Launch News SpaceX Falcon 9 with Thaicom-6, January 6, 2014

[Kyle]

One more for the year for SpaceX? We'll see! Last word, around the time of the SES-8 first attempt, was that they're aiming for December 20th. Given the week delay to SES-8, I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up around just after Christmas or first few weeks of 2014.

Launch date: January 6, 2014

Launch window: 5:06 - 7:08 pm EST (22:06 - 00:08 UTC)

Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Payload: Thaicom-6

Pending the successful mission with SES-8, SpaceX will then turnaround their Cape facility for the next Falcon 9 v1.1 launch, realigned to a December 12 NET (No Earlier Than) launch date, per L2 information. This places SpaceX into a stance where they will be launching two missions in the space of a month – a first for the company.

This mission will also be tasked with lofting an Orbital-built satellite, namely the Thaicom-6 spacecraft.

Z3The 3,325 kg (7,330 lb) satellite will be located at 78.5 degrees East Longitude, and carry a hybrid Ku- and C-band payload that will generate approximately 3.7 kilowatts of payload power.

The Ku-band payload will be comprised of eight active transponders providing services to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. The C-band payload will feature 12 active C-band transponders providing services via a regional beam to Southeast Asia, and six active C-band transponders providing services via a south Africa beam to southern Africa and Madagascar.

Based on Orbital’s GeoStar-2 platform, the satellite is expected to have a service life of 15 years.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Wanna take a bet? I hereby promises that I will donate $16 US to Orbiter-Forum if Thaicom-6 launches by December 31! And if this launch goes off between January 1 to January 10 I will donate $8 US....

 

[MaverickSawyer]

You're on. We're gonna hold you to that.

 

[Kyle]

Thaicom-6 is now booked for January, partially due to the fact the Eastern Range will be under maintenance for a week starting on the 20th. However, the first and second stage as well as the satellite are all at CCAFS and are in processing.

 

[Kyle]

Hearing reports that SpaceX is going to attempt to launch Thaicom-6 on December 31st at 5:57pm EST. Nothing confirmed yet, but it's definitely possible and doable.

 

[Pipcard]

Hearing reports that SpaceX is going to attempt to launch Thaicom-6 on December 31st at 5:57pm EST. Nothing confirmed yet, but it's definitely possible and doable.

A launch on December 31st?

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Hearing reports that SpaceX is going to attempt to launch Thaicom-6 on December 31st at 5:57pm EST. Nothing confirmed yet, but it's definitely possible and doable.

http://www.wacotrib.com/blogs/joe_science/spacex-satellite-launch-set-for-dec/article_b31d65b4-6822-11e3-9f40-001a4bcf887a.html

This

is

crazy!

For our European friends this may even happen as the New Year countdown goes.........

(and there has been NO, I repeat NO orbital launch attempts ever worldwide on December 31 UTC - the only day of the year to have such a record. January 1 has 1 - ironically a commercial Titan III from the Cape in 1990 (actually 7 minutes after the new year in Britain - 7:07 pm EST on 1989-12-31!)

 

[Loru]

Forgive me then, but I won't be watching then.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Forgive me then, but I won't be watching then.

And I probably won't either since I may be out photographing the first sunrise of the year at launch time. :uhh:

 

[orb]

on December 31st at 5:57pm EST.

Will there be some fireworks 3 minutes later?

 

[Urwumpe]

What are they going to launch then?

And seriously: Who is working and sober on that evening?

 

[MattBaker]

And seriously: Who is working and sober on that evening?

Exactly, launch preparations over Christmas, launching on New Year's Eve.
Best. workplace. ever.

 

[PhantomCruiser]

I'll be working. :dry:
Somebody has to keep the lights on.

 

[Kyle]

I might even get to attend this one in person! This would be the first launch to take place, in UT time, in two calendar years.

 

[Alfastar]

And I probably won't either since I may be out photographing the first sunrise of the year at launch time. :uhh:

So don't I would be watching the launch also simple because I celebrate the last day of the year and new year.

But poor Penguin, if this stays, then you become 16 dollars poorer :lol:

 

[MattBaker]

If he's smart he'll argue how it is launched on January 1st based on his local time.

Besides, it's ScrubX. NET 4th of January.

 

[Pipcard]

ScrubX...

SkrillX?

 

[Kyle]

FWIW, NSF is reporting the date is no longer true (although that was the original planning date). So it's January 2014.

 

[N_Molson]

Oh. I heard that SpaceX will send 3 astronauts in a modified Dragon around the Moon for X-mas eve. :hmm:

 

[MattBaker]

Oh. I heard that SpaceX will send 3 astronauts in a modified Dragon around the Moon for X-mas eve. :hmm:

Will they read the Book of Elonis? Or the book of Muskenis?