GPS III SV04 - Falcon 9-098 (B1062.1) - CCAFS SLC-40 - 05.11.2020 23:24 UTC

[tnt22]

https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/11/05/falcon-9-gps-3-sv04-mission-status-center-2/

11/05/2020 18:51 Stephen Clark



It's launch day again at Cape Canaveral, where a Falcon 9 rocket is poised for liftoff during a 15-minute window opening at 6:24 p.m. EST (2324 GMT) tonight with the U.S. Space Force's next GPS navigation satellite.

The mission was delayed from last month after an engine problem prompted an automated abort at T-minus seconds during a countdown Oct. 2.

Engineers investigating the Oct. 2 abort found that two of the nine first stage engines on the rocket had a tendency to ignite a split-second earlier than expected. Inspections showed a blocked relief valve in the gas generators of the two engines caused pressures to rise sooner than designed at startup, and sensors on the engines detected the problem and halted the countdown.

SpaceX engineers identified a masking treatment inadvertently left behind in two Merlin engines as the cause of the aborted countdown last month.

A Space Force official said SpaceX replaced two of the engines on the Falcon 9 rocket for the GPS 3 SV04 mission. The two replacement Merlin 1D engines were found not to have the masking lacquer blocking relief valves in the powerplants' gas generators.

The engine issues spilled over to affect several other SpaceX launches, including the launch of the next Crew Dragon mission to the International Space Station with four astronauts on-board.

The Crew Dragon flight is now set for Nov. 14, and NASA officials plan to review data from the GPS launch tonight before formally clearing the Falcon 9 rocket for launch on the Crew Dragon mission.

The official launch weather forecast from the U.S. Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron calls for a 60% chance of favorable conditions for liftoff this evening. The main weather concerns are with cumulus clouds and ground winds at Cape Canaveral.

[tnt22]

Репортаж FNSF - youtu.be/dV82gxNY4DQ. Начало трансляции - примерно через 5 ч.

[tnt22]

Launch Vehicle:  Falcon 9 GPS III-4

Date: November 5

Eastern Range Opens: 6:24 p.m.

Launch Hazard Area

Airspace Closure Area

[tnt22]

 Thomas Burghardt @TGMetsFan98 25 мин. назад

It's launch day in Florida! #SpaceX #Falcon9 #GPSIIISV04

Article: https://nasaspaceflight.com/2020/11/spacex-line-launch-fourth-gps/...

Webcast: youtu.be/dV82gxNY4DQ

[tnt22]

11/05/2020 23:44 Stephen Clark

T-minus 2 hours, 40 minutes. SpaceX's launch team will soon complete checkouts of the rocket ahead of the start of fueling of the Falcon 9 with super-chilled, densified RP-1 kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants.

SpaceX's launch conductor will verify all members of the launch team are ready to proceed with the final 35-minute automated countdown sequence at 5:46 p.m. EST (2246 GMT), followed by the start of filling the rocket with super-chilled, densified RP-1 kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants at 5:49 p.m. EDT (2249 GMT).

Liquid oxygen loading into the second stage will begin at T-minus 16 minutes, at 6:08 p.m. EST (2308 GMT), followed by final chilldown of the rocket's nine Merlin first stage engines, a final pre-flight engine steering check, switching of the rocket to internal power, and pressurization of the Falcon 9's propellant tanks leading up to liftoff.

[tnt22]

https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/10/02/falcon-9-launch-timeline-with-the-gps-3-sv04-navigation-satellite/

Falcon 9 launch timeline with the GPS 3 SV04 navigation satellite
October 2, 2020 | Stephen Clark

EDITOR'S NOTE: Updated Nov. 5 for new launch attempt.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is set for liftoff from Cape Canaveral on Nov. 5 carrying the U.S. Air Force's next GPS 3-series navigation satellite destined for an orbit more than 12,000 miles above Earth.

The 229-foot-tall (70-meter) rocket is poised for launch from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 6:24 p.m. EST Thursday, Nov. 5, at the opening of a 15-minute launch window.

The Lockheed Martin-built GPS 3 SV04 satellite mounted atop the rocket is the fourth member of an upgraded generation of GPS navigation spacecraft, featuring higher-power signals that are more resilient to jamming, and additional broadcast frequencies to make the GPS network more interoperable with other navigation satellite fleets.

The timeline below outlines the launch sequence for the Falcon 9 flight with the GPS 3 SV04 spacecraft.

See our Mission Status Center for details on the launch.

Data source: SpaceX

T-0:00:00: Liftoff


After the rocket's nine Merlin engines pass an automated health check, hold-down clamps will release the Falcon 9 booster for liftoff from pad 40.

T+0:01:11: Max Q


The Falcon 9 rocket reaches Max Q, the point of maximum aerodynamic pressure, a few seconds after surpassing the speed of sound.

T+0:02:31: MECO


The Falcon 9's nine Merlin 1D engines shut down.

T+0:02:35: Stage 1 Separation


The Falcon 9's first stage separates from the second stage moments after MECO.

T+0:02:42: First Ignition of Second Stage


The second stage Merlin 1D vacuum engine ignites for a five-and-a-half-minute burn to put the rocket and GPS 3 SV03 into a preliminary parking orbit.

T+0:03:27: Fairing Jettison


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+0:06:47: First Stage Entry Burn Complete


The Falcon 9 rocket's first stage descends back to Earth as its engines fire for the entry burn before landing on SpaceX's drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

T+0:08:07: SECO 1


The second stage of the Falcon 9 rocket shuts down after reaching a preliminary orbit. The upper stage and GPS 3 SV04 begin a coast phase scheduled to about one hour before the second stage Merlin-Vacuum engine reignites.

T+0:08:33: First Stage Landing


The Falcon 9's first stage booster lands on SpaceX's drone ship "Just Read The Instructions" positioned in Atlantic Ocean northeast of Cape Canaveral.

T+1:03:32: Second Ignition of Second Stage


The Falcon 9's second stage Merlin engine restarts to propel the GPS 3 SV04 navigation satellite into an elliptical transfer orbit ranging in altitude between about 250 miles (400 kilometers) and 12,550 miles (20,200 kilometers), with an inclination of 55 degrees.

T+1:04:17: SECO 2


The Merlin engine shuts down after a planned 45-second burn to put the GPS 3 SV04 satellite in the proper orbit for deployment.

T+1:29:18: GPS 3 SV04 Separation


The GPS 3 SV04 satellite separates from the Falcon 9 rocket in an elliptical transfer orbit with an apogee, or high point, near the altitude of the GPS fleet, located around 12,550 miles (22,200 kilometers) above Earth.

[tnt22]

https://www.militarynews.ru/story.asp?rid=1&nid=541154&lang=RU

SpaceX планирует запустить на орбиту новейший спутник GPS для ВВС США
06.11.2020 0:00:04

Вашингтон. 6 ноября. ИНТЕРФАКС - Тяжелая ракета-носитель Falcon 9 в пятницу по московскому временим должна вывести на орбиту очередной новейший спутник системы глобального позиционирования третьего поколения GPS III в интересах ВВС США, сообщила компания-разработчик носителя SpaceX.

Запуск планируется осуществить в 15-минутное временное окно, которое открывается 5 ноября в 18:54 по времени Восточного побережья США (6 ноября в 02:54 мск) с 40-го стартового комплекса на космодроме на мысе Канаверал (штат Флорида). Первоначально он должен был состояться еще 2 октября, но был отменен всего за две секунды до старта из-за обнаруженных технических проблем.

Спутник через полтора часа после запуска будет заброшен на высоту около 1 тыс. км над Землей, а затем размещен на средней околоземной орбите - примерно на высоте 20 тыс. км над планетой.

При этом первая многоразовая ступень ракеты-носителя Falcon 9 должна будет через 8,5 минут после запуска совершить вертикальную посадку на автоматической плавучей платформе Of Course I Still Love You, которая дислоцирована в Атлантике в 635 км от космодрома на мысе Канаверал. Кроме того, специальное спасательное судно Ms. Chief попытается "поймать" в надводные сети или выловить из воды две створки обтекателя головной части ракеты, которые после отделения будут спускаться на парашютах. Повторное использование обтекателя позволяет экономить компании SpaceX до $6 млн при запусках своих ракет.

Это уже четвертый спутник GPS III, выводимый на орбиту с 2018 года. Космический аппарат весом 3,8 тонны должен стать очередным элементом в планируемой орбитальной группировке из 32 спутников глобального позиционирования третьего поколения. Эти аппараты постепенно должны заменить собой устаревшие спутники, которые в настоящее время обеспечивают сигнал GPS по всему миру.

Спойлер

Спутники GPS III имеют большую мощность сигнала, позволяют определять местоположение гражданских объектов в три раза точнее, чем используемые в настоящее время аппараты, у которых она составляет от 3 до 10 метров. Точность определения местоположения военных объектов будет еще выше.

При этом GPS III располагает значительно улучшенными возможностями по борьбе с помехами в сравнении с более ранними аппаратами. Они будут в восемь раз более защищенными от подавления противниками США.

В настоящее время услугами системы GPS, оператором которой являются ВВС США, пользуются более 4 млрд человек.

Производством новых спутников занимается корпорация Lockheed Martin. Стоимость одного спутника составляет $577 млн. Срок эксплуатации спутника нового поколения составляет 15 лет.

Первые 10 аппаратов GPS III в версии Space Vehicle (Block IIIA) запустят до 2023 года включительно, остальные 22 в версии Follow On (Block IIIF) начнут размещать на орбите с 2025 по 2034 годы. Обновляемая система полнофункционально заработает не ранее 2022 года в связи с задержкой в модернизации наземных систем управления спутниками.

Компания SpaceX выиграла тендер на запуск пяти из первых шести спутников GPS III.

[свернуть]

[tnt22]

 William Harwood @cbs_spacenews 11 мин. назад

F9/GPS-3/F4: Good afternoon; we're now 2 hours from launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the 4th GPS-3 navsat; liftoff from pad 40 at the Cape Canaveral AFS is targeted for 6:24:23pm EST, 50 minutes after sunset; the forecast is 60% go

[tnt22]

11/06/2020 00:58 Stephen Clark

T-minus 86 minutes. Here are some statistics on today's launch:

• 97th launch of a Falcon 9 rocket since 2010
• 105th launch of Falcon rocket family since 2006
• 1st launch of Falcon 9 booster B1062
• 85th SpaceX launch from Florida's Space Coast
• 59th Falcon 9 launch from pad 40
• 114th launch overall from pad 40
• 4th Lockheed Martin-built satellite launched by SpaceX
• 20th Falcon 9 launch of 2020
• 20th launch by SpaceX in 2020
• 23rd orbital launch based out of Cape Canaveral in 2020

[tnt22]

11/06/2020 01:04 Stephen Clark

An updated weather forecast indicates there is now an 80% probability of favorable weather for liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket during a 15-minute window opening at 6:24 p.m. EST (2324 GMT).

The prime weather concerns remain ground winds and cumulus clouds, but wind speeds have been trending down this afternoon at Cape Canaveral.

[tnt22]

11/06/2020 01:15 Stephen Clark

Today's mission will send the Air Force's GPS 3 SV04 satellite into an elliptical transfer orbit on the way to a final orbital perch more than 12,500 miles (20,200 kilometers) above Earth. It will take two burns by the Falcon 9 rocket's upper stage to do the lifting, with separation of the spacecraft planned at 7:53 p.m. EST (0053 GMT), assuming an on-time liftoff at 6:24:23 p.m. EDT (2324:23 GMT).

[tnt22]

11/06/2020 01:27 Stephen Clark

T-minus 57 minutes. SpaceX intends to recover the first stage after today's launch. The company's drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" is parked roughly 400 miles (630 kilometers) northeast of Cape Canaveral.



The Falcon 9's first stage booster will target a propulsive landing on the football field-sized drone ship at T+plus 8 minutes, 33 seconds.

One of SpaceX's two fairing recovery ships -- named "Ms. Chief" -- is also in position in the Atlantic Ocean to recover two halves of the Falcon 9's payload shroud around 45 minutes after launch.

The vessels are equipped with giant nets to catch the fairing shells as they descend under parafoils. SpaceX has reused the fairing after retrieving the hardware from the sea, but catching them in the nets prevents the shells from being drenched in salt water. That eases their refurbishment and reuse, SpaceX says.

[tnt22]

Аудиодорожка из ЦУП - в эфире

youtu.be/0grfP_u3cM4

[tnt22]

11/06/2020 01:33 Stephen Clark

[tnt22]

FNSF в эфире

[tnt22]

11/06/2020 01:38 Stephen Clark

... You can use this stream to listen to the SpaceX launch team's verbal call-outs as the countdown ticks toward liftoff at 6:24:23 p.m. EST (2324:23 GMT).

SpaceX's live video webcast is expected to begin around 10 to 15 minutes prior to launch time.

[tnt22]

COUNTDOWN
Hr:Mn:Sc	Event	EST	UTC	ДМВ
00:38:00	SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load	17:46:23	22:46:23	01:46:23
00:35:00	RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading underway	17:49:23	22:49:23	01:49:23
00:35:00	1st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading underway	17:49:23	22:49:23	01:49:23
00:16:00	2nd stage LOX loading underway	18:08:23	23:08:23	02:08:23
00:07:00	Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch	18:17:23	23:17:23	02:17:23
00:01:00	Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks	18:23:23	23:23:23	02:23:23
00:01:00	Propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins	18:23:23	23:23:23	02:23:23
00:00:45	SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch	18:23:38	23:23:38	02:23:38
00:00:03	Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start	18:24:20	23:24:20	02:24:20
00:00:00	Falcon 9 liftoff	18:24:23	23:24:23	02:24:23
	All Times Are Approximate

[tnt22]

 Emre Kelly @EmreKelly 33 мин. назад

...but currently still a concern.

[tnt22]

11/06/2020 01:43 Stephen Clark

T-minus 41 minutes. All launch weather parameters are currently observed "green" at Cape Canaveral.

[tnt22]

 Emre Kelly @EmreKelly 4 мин. назад

SpaceX has started fueling Falcon 9 ahead of 1824 ET liftoff from Cape Canaveral.