com/S101_Live) 9 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917339574438912001)

Launching from Vandenberg's SLC-4E, #Falcon9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Falcon9?src=hash) has an instantaneous launch opportunity at 12:37:24 UTC / 5:37 PDT.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185376.jpg) Spaceflight101 LIVE‏ @S101_Live (https://twitter.com/S101_Live) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917341918069252097)

#Falcon9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Falcon9?src=hash) rolled out to the pad on Sunday & entered countdown ops in the evening hours to get ready for Terminal Count.


6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917342099732881409)

The early portion of the count is dedicated to #Falcon9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Falcon9?src=hash) power-up & detailed testing as well as pad close out operations.


5 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917342336539078656)

At this point, a repetition of link checks and Autonomous Flight Termination System verification should be in progress to set up for tanking

Цитировать10/09/2017 13:54

Several major steps are coming up in the next hour, including the start of fueling of the rocket's two stages with RP-1 kerosene.

The SpaceX launch conductor will poll the Falcon 9 team at 4:24 a.m. PDT for a "go" to begin fueling the rocket. RP-1 kerosene should begin flowing into the vehicle at 4:27 a.m. PDT, followed by liquid oxygen at 5:02 a.m. PDT.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67530.jpg) Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow) 8 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/917346008207646721)

No problems reported in Falcon 9 countdown in California. Launch set for 5:37am PDT (8:37am EDT; 1237 GMT). Watch: https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/10/09/falcon-9-iridium-3-mission-status-center/ ... (https://t.co/UYEzCDpA7c)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168817.jpg)

Цитировать10/09/2017 14:04

Some statistics on today's launch:

[/li]
• 42nd launch of a Falcon 9 rocket since 2010
• 47th launch of Falcon rocket family since 2006
• 6th Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base
• 22nd launch of the upgraded Falcon 9
• 4th upgraded Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base
• 3rd launch for Iridium by SpaceX
• 25th overall launch with Iridium satellites
• 5th launch of Thales Alenia Space payloads on Falcon 9
• 15th Falcon 9 night launch
• 14th Falcon 9 launch of 2017
• 6th launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in 2017
• 22nd attempt to land a Falcon 9 first stage
  

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185376.jpg) Spaceflight101 LIVE‏ @S101_Live (https://twitter.com/S101_Live) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917347911003967489)

Built by Thales Alenia & integrated by Orbital ATK, each #IridiumNEXT (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IridiumNEXT?src=hash) satellite weighs 860kg & covers a 4,700km ground footprint.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185376.jpg) Spaceflight101 LIVE‏ @S101_Live (https://twitter.com/S101_Live) 21 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917349756946575360)

Tech Overview: #IridiumNEXT (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IridiumNEXT?src=hash) Satellites & Constellation - http://bit.ly/2jguwYj  (https://t.co/MJPat77bQ3)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168824.jpg)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168822.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168826.jpg)

[свернуть]

Цитировать

Iridium-NEXT (http://spaceflight101.com/spacecraft/iridium-next/)

Цитировать10/09/2017 14:35

The SpaceX launch conductor should have polled the Falcon 9 launch team a few minutes ago for approval to begin fueling the launcher at Vandenberg. We're standing by for an update on the countdown.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/917353101572608000)

T-60 minutes to the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch with Iridium NEXT-3 from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Preview Article - by William Graham: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/10/spacex-falcon-9-launch-third-set-iridium-satellites/ ... (https://t.co/72NygFwE9g)

Цитировать

SpaceX Falcon 9 to launch another set of Iridium-NEXT satellites (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/10/spacex-falcon-9-launch-third-set-iridium-satellites/)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/69029.jpg) SpaceX‏Подлинная учетная запись @SpaceX (https://twitter.com/SpaceX) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/917353355638226944)

T-60 minutes until Falcon 9 launch of Iridium-3. Launch webcast will go live ~15 minutes before liftoff → http://spacex.com/webcast  (https://t.co/gtC39uBC7z)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168828.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @CwG_NSF (https://twitter.com/CwG_NSF) 44 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/CwG_NSF/status/917353993386442753)

57mins to go. Fueling of the #Falcon9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Falcon9?src=hash) is underway. #Iridium3 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iridium3?src=hash) #SpaceX (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceX?src=hash)

Цитировать10/09/2017 14:42

The area around the launch pad and the Falcon 9's flight path is reported clear.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185376.jpg) Spaceflight101 LIVE‏ @S101_Live (https://twitter.com/S101_Live) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917356021051424768)

Heading into the last hour of the count, #Falcon9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Falcon9?src=hash) also receives an updated flight profile, optimized for conditions in the upper atmosphere.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/917357669115203590)

Falcon 9 B1041 and proud engineers, picture by NSF's Philip Sloss. Hope to see this one sailing back into port on JRTI later this week. First thing's first, a successful launch.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168805.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185376.jpg) Spaceflight101 LIVE‏ @S101_Live (https://twitter.com/S101_Live) 33 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917358299795918854)

T-40 Minutes: Coming up next is an abbreviated poll to get a Go/No Go for LOX load on time. #Falcon9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Falcon9?src=hash)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185376.jpg) Spaceflight101 LIVE‏ @S101_Live (https://twitter.com/S101_Live) 54 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917359763318624256)

T-35 Min: Sub-cooled Liquid Oxygen is now flowing into the first stage, starting in slow fill before throttling up. #Falcon9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Falcon9?src=hash)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg) William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 35 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/917360795406798848)

F9/Iridium3: Liquid oxygen loading should be underway; no confirmation, but no problems reported as the countdown enters its final stages

Цитировать10/09/2017 15:12

Today's launch will target Plane 4 of the Iridium constellation, which is designed to have 66 satellites spread out evenly in six orbital planes around Earth.

The launch is timed to the second -- 5:37:24 a.m. PDT -- to target a hole in Plane 4.

Today's mission is the third of eight Falcon 9 flights to deliver 75 next-generation satellites to replace Iridium's network with upgraded services and new spacecraft designed to operate for the next 15 years.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185376.jpg) Spaceflight101 LIVE‏ @S101_Live (https://twitter.com/S101_Live) 21 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917362889836679168)

The 10 Iridium sats are clustered around a two-tier, cylindrical launch adapter, protected by a 5.2m diameter & 13m long payload fairing.

Цитировать10/09/2017 15:19

T-minus 18 minutes and counting. There are no issues being discussed at this time by the SpaceX launch team.

Цитировать10/09/2017 15:22

The launch time has been adjusted slightly earlier to 1237:01 GMT (5:37:01 a.m. PDT; 8:37:01 a.m. EDT).

Цитировать10/09/2017 15:24

The 10 Iridium Next spacecraft should be configured for launch on internal power at this time.

Цитировать10/09/2017 15:27

Falcon 9 engineer John Insprucker reports the Falcon 9's second stage is full of RP-1 kerosene fuel, and the first stage is being topped off with RP-1.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 33 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/917365875547824129)
 
Remember this involves the old Strongback Retract process, as SLC-4E's TEL doesn't do Throwback like 39A TEL.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168810.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185376.jpg) Spaceflight101 LIVE‏ @S101_Live (https://twitter.com/S101_Live) 52 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917366319292538880)
 
T-8 Minutes: Vehicle hydraulics now coming up on pressurization for a final checkout of engine valves and Thrust Vector Control actuators.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185376.jpg) Spaceflight101 LIVE‏ @S101_Live (https://twitter.com/S101_Live) сейчас назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917367061990510592)

T-5 Minutes: #Falcon9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Falcon9?src=hash) coming up on preliminary pressurization to provide stability for the retraction of the Strongback.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185376.jpg) Spaceflight101 LIVE‏ @S101_Live (https://twitter.com/S101_Live) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917367241846509568)

The MVac engine on Stage 2 is going through a final Thrust Vector Control Test. Stage 1 Helium is being secured.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/69029.jpg) SpaceX‏Подлинная учетная запись @SpaceX (https://twitter.com/SpaceX) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/917371154444070912)

Webcast back in about 40 minutes for second stage engine restart and deployment of 10 @IridiumComm (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm) NEXT satellites.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/917370329521184769)

LANDED IT (AGAIN). Welcome back home Falcon 9 B1041! #FeelsRoutineButIsNOT (https://twitter.com/hashtag/FeelsRoutineButIsNOT?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168816.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168815.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @CwG_NSF (https://twitter.com/CwG_NSF) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/CwG_NSF/status/917373977810497537)

Achievement unlocked. #Iridium3 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iridium3?src=hash) #SpaceX (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceX?src=hash) #Falcon9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Falcon9?src=hash) @IridiumComm (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168818.jpg)

ЦитироватьLaunch of SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg with Iridium NEXT Flight 3

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220764.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/SpaceVidsNet) Space Videos (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdF5d0UwSJJunRcRVzP1uDg)

Опубликовано: 9 окт. 2017 г.

SpaceX have successfully launched their Falcon 9 Full Thrust rocket today in a rocket launch that occurred at October 9th 2017 at 12:37 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V11ohV4b2Mw&t=757s) UTC from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185376.jpg) Spaceflight101 LIVE‏ @S101_Live (https://twitter.com/S101_Live) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917378594367836160)

The 2nd MVac burn is targeting ignition at T+52:02 and will last 3 seconds to speed the vehicle up by ~125m/s to reach a near-circular orbit

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185770.png) Iridium Corporate‏Подлинная учетная запись @IridiumComm (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm/status/917380642907787265)

View from the Iridium-3 launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base #IridiumNEXT (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IridiumNEXT?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168827.jpg)

ЦитироватьOctober 09, 2017

Iridium-3 Mission

On Monday, October 9, at 5:37 a.m. PDT, SpaceX successfully launched the Iridium-3 mission from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. This mission carried the third set of 10 Iridium NEXT satellites to their targeted orbit as part of a series of launches which will put a total of 81 Iridium NEXT satellites into orbit, 75 of which will be launched by SpaceX.

Following stage separation, the first stage of Falcon 9 successfully landing on the "Just Read the Instructions" droneship stationed in the Pacific Ocean. You can watch the replay of the webcast below and find more information about the mission in our press kit. (http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/iridium3presskit.pdf)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB4N4xF2B2w (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB4N4xF2B2w)
(youtube.com/watch?v=SB4N4xF2B2w (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB4N4xF2B2w), 1:36:28 )

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 22 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/917386508868505600)

S/C Sep for all 10 Iridium NEXT-3 sats following Falcon 9 launch (and B1041 return to the ASDS). ARTICLE: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/10/spacex-falcon-9-launch-third-set-iridium-satellites/ ... (https://t.co/72NygFwE9g) REVIEW LIVE COVERAGE: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43777.0 ... (https://t.co/An68br7Hut)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168793.jpg)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168794.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168795.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168796.jpg)

[свернуть]

Цитировать

SpaceX Falcon 9 successfully launches third set of Iridium-NEXT satellites (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/10/spacex-falcon-9-launch-third-set-iridium-satellites/)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185376.jpg) Spaceflight101 LIVE‏ @S101_Live (https://twitter.com/S101_Live) 24 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917386769158598657)

The ten #IridiumNEXT (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IridiumNEXT?src=hash) satellites will check in with ground stations in the coming hours ahead of in-orbit activation & detailed checks.


24 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917387078786338816)

There will be no drifting for the #IridiumNEXT (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IridiumNEXT?src=hash) batch launched today, all ten will go into service in Orbital Plane #4.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185376.jpg) Spaceflight101 LIVE‏ @S101_Live (https://twitter.com/S101_Live) 23 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/S101_Live/status/917387270356897792)

The #Falcon9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Falcon9?src=hash) second stage has another burn to make, aiming for a targeted re-entry over the South Pacific to close out its mission.

ЦитироватьMartin Alekseevich пишет:
В последнее время абсолютно невозможно читать некоторые темы форума, которые из-за неугомонного флудераста tnt22, превращаются просто в помойку.

ЦитироватьMartin Alekseevich пишет:
Не по теме, но все же выскажусь. Даже специально ради этого зарегистрировался.
В последнее время абсолютно невозможно читать некоторые темы форума, которые из-за неугомонного флудераста tnt22, превращаются просто в помойку. Такое впечатление, что этот упоротый стремится репостнуть сюда весь интернет. Предлагаю забанить его к чертовой матери, иначе он скоро будет каждый кадр из видео сюда заливать в виде отдельного сообщения. Обращаюсь к тебе, баран tnt22, умерь пыл

ЦитироватьЗловредный пишет:

ЦитироватьMartin Alekseevich пишет:
В последнее время абсолютно невозможно читать некоторые темы форума, которые из-за неугомонного флудераста tnt22, превращаются просто в помойку.

tnt22, Спасибо Вам большое! Не обращайте внимания, продолжайте!

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185396.jpg) Chris G - NSF‏ @CwG_NSF (https://twitter.com/CwG_NSF) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/CwG_NSF/status/917394353244463109)

.@NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) remote camera pick up underway. #Iridium3 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iridium3?src=hash) #Falcon9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Falcon9?src=hash) #SpaceX (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceX?src=hash) (Image: @jdeshetler (https://twitter.com/jdeshetler))
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168804.jpg)

ЦитироватьЗловредный (http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/user/16816/) пишет:
tnt22, Спасибо Вам большое! Не обращайте внимания, продолжайте!

ЦитироватьDr.Cox (http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/user/15352/) пишет:
А tnt22 я, например, даже благодарен.

ЦитироватьFarakh (http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/user/15125/) пишет:
tnt22, тоже очень вам благодарен.

ЦитироватьFarakh пишет:
tnt22, тоже очень вам благодарен. Продолжайте, баранов не слушайте.

Цитироватьtnt22 пишет:
Уважаемые коллеги! Ещё раз благодарю всех за поддержку.

Цитироватьили создав gif из них

ЦитироватьАлексей (http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/user/40733/) пишет:
Twitter, например

ЦитироватьАлексей (http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/user/40733/) пишет:
Кстати, ведете ли вы аккаунт?

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/116407.gif)
Oct 9, 2017

Successful Third Iridium® NEXT Launch Brings New Services Closer to Life

All 10 satellites deployed, providing telemetry and beginning system checkout

MCLEAN, Va., Oct. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:IRDM) announced today the successful third launch and deployment of 10 Iridium NEXT satellites. The satellites were delivered into low-Earth orbit approximately one hour after a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 5:37 a.m. PDT. With two successful launches having already been completed this year, this third batch of 10 satellites brings the total number of Iridium NEXT satellites in orbit to 30, nearly half the amount required for a full Iridium NEXT operational constellation.

While already able to deliver fully global communications coverage, the Iridium constellation is undergoing a technological transformation. At the center of this transformation are three new capabilities; Iridium CertusSM, the company's new L-band broadband service; Aireon's space-based automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) hosted-payload, that will provide real-time tracking and surveillance of all ADS-B equipped aircraft globally; and Harris Corporation and exactEarth's ship tracking service.

Спойлер

"Each successful launch brings us one step closer to both a technological and financial transformation," said Iridium CEO, Matt Desch. "One of our core strategies is to offer new services that are either flat out impossible or not easily replicated by more traditional "bent pipe" and geostationary systems. Satellite Time & Location, Short Burst Data® and Iridium PTT are just a few examples of global services only possible on our network. For us and our partners, Iridium NEXT is an engine for innovation, and services like these are just the start.  Moreover, we're on track to completion in 2018."

Iridium NEXT is the company's next-generation satellite constellation, replacing and enhancing its existing network of interconnected, low-Earth orbit satellites spanning the entire globe — the largest commercial satellite constellation in space.  The constellation's unique architecture features interconnected satellites that form a web of coverage around the earth, enabling connectivity over the oceans, in the poles and other remote areas.

The Iridium NEXT system and satellites have been designed and managed by Thales Alenia Space, serving as prime contractor for the program. The satellites are integrated at Thales Alenia Space's subcontractor, Orbital ATK's, satellite manufacturing facility in Arizona. Thales Alenia Space and Orbital ATK are managing a state-of-the-art, high production rate assembly line system, similar in approach to the process that built the first Iridium satellite constellation over twenty years ago.

Iridium and SpaceX are partnered for a series of eight launches, seven deploying 10 Iridium NEXT satellites at a time and one deploying five. A total of 81 Iridium NEXT satellites are being built, with 66 required for the operational constellation. A total of 75 satellites are currently planned for launch with nine of those serving as on-orbit spares and the remaining six as ground spares. The entire Iridium NEXT network is scheduled to be completed by mid-2018. For more information about Iridium NEXT, please visit www.iridium.com (https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=yBRUhd_utKUnbwZC-58zxO1VksDg7bGYm-QqsvN6k6my9T2TvO1k47xOcG7qf0cSBJPdp7UdUaC6Br2p2K4-1g==).

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьFalcon 9 Iridium 3 Launches from Vandenberg
30th Space Wing Public Affairs / Published October 09, 2017
(https://forum.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/file/76218)

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --
Team Vandenberg supported the successful launch of 10 Iridium satellites on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex-4 here Monday, Oct. 9, at 5:37 a.m. PDT.

Спойлер

Col. Michael S. Hough, 30th Space Wing commander, was the space launch commander for this mission.

"This is the fourth Falcon 9 and the third Iridium NEXT launch in 2017 from Vandenberg," said Hough. "This launch continues to highlight the extraordinary level of teamwork and precision that exists between Team Vandenberg and SpaceX."

This was the third Falcon 9 launch supporting the deployment of Iridium Communication Inc. global satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT. Each launch contributes to replacing the world's largest commercial satellite network and the only network that covers 100 percent of the earth. Iridium NEXT will enable new capabilities like Aireon's real-time, global aircraft surveillance and tracking service, and Iridium Certus?, the Company's next-generation communications platform that will bring broadband speeds to even the world's most remote locations.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьMartin Alekseevich пишет:
Не по теме, но все же выскажусь. Даже специально ради этого зарегистрировался.
В последнее время абсолютно невозможно читать некоторые темы форума, которые из-за неугомонного флудераста tnt22, превращаются просто в помойку.

ЦитироватьFalcon 9 Delivers 3rd Iridium-NEXT Satellite Batch, 1st Stage Masters Nighttime Drone Ship Landing
October 9, 2017 (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-iridium-next-flight-3/falcon-9-launches-third-iridium-satellite-batch/)

Continuing to move at a brisk pace through launch manifests on both coasts of the United States, SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket on Monday, thundering off fr om California's Vandenberg Air Force Base before sunrise to dispatch the third group of Iridium-NEXT communications satellites into orbit. The early-morning blastoff came just over 48 hours before the planned East Coast launch of a Falcon 9 tasked with deploying the SES 11 broadcasting satellite.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152640.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-iridium-next-flight-3/wp-content/uploads/sites/185/2017/10/iridiumnext3-launch-15.jpg)
Photo: SpaceX

Liftoff from SLC-4E occurred at 12:37 UTC, 5:37 a.m. local time and Falcon 9 completed a flawless orbital delivery taking over 70 minutes to complete while the first stage's round-trip time from the edge of space was only a mere 7.5 minutes, succeeding in a powered landing on SpaceX's 'Just Read The Instructions' Drone Ship.

The factory-new Falcon 9 Block 4 rocket was tasked with lofting a total payload upmass of 9,600 Kilograms into a 625-Kilometer orbit, requiring a two-burn profile to ferry the ten Iridium-NEXT satellites to their planned destination in space. Falcon 9 fired its nine first stage engines for 144 seconds before the two stages parted ways with Stage 1 making a backflip and re-lighting its engines to maneuver to the Drone Ship and the MVac-powered second stage heading off into orbit with an initial burn of six and a half minutes.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152639.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-iridium-next-flight-3/wp-content/uploads/sites/185/2017/10/iridiumnext3-launch-12.jpg)
Photo: SpaceX Webcast

Employing the well-established three-burn return profile, the 47-meter tall booster managed to pin-point the JRTI Drone Ship some 244 Kilometers south of the Vandenberg launch site, touching down under the power of its center engine seven and a half minutes after liftoff. Booster #1041, returning in a comparatively benign re-entry environment, is a prime candidate for a re-use mission in the not-too-distant future.

Out to earn the money on Monday was the second stage, coasting for half a lap around the planet after reaching orbit and re-starting its engine to circularize the orbit ahead of dispatching the ten Iridium-NEXT satellites in a one-by-one fashion. Checking off its third mission in support of Iridium-NEXT, SpaceX is set for another five Iridium deployment flights to lift a total of 75 satellites into orbit to replace the entire heritage system in what is considered the largest satellite constellation upgrade in history.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152648.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152648.jpg)
Iridium 3 Payload Stack – Photo: Iridium Communications

Monday's launch marked the 42nd flight of the Falcon 9 family, the 22nd in the Full Thrust configuration and the third of a full Block 4 vehicle. It was the 14th success of the year for SpaceX, continuing to push the company's record for most missions conducted in a calendar year. The successful landing of the first stage brought SpaceX's overall record to 17 successful recoveries out of 22 tries, 9/14 for ocean-based recoveries; it was the fourth successful recovery in the Pacific Ocean and the 13th successful booster landing in a row.

The replacement of the entire Iridium constellation comes with a price tag of around $2.9 billion to the Virginia-based communications company, including around $800 million for Falcon 9 launch services and ground infrastructure upgrades. The Iridium constellation – much of which had been in operation since the late 1990s – was in dire need for replacement when the first batch of ten satellites went up in January as no more orbital spares were available to patch gaps left by failures on the aging satellites. A second group of ten satellites was orbited in June and Iridium hailed the performance of the new spacecraft that offer much higher capacity than its predecessors and add a unique capability of real-time maritime and aeronautical tracking on a global scale, offering access to new markets for Iridium and cooperating companies.

The Iridium constellation is serving close to a million customers at the moment, spread across a number of sectors including the U.S. military, oil & gas companies, transportation firms and aviation / maritime operators.

>> Iridium-NEXT Satellite & Constellation Overview (http://spaceflight101.com/spacecraft/iridium-next/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152636.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-iridium-next-flight-3/wp-content/uploads/sites/185/2017/10/Iridium-NEXT-3.jpg)
Image: Iridium Communications

Iridium awarded the contract for the Iridium-NEXT constellation to Thales Alenia space, tasked with building 81 NEXT satellites – 75 of which are headed to orbit to replace the 66-satellite constellation and pre-position nine spares to be ready to take over at short notice in case an active satellite runs into problems. The six remaining satellites will be kept in storage to be ready for launch when needed in order to extend the life of the new constellation over at least 15 years. Orbital ATK was sub-contracted for the integration of the Iridium-NEXT satellites, establishing an assembly line at the company's Arizona facility.

Each member of the constellation weighs 860 Kilograms at launch and hosts a powerful communications terminal covering a 4,700-Kilometer footprint on the ground with its L-Band phased array antenna to accept/send data packets which are then relayed to their destination through Ka-Band cross links between neighboring satellites.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152646.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-iridium-next-flight-3/wp-content/uploads/sites/185/2017/10/Iridium-NEXT-4.jpg)
Image: Iridium Communications

Services provided by Iridium-NEXT range from telephony over short-burst data delivery all the way to newly introduced high-capacity services with data speeds up to 8 Mbit/s realized via Ka-Band up/downlinks not possible with the heritage constellation. Iridium recently announced that the company's new Certus service had entered in-orbit testing, promising to deliver high-bandwidth services like Internet connectivity and HD video distribution to ships, aircraft and other mobile users with data speeds up to 1.4 Mbit/s.

Iridium-NEXT satellites also facilitate hosted payloads dedicated to tracking global ship traffic via the Automatic Identification System and air traffic via the ADS-B transponders installed on commercial aircraft. The layout of the Iridium constellation for global communications coverage also enables the hosted payloads to collect real-time data on ship and aircraft movements on a global scale. Iridium operates eleven active satellites in six orbital planes, flying 780 Kilometers in altitude at an inclination of 88° to create true global coverage.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152647.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-iridium-next-flight-3/wp-content/uploads/sites/185/2017/10/iridiumnext-l3-2.jpeg)
Photo: Iridium Communications

Iridium reported that satellite production is on track to support the deployment of the entire NEXT constellation by mid-2018, requiring another four Falcon 9 missions with ten satellites and one ride shared between five NEXT satellites and a pair of GRACE-FO satellites dedicated to a study of Earth's gravity field under a joint German-U.S. project. Provided SpaceX can keep up its planned West Coast manifest, Iridium hopes to complete the constellation replacement by the end of next year.

The launch campaign leading up to Iridium-NEXT Flight 3 was fairly smooth sailing as the first two missions established the satellite processing procedure with launch vehicle processing also becoming closer to routine after five previous Falcon 9 missions from Vandenberg. The satellites shipped out in August and September to undergo final checks, take their slots on the two-tier launch adapter and receive their dose of Hydrazine maneuvering propellant. A minor five-day slip to the launch date occurred when second stage processing ran out of schedule margin, pushing the launch from an initial October 4th target.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152635.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-iridium-next-flight-3/wp-content/uploads/sites/185/2017/10/Iridium3-On-Pad.jpeg)
Photo: SpaceX

Falcon 9 fired up its first stage early on Thursday as part of the standard Static Fire test before returning to the hangar to meet its payload. The two-stage rocket returned to the pad around noon on Sunday, taking its vertical launch position for an overnight countdown operation picking up with the activation of the launcher for a detailed set of checkouts to verify readiness for propellant loading.

With Falcon 9 receiving a clean bill of health and weather showing a 90% chance of acceptable conditions, all stations provided a 'Go' to press into the fast-paced automated countdown sequence. The auto script kicked in at the T-1-hour mark and Falcon headed into fueling, starting with loading some 155 metric tons of Rocket Propellant 1, chilled to -7°C, into the two stages of the rocket. Liquid Oxygen, sub-cooled to -207°C, began flowing into the first stage at T-35 minutes followed by rapid LOX loading on the second stage at T-20 minutes to provide Falcon 9 with around 360 metric tons of oxidizer.

>> Falcon 9 FT Overview (http://spaceflight101.com/spacerockets/falcon-9-ft/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152641.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-iridium-next-flight-3/wp-content/uploads/sites/185/2017/10/iridiumnext3-launch-2.jpg)
Photo: SpaceX Webcast

Tanking was still in full swing when Falcon 9 began executing its fast-paced final countdown phase at T-7 minutes, starting with the chilldown of the nine Merlin 1D engines followed in close succession by final checks of engine trim valves and thrust vector control actuators, the transfer to internal power and the retraction of the Strongback structure to clear the path uphill. Reaching the one-minute mark, Falcon 9 had armed its Autonomous Flight Termination System and control was handed off to the rocket's onboard computers to oversee the final pressurization of tanks and the critical ignition sequence.

Ignition of the nine Merlin engines was commanded at T-3 seconds and Falcon 9 roared to a launch thrust of nearly 700 metric ton force for liftoff at the precise time of 12:37:01 UTC, the instant Vandenberg was carried into Plane 4 of the Iridium constellation by Earth's rotation.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152644.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-iridium-next-flight-3/wp-content/uploads/sites/185/2017/10/iridiumnext3-launch-7.jpg)
Photo: SpaceX Webcast

Lighting up the night, Falcon 9 rose vertically for the first 20 seconds of the flight before beginning its pitch-over to get aligned with a trajectory taking it due south in order to reach an orbit inclined 88.66°. Burning 2,500 Kilograms of propellant per second, the nine Merlin 1D engines pushed the vehicle to the speed of sound in just over a minute with a brief throttle-down around T+69 seconds when the vehicle was heading through the area of Maximum Aerodynamic Pressure on its way out of the dense atmosphere.

The first stage concluded its role in the day's ascent mission two minutes and 24 seconds after launch when shutting down its engines, having accelerated the vehicle to a speed of 1.93 Kilometers per second, or around a quarter of what is needed to achieve orbit. Separation of the stages via pneumatic pushers occurred four seconds after MECO some 66 Kilometers in altitude with the second stage heading into start-up mode and the first stage firing its cold gas thrusters to rapidly flip around and begin its return to Earth.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152645.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-iridium-next-flight-3/wp-content/uploads/sites/185/2017/10/iridiumnext3-launch-9.jpg)
Stage 1 & 2 Part Ways – Image: SpaceX Webcast

With knowledge gained over the initial booster recovery attempts & upgrades to the thruster system and flight controls on the first stage, SpaceX was able to significantly tighten the interval between stage separation and the boostback maneuver. In fact, boostback missions now use the center engine to finish the flip maneuver to lim it the downrange travel distance to a minimum – particularly important for missions aiming for a full reversal to land on shore. Re-start of the center engine occurred two minutes and 40 seconds after launch and two outer engines joined five seconds later when the booster had leveled off, thrusting toward the velocity vector.

After the 32-second boost back, the first stage entered two and a half minutes of exospheric flight, climbing to an apogee of 107 Kilometers before dropping back toward Earth, in the process deploying its four aerodynamic grid fins and re-orienting for the entry burn.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152637.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-iridium-next-flight-3/wp-content/uploads/sites/185/2017/10/iridiumnext3-launch-10.jpg)
1st Stage Entry Burn – Image: SpaceX Webcast

The 13-second Entry Burn commenced five minutes and 43 seconds into the flight, employing a trio of Merlin engines to slow the booster by 356 meters per second and set the course toward the Drone Ship.

The grid fins came into play after conclusion of the Entry Burn, controlling the booster's flight path toward the ASDS and setting the proper angle of attack for atmospheric descent. As a LEO mission, Monday's booster return enjoyed plenty of propellant margin that allowed for a single-engine landing maneuver, the preferred method as it allows more time for course corrections and finer control of the touchdown speed. Firing up the center engine around 30 seconds before touchdown, the booster successfully arrested its vertical speed and set itself down on four fold-out landing legs that deployed in the closing seconds of the decent.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152638.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-iridium-next-flight-3/wp-content/uploads/sites/185/2017/10/iridiumnext3-launch-11.jpg)
1st Stage on final Approach – Photo: SpaceX Webcast

Mastering a bullseye landing on 'Just Read The Instructions' the Falcon 9 booster needed 7 minutes and 21 seconds for its trip to the edge of space and back. Initial safing was to be completed remotely before engineers could re-board the drone ship to tie the booster down for its trip to the Port of Los Angeles, marking the first step toward re-flight.

In charge of the primary mission, the Falcon 9 second stage fired its 95,000-Kilogram-force MVac engine for six minutes and 25 seconds to lift the stack into an elliptical parking orbit, shedding the payload fairing three minutes and 14 seconds into the mission when crossing 115km in altitude. Shutdown of the upper stage nine minutes after blastoff marked the mission's transition into a 43-minute passive flight phase to allow the second stage to make half a lap around the globe and, in the process, climb up to the high point of its orbit at around 633 Kilometers so that the brief engine re-start could act as a circularization maneuver.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152642.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-iridium-next-flight-3/wp-content/uploads/sites/185/2017/10/iridiumnext3-launch-3.jpg)
Spacecraft Separation – Image: SpaceX Webcast

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152643.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-iridium-next-flight-3/wp-content/uploads/sites/185/2017/10/iridiumnext3-launch-4.jpg)
Image: SpaceX Webcast

While coasting, the second stage crossed the Pacific, flew over Antarctica and entered a leg to the north, passing over the Indian Ocean and reaching the range of a tracking station on Madagascar. The MVac engine re-started 52 minutes and four seconds into the flight, firing for just three seconds to accelerate the stack by 120 meters per second and lifting the perigee of the orbit to reach the staging and maintenance orbit of the Iridium constellation.

Arriving at its orbital destination, the second stage pitched down before initiating the sequential satellite separation sequence with one Iridium-NEXT satellite pushing off the two-tier adapter every 100 seconds, starting 57 minutes into the mission. SpaceX Launch Control called out all ten deployments in near real-time, marking the completion of Falcon's primary mission.

Unlike the first two Iridium-NEXT launches, there will be no drifting for the satellites delivered on Monday as all are headed directly into operational spots within Plane 4 of the constellation. All ten satellites checked in with ground stations, Iridium confirmed via Twitter. They are now set for a multi-week activation and checkout campaign to verify their space-to-ground and inter-satellite links before phasing into the operational constellation 780 Kilometers in altitude for instantaneous slot-swaps with retiring first-generation satellites.

Iridium is aiming for another launch before the end of the year, currently targeting late November in order to cross the 50% mark for constellation satellites sent into orbit on a path to having all satellites in orbit by mid-2018 so that all constellation satellites can be replaced by the end of next year.

[свернуть]

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 6 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/918447809241800704)

Following the successful launch of the Iridium NEXT-3 satellites, the landed Falcon 9 B1041 is heading to Los Angeles. Here she is, happily riding on the SpaceX ASDS JRTI, sailing past Catalina Island - photographed by NSF member Sam Sun. More words: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43777.msg1735872#msg1735872 ... (https://t.co/cYw3yEfnoQ)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168454.jpg)

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(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168455.jpg)

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Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185921.jpg) Pauline Acalin‏ @w00ki33 (https://twitter.com/w00ki33) 10 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/w00ki33/status/918588007191543809)

The #IridiumNEXT (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IridiumNEXT?src=hash)-3 booster back at port in San Pedro this morning from its Oct 9 launch and landing at Vandenberg AFB. #SpaceX (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceX?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168503.jpg)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168502.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168504.jpg)

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ЦитироватьRecovered SpaceX booster rocket arrives at the Port of Los Angeles

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/224090.webp)
A cyclist rides past a SpaceX booster as it sits on a barge waiting to be offloaded in San Pedro on Thursday, October 12, 2017. The booster was brought into the Port of Los Angeles after a successful landing at sea. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze)

By Sandy Mazza (http://www.dailybreeze.com/author/sandy-mazza/) | amazza@scng.com (mailto:amazza@scng.com) | Daily Breeze
PUBLISHED: October 12, 2017 at 2:22 pm | UPDATED: October 12, 2017 at 5:31 pm

A Falcon 9 rocket booster built at SpaceX in Hawthorne and launched Monday from the California's central coast arrived at the Port of Los Angeles on Thursday morning.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/140043.webp)
A SpaceX booster sits on a barge waiting to be offloaded in San Pedro on Thursday, October 12, 2017. The booster was brought into the Port of Los Angeles after a successful landing at sea. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze)

The 16-story-tall booster was affixed to its carrier — a robotic barge named Of Course I Still Love You — and still dusted with propellant exhaust. It delivered the upper stage carrying 10 Iridium NEXT communications satellites (http://www.dailybreeze.com/2017/10/09/spacex-launches-10-more-iridium-communications-satellites-2/) to orbit before dawn on Monday.

The rocket represented the 17th successful recovery of a flown booster for the company, which accomplished its 18th return Wednesday afternoon (http://www.dailybreeze.com/2017/10/11/spacex-launches-15th-mission-of-the-year-on-a-previously-flown-rocket-booster/) off the coast of Florida. SpaceX is building a fleet of reusable rocket equipment in order to drastically reduce the cost of spaceflight.

After it is offloaded from the barge, the booster wil be "parked" at SpaceX's leased spot on San Pedro's Outer Harbor before it is trucked to Texas for testing and preparations to be reused.

SpaceX is working to make its rockets fully recoverable using software technology that precisely guides boosters back to a specific point on Earth. But it has yet to return nose-cone fairings intact, despite repeated attempts.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said recently, in a public address, that the technology is improving rapidly and will ultimately be able to guide space-travelling equipment automatically without human guidance.

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ЦитироватьSpaceX Drone Ships Return to Home Ports with More & Less Used Falcon 9 Rockets
October 15, 2017 (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-ses-11/spacex-drone-ships-return-to-home-ports-with-more-less-used-falcon-9-rockets/)

SpaceX's two Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ships have returned to their home ports on the East and West Coast of the United States after catching Falcon 9 boosters earlier this week.

Receiving the two boosters, ground crews will be tasked with unloading them fr om the ships and put them through post-flight safing with one booster in slightly less toasty condition entering refurbishment for a future mission and the other, well roasted first stage heading into inspections before retirement after a pair of operational missions.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152722.jpg) (https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/919557305938665472)
The twice-flown 1031 Booster arrives at Port Canaveral – Photo: John Kraus, http://johnkrausphotos.com/

Moving through its busy 2017 manifest at brisk pace, SpaceX managed to pack two launches into this week, starting off on Monday with the company's third mission in support of the deployment of the Iridium-NEXT constellation. Falcon 9, featuring brand new Block 4 first and second stages, lifted off from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base before sunrise on Monday, successfully delivering the ten satellites into their planned 620-Kilometer orbit and returning the first stage, designated Booster #1041, to the 'Just Read The Instructions' Drone Ship waiting 244 Kilometers south of the California launch site.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152724.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-ses-11/wp-content/uploads/sites/184/2017/10/iridium3-ses11.jpg)
Iridium-3 (left) & SES-11 (right) liftoff shots – Credit: SpaceX

The second Falcon 9 launch of the week occurred at sunset on Wednesday from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, featuring a previously flown first stage lifting off with the SES 11 broadcasting satellite. Having flown for the first time back in February on a Dragon resupply mission, the booster was facing a more challenging landing as SES 11 required higher performance from the launch vehicle to reach its desired high-energy transfer orbit.

Coming in hot and heavy, Booster #1031 successfully managed to find the Drone Ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' located 636 Kilometers from Cape Canaveral, battling choppy seas to provide a stable landing platform to the booster.

This marked the second time both SpaceX Drone Ships were out at sea with Falcon 9 stages sitting atop after the Iridium-2 booster and twice-flown BulgariaSat-1 booster returned in close succession in June 2017.

This week's Drone Ship landings increased SpaceX's streak to fourteen successful recoveries in a row and improves the company's stats for sea-based landings to 11 out of 16 tries. All seven landing attempts on pads on land have been successful, giving SpaceX a total of 15 recovered boosters including three that have flown to the edge of SpaceX and back twice.

>> SES-11 Launch Updates (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-ses-11/)

>> Iridium-3 Mission Updates (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-iridium-next-flight-3/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152720.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-ses-11/wp-content/uploads/sites/184/2017/10/DL967BrUMAEKjH9.jpg)
Photo: Pauline Acalin, @w00ki33 on Twitter

After landing, the boosters were safed remotely to ensure their tanks were at safe pressures and any ordnances were secure before engineers were allowed to re-board the Drone Ships to tie down the first stages for their trip into port. Both recovery campaigns were not without issue as engineers in the Pacific had to hold off on re-boarding the Drone Ship due to rough seas, though booster 1041 remained in position close to the center of the prominent SpaceX logo painted on deck to mark the bullseye landing target.

In the waters of the Atlantic, Falcon 9 Booster #1031 was leaning to one side after using up some of its crush core capability when making its twilight touchdown. This apparently precluded the Octograbber or Roomba from being used to remotely secure the first stage as images show the traditional jackstands were used to tie it down on deck for the journey back to port.

Booster #1041 arrived at the Port of Los Angeles Thursday morning and was lifted off the Drone Ship and onto a ground stand by Friday for the removal of its landing legs, draining of leftover fuel and igniter fluid and transfer to a horizontal position to return to SpaceX's manufacturing base in Hawthorne, just over 20 Kilometers north from the port as the crow flies.

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168503.jpg) (https://twitter.com/w00ki33/status/918588007191543809/photo/1) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168502.jpg) (https://twitter.com/w00ki33/status/918588007191543809/photo/1) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/168504.jpg) (https://twitter.com/w00ki33/status/918588007191543809/photo/1)

 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185921.jpg) Pauline Acalin @w00ki33  (https://twitter.com/w00ki33)

The #IridiumNEXT (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IridiumNEXT?src=hash)-3 booster back at port in San Pedro this morning from its Oct 9 launch and landing at Vandenberg AFB. #SpaceX (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceX?src=hash)

 12:23 AM - Oct 13, 2017  (https://twitter.com/w00ki33/status/918588007191543809)

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On the East Coast wh ere most of SpaceX's recoveries have occurred so far, the stage was set for an early Sunday morning arrival of Booster #1031 with the Drone Ship holding clear of the cost until being allowed into Port Canaveral. Prior to its arrival, the Go Searcher support ship headed into port with what appeared to be a piece of the rocket's payload fairing, (https://www.flickr.com/photos/29418863@N04/sets/72157686191312452) indicating SpaceX is making quiet progress in the area of fairing recovery as the expectation is for fairing re-use to be realized at some point next year.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152721.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-ses-11/wp-content/uploads/sites/184/2017/10/DMLP1PlWsAAJMJh.jpg)
Photo: John Kraus,http://johnkrausphotos.com/

'Of Course I Still Love You' was towed into Port Canaveral around sunrise, marking 1031's first return through port since its first mission ended with a land-based landing at Cape Canaveral's Landing Zone 1, enabled by plenty of surplus propellants on Low Earth Orbit deliveries.

(https://scontent-frt3-2.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/22580630_2096373227253180_2108330786259206144_n.jpg) (https://www.instagram.com/p/BaRGO3tH5Sg/)

Comparing the two stages that returned to shore this week, the differences between Low Earth Orbit and Geotransfer Missions become obvious. Booster #1041, although appearing much darker than when it departed California due to soot deposited onto its fuel tank section, is seen in almost pristine shape with no obvious damage and four perfectly intact grid fins, minus the loss of some of their coating. The twice-flown 1031 on the other hand, suffered a bit more as it faced much higher entry energy.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152725.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-ses-11/wp-content/uploads/sites/184/2017/10/iridiumnext3-launch-11b.jpg)
Booster #1041 on Final Approach to JRTI -Photo: SpaceX Webcast

Although the #1041 vehicle carried a heavier load than #1031, delivering payloads to Low Earth Orbit leaves the first stage with plenty of excess performance. This allowed Booster #1041 to conduct a boost-back maneuver immediately after sending the second stage on its way, hitting the brakes and shortening its downrange travel distance. A 13-second burn at re-entry slowed the booster to 871 meters per second for atmospheric entry.

>> Falcon 9 FT Overview (http://spaceflight101.com/spacerockets/falcon-9-ft/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152735.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-ses-11/wp-content/uploads/sites/184/2017/10/ses11launch8.jpg)
Signs of a Hot Re-Entry for Booster 1031 – Photo: SpaceX Webcast

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152733.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-ses-11/wp-content/uploads/sites/184/2017/10/ses11launch28.jpg)
Photo: SpaceX Webcast

Sending the Falcon 9 second stage with SES 11 on its way toward Geostationary Transfer Orbit required Booster #1031 to fire its engines 12 seconds longer than #1041, consequently accelerating the vehicle to a higher MECO velocity (2.29km/s vs. 1.93km/s for Iridium-3) and burning propellants that would not be available for a boost back maneuver. As a result, #1031 could only make a twenty-second braking maneuver just before re-entry, slowing down to 1.66 Kilometers per second (hitting the atmosphere 793m/s faster than #1041).

Kinetic energy increases as a square of the velocity and peak heating as a cube of velocity – explaining why even a slightly higher MECO velocity/entry speed will have a considerable effect on the stage's return journey. Onboard video from Booster #1031 showed the vehicle immersed in plasma as it hit the dense atmosphere en-route to a post-sunset landing on the OCISLY Drone Ship. Pieces of the engine section heat shield were seen flying off and the aluminum grid fins were glowing white hot before onboard video cut out. Photos of the booster after its return showed part of the grid fins facing the hypersonic flow had burned away and molten aluminum had been deposited onto the interstage downstream.

Although Booster #1031, a Block 3 vehicle, is unlikely to fly to space a third time, its recovery will provide SpaceX with additional data on how repeat mission cycles affect the different components on the booster. This knowledge can be used to tweak the design of the Falcon 9 Block 5 vehicle that will represent the launcher's final design iteration, optimized for high performance and easy re-use of the first stage without extensive refurbishment work in between flights to realize SpaceX's goal of considerably cutting costs for access to space.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/152726.jpg) (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-ses-11/wp-content/uploads/sites/184/2017/10/koreasat-5a_1100_1_0.jpg)
KoreaSat-5A in final processing – Photo: Thales Alenia

With both boosters back on dry land, SpaceX will begin shifting focus to its next mission, still targeting an October 30 liftoff from LC-39A with the KoreaSat-5A communications satellite. After that, a previously undisclosed mission has shown up on the East Coast manifest – going only by the code name Zuma with no payload or customer associated with it. This flight, documentation filed by SpaceX with the Federal Communications Commission shows, is targeting launch as early as mid-November with filings indicating the mission would feature a Landing Zone 1 recovery of the first stage. It is highly unusual for a mission to remain secret until this close to launch.

After the mysterious Zuma launch, SpaceX will move Falcon 9 east coast operations back to Space Launch Complex 40 that was knocked offline on September 1st, 2016 – sustaining extensive damage in the explosion of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying AMOS-6 (http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-amos-6/) during the countdown toward its Static Fire Test. Moving back to SLC-40 with the Dragon SpX-13 mission (NET Late November), SpaceX will be clear to enter outfitting tasks on LC-39A to set up for the inaugural mission of the three-core Falcon Heavy rocket.

(https://scontent-frt3-2.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/22427464_122795601761974_2889976939634753536_n.jpg) (https://www.instagram.com/p/BaO3jEBnB3b/)

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ЦитироватьThird Set of Iridium® NEXT Satellites Arrive in Orbit and Provide Telemetry
by Iridium (https://blog.iridium.com/author/iridium/) | Oct 11, 2017 | Aireon (https://blog.iridium.com/category/aireon/), Iridium (https://blog.iridium.com/category/iridium/), Iridium NEXT (https://blog.iridium.com/category/iridium-next/)

(https://d24f1sdg4tqdi.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/11131932/launch-3-5-414x253.png)
Photo credit: SpaceX

Iridium Communications announced today that the third set of 10 Iridium NEXT satellites, launched Monday by SpaceX, are functioning nominally and have begun the testing and validation process. This batch of 10 satellites was launched out of Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, increasing the total number of Iridium NEXT satellites in space to 30.

"Since Monday's success, all things are pointing positive," said Scott Smith, chief operating officer at Iridium. "The team at the Satellite Network Operations Center (SNOC) is ready and has already been working around the clock since their deployment Monday. Unlike previous launches, where some satellites were sent drifting to their operational orbital plane, all 10 satellites fr om this launch will go directly into operation once testing is completed. This phase of satellite maneuvers and testing is wh ere the Iridium satellite network operations teams truly shine."

Now, and for approximately the next 45 days, these newly launched satellites will undergo a series of testing and validation procedures, ensuring they are ready for integration with the operational constellation. Once testing is completed, Iridium will also hand over control of Aireon's Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast hosted payload, to the team at Aireon's Hosted Payload Operations Center (HPOC), also in Leesburg, Va.

For more information about Iridium NEXT, please visit www.IridiumNEXT.com (http://www.iridiumnext.com).

ЦитироватьIridium NEXT Powering New Capabilities

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220762.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/IridiumComm) IridiumComm (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ6-3U3gUwQHvQ1jyj4dOpQ)

Опубликовано: 16 окт. 2017 г.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185770.png) Iridium Corporate‏Подлинная учетная запись @IridiumComm (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm) 13 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm/status/920713214220013574)

Our new #Iridium (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iridium?src=hash)-3 ducklings (SVs) were seen neatly in a row over Japan just after our Oct 9 launch http://bit.ly/2hOx258  (https://t.co/NgBunl2SvM) #ConnectTheDots (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ConnectTheDots?src=hash)

Цитировать2017年10月11日4時25分に見えた10基のイリジウム衛星 (10 Iridium satellites - October 11, 2017 4:25 JST)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220751.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/HIRAHAKU) HIRAHAKU (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2sEmRsa_Jnzzjb0VpQXLlw)

Опубликовано: 10 окт. 2017 г.

ЦитироватьIridium NEXT Third Launch Highlights

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220762.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/IridiumComm) IridiumComm (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ6-3U3gUwQHvQ1jyj4dOpQ)

Опубликовано: 26 окт. 2017 г.

On October 9, 2017, Iridium successfully launched ten more Iridium NEXT satellites into low-Earth orbit. With two successful launches having already been completed this year, this third batch of 10 satellites brings the total number of Iridium NEXT satellites in orbit to 30, nearly half the amount required for a full Iridium NEXT operational constellation. Here are some of the highlights and memorable moments of this exciting day.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67496.jpg) Matt Desch‏ @IridiumBoss (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss) 26 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/927965718762676224)

Launch 3 SV change-outs continue to go well. Today's replacement of SV5 and SV6 mean no SVs from 1st launch 20 yrs ago in network anymore!

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67496.jpg) Matt Desch‏ @IridiumBoss (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss) 36 мин назад (https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/928985199114903552)

Launch 3 sat activities progressing well on schedule. By tomorrow, 6 of 10 will be carrying traffic; all 10 by next weekend. SV8 and SV51 deboosted with 4 more by YE. #IridiumNEXT (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IridiumNEXT?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170878.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185770.png) Iridium Corporate‏Подлинная учетная запись @IridiumComm (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm) 10 нояб. (https://twitter.com/IridiumComm/status/929091695135936513)

SNOC Report: Entering into this weekend with exciting news! More than half of the #IridiumNEXT (https://twitter.com/hashtag/IridiumNEXT?src=hash) satellites from the Oct 9th #Iridium (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iridium?src=hash)-3 launch are already providing live service! #MilestonesOnMilestones (https://twitter.com/hashtag/MilestonesOnMilestones?src=hash) #FriYay (https://twitter.com/hashtag/FriYay?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/170897.jpg)

ЦитироватьIridium-3 Satellite Deployments

 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220762.jpg)  (https://www.youtube.com/user/IridiumComm) IridiumComm (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ6-3U3gUwQHvQ1jyj4dOpQ)

Опубликовано: 21 дек. 2017 г.