Current Schedule Launch Time: 12:54 EST 01/14/2017
Launching Agency: SpaceX
Payload: Iridium-1
Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9 v1.2
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The SpaceX reusable launch system development program is a privately funded program to develop a set of new technologies for an orbital launch system that may be reused many times in a manner similar to the reusability of aircraft. The company SpaceX is developing the technologies over a number of years to facilitate full and rapid reusability of space launch vehicles. The project's long-term objectives include returning a launch vehicle first stage to the launch site in minutes and to return a second stage to the launch pad following orbital realignment with the launch site and atmospheric reentry in up to 24 hours. SpaceX's long term goal is that both stages of their orbital launch vehicle will be designed to allow reuse a few hours after return.
The program was publicly announced in 2011 and the design for returning the first stage of a Falcon 9 rocket to its launchpad using only its own propulsion systems was completed in February 2012. SpaceX's active test program began in late 2012 with testing low-altitude, low-speed aspects of the landing technology. High-velocity, high-altitude aspects of the booster atmospheric return technology began testing in late 2013 and have continued through 2016. SpaceX first achieved a successful landing and recovery of a first stage in December 2015, but continues to do experimental tests on each orbital launch.
The reusable launch system technology was developed and initially used for the first stages of the Falcon family of rockets. The process involves flipping the booster around, a boostback burn to slow the rocket, a reentry burn, controlling direction to arrive at the landing site and a landing burn to effect the final low-altitude deceleration and touchdown. The reusable technology will be extended to the first stage and to both upperstages of the ITS launch vehicle for the Interplanetary Transport System and is considered paramount to the plans Elon Musk is championing to enable the settlement of Mars.
The first controlled vertical splashdown of an orbital rocket stage on the ocean surface was achieved in April 2014 on the ninth flight of a Falcon 9. Two subsequent flights in January and April 2015 attempted to land the returning first stage on a floating platform. Although both boosters were guided accurately to the target, they did not succeed in landing vertically on the drone ship and were destroyed. A historic vertical landing was finally achieved on December 21, 2015, when the first-stage booster of Falcon 9 Flight 20 successfully touched down at Landing Zone 1, Cape Canaveral. On April 8, 2016, Flight 23 achieved the first soft landing on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Initial test flights of an Interplanetary Transport System vehicle are expected no earlier than 2020.
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The program was publicly announced in 2011 and the design for returning the first stage of a Falcon 9 rocket to its launchpad using only its own propulsion systems was completed in February 2012. SpaceX's active test program began in late 2012 with testing low-altitude, low-speed aspects of the landing technology. High-velocity, high-altitude aspects of the booster atmospheric return technology began testing in late 2013 and have continued through 2016. SpaceX first achieved a successful landing and recovery of a first stage in December 2015, but continues to do experimental tests on each orbital launch.
The reusable launch system technology was developed and initially used for the first stages of the Falcon family of rockets. The process involves flipping the booster around, a boostback burn to slow the rocket, a reentry burn, controlling direction to arrive at the landing site and a landing burn to effect the final low-altitude deceleration and touchdown. The reusable technology will be extended to the first stage and to both upperstages of the ITS launch vehicle for the Interplanetary Transport System and is considered paramount to the plans Elon Musk is championing to enable the settlement of Mars.
The first controlled vertical splashdown of an orbital rocket stage on the ocean surface was achieved in April 2014 on the ninth flight of a Falcon 9. Two subsequent flights in January and April 2015 attempted to land the returning first stage on a floating platform. Although both boosters were guided accurately to the target, they did not succeed in landing vertically on the drone ship and were destroyed. A historic vertical landing was finally achieved on December 21, 2015, when the first-stage booster of Falcon 9 Flight 20 successfully touched down at Landing Zone 1, Cape Canaveral. On April 8, 2016, Flight 23 achieved the first soft landing on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Initial test flights of an Interplanetary Transport System vehicle are expected no earlier than 2020.
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Iridium Communications Inc. announced in June 2010 its comprehensive plan for funding, building and deploying its next-generation satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT to replace the original Iridium constellation. Specifically, the Company announced the execution of a fixed price contract with Thales Alenia Space for the design and construction of satellites for the Iridium NEXT constellation.
Iridium's fixed price contract with Thales Alenia Space provides for the construction of the originally planned 72 operational satellites and in-orbit spares, plus an additional nine ground spares, which provide greater risk mitigation with respect to the new constellation. As a result of the expanded scope of the project, the total cost of Iridium NEXT, including all costs associated with development, manufacture and launch of the constellation, is now anticipated to be approximately $2.9 billion. In addition, Iridium has entered into an Authorization to Proceed (ATP), which allows Thales Alenia Space to commence work immediately on the development of satellites prior to completion of the financing, with the plan to commence the launch of the first satellites during the first quarter of 2015.
Each spacecraft employs an L-band phased array antenna for generation of the 48-beam, 4,700 km diameter cellular pattern on the Earth’s surface for communication with subscribers/users. Ka-band links are also provided for communications with ground-based gateways and for crosslinks with adjacent spacecraft in orbit. The cross-linked 66 satellite constellation forms a global network in space allowing communications from a ground or airborne user from any location on Earth to virtually anywhere else on Earth.
Orbital Sciences Corporation performs assembly, integration and test of the 81 satellites including primary and hosted payloads, shipment and launch integration services at their Gilbert, Arizona, facility.
Iridium has contracted with SpaceX to launch the constellation on Falcon-9 v1.2 boosters. Ten satellites are on each launch and seven missions are planned.
Source.
Iridium's fixed price contract with Thales Alenia Space provides for the construction of the originally planned 72 operational satellites and in-orbit spares, plus an additional nine ground spares, which provide greater risk mitigation with respect to the new constellation. As a result of the expanded scope of the project, the total cost of Iridium NEXT, including all costs associated with development, manufacture and launch of the constellation, is now anticipated to be approximately $2.9 billion. In addition, Iridium has entered into an Authorization to Proceed (ATP), which allows Thales Alenia Space to commence work immediately on the development of satellites prior to completion of the financing, with the plan to commence the launch of the first satellites during the first quarter of 2015.
Each spacecraft employs an L-band phased array antenna for generation of the 48-beam, 4,700 km diameter cellular pattern on the Earth’s surface for communication with subscribers/users. Ka-band links are also provided for communications with ground-based gateways and for crosslinks with adjacent spacecraft in orbit. The cross-linked 66 satellite constellation forms a global network in space allowing communications from a ground or airborne user from any location on Earth to virtually anywhere else on Earth.
Orbital Sciences Corporation performs assembly, integration and test of the 81 satellites including primary and hosted payloads, shipment and launch integration services at their Gilbert, Arizona, facility.
Iridium has contracted with SpaceX to launch the constellation on Falcon-9 v1.2 boosters. Ten satellites are on each launch and seven missions are planned.
Source.
GO FALCON 9, GO SPACEX, GO IRIDIUM!
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