Launch News SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1 with AsiaSat 8, August 5, 2014

[Kyle]

Fourth Falcon 9 launch for the year, let's hope it's nowhere near as troubled trying to get off the launch pad as the last one.

Launch date: August 5, 2014

Launch window: 1:25 - 4:11 am EDT (05:25 - 08:11 UTC)

Launch site: Space Launch Complex-40, Cape Canaveral AFS, Florida.

Payload: AsiaSat 8

AsiaSat 8 is designed to be co-located with AsiaSat 7 at the orbital location of 105.5 degrees East. This new satellite is a Space Systems/Loral 1300 series satellite, to be equipped with 24 Ku-band transponders and a Ka-band payload. Co-locating with AsiaSat 7, Asia’s most established satellite platform for Middle Eastern, European, Asian and international programming, AsiaSat 8 will provide exceptional power and additional Ku beam coverage with inter-beam switching capability for services including DTH television, private networks and broadband services. AsiaSat 8, planned to be launched in the first half of 2014, will be the most powerful member of AsiaSat’s fleet, with a payload power of about 8,500 watts.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Well it seems that SpaceX is preparing for a quick 3 week turnaround! Unfortunately for you guys the launch will be in the middle of the night......

I may be able to do some personal info-digging about this and AsiaSat 6 (which is next in queue right now) seeing that AsiaSat is based in Hong Kong and their satellite control station is just 10 miles away from my home.... (and right next to the park where I learn how to ride a bike many years ago.....) :hmm:

 

[Kyle]

Launch date has been range approved.

 

[Kyle]

Static test firing scheduled for July 30.

 

[Kyle]

Payload has been placed in the fairing at the SPIF.

 

[Kyle]

We've had a successful static firing!

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Some photos from AsiaSat:

Satellite testing at Space Systems/Loral

The satellite was trucked from California to the Cape in June:

S/C processing at the Cape

The static test firing was done on July 31 without the payload on top:

Even with tropical storm Bertha crossing to the east, the weather forecast gives a 70% GO right now!

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Watch the launch tomorrow here:

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Here is the press kit for the launch.....

As for the satellite on board that no one cares.... (ahem)

PAYLOAD

AsiaSat 8 communication satellite:

Spacecraft Overview

AsiaSat 8 is a Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) satellite being built for Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat), serving Asia, the Middle East, and Australasia. The satellite is designed on the flight-proven SS/L 1300 satellite platform, which provides the flexibility for a broad range of applications and technology advances. It will have 24 Ku-band transponders and a Ka-band beam. The high-power transponders will enable the use of small antennas on the ground. The satellite is scheduled for launch in the first half of 2014 and designed to provide service for 15 years or more.

{colsp=2}Summary
Parameter | Value

Working Orbit:​

| GEO

Orbital Location:​

| 105.5° East

Coverage:​

| Asia, Middle East

ApA at separation:​

| 35786 km

PeA at separation:​

| 185 km

Inc at separation:​

| 24.2°

Characteristics|

AsiaSat 8​

Customer:​

|

• AsiaSat
  

Prime contractor:​

|

• Space Systems/Loral
  

Platform:​

|

• LS-1300LL

Mass at Separation:​

|

• 4535 kg

Dry Mass:​

|

• ?

Stabilization:​

|

• 3 axis stabilized

Dimensions:​

|

• ?

Power at end-of-life:​

|

• 8.5 kW

Primary Payload:​

|

• 24 Ku-band transponders
• 1 Ka-band beam

Coverage area:​

|

• 
  
  

Life time:​

|

• 15+ years

|

And the launch timeline for carrying the satellite into a standard GTO (185 x 35786 km x 24.3°):

• T-00:00 Liftoff
  After the rocket's nine Merlin 1D engines pass an automated health check, the Falcon 9 is released from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
• T+01:10 Mach 1
  The Falcon 9 rocket passes the speed of sound. The first stage's nine Merlin 1D engines produce 1.3 million pounds of thrust at sea level, ramping up to 1.5 million pounds of thrust in vacuum.
• T+01:18 Max Q
  The Falcon 9 rocket reaches Max Q, the point of maximum aerodynamic pressure.
• T+02:56 MECO
  Moments after two of the Falcon 9's first stage engines shut down, the remaining seven Merlin 1D engines cut off at an altitude of about 90 kilometers, or 56 miles.
• T+03:00 Stage 1 Separation
  The Falcon 9's first stage separates from the second stage four seconds after MECO.
• T+03:08 Stage 2 Ignition
  The second stage Merlin 1D vacuum engine ignites for an approximately 5-minute, 33-second burn to inject the Thaicom 6 satellite into a parking orbit.
• T+03:XX 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+08:41 SECO 1
  The second stage Merlin 1D vacuum engine shuts down after reaching orbit.
• T+26:XX Stage 2 Restart
  The second stage Merlin 1D vacuum engine re-ignites for a brief burn lasting just over one minute to inject AsiaSat 8 into the planned geosynchronous transfer orbit. SpaceX has not disclosed the exact time of second stage restart.
• T+27:XX SECO 2
  The second stage Merlin 1D vacuum engine shuts down. The upper stage next re-orients itself to deployment of the AsiaSat 8 payload. SpaceX has not disclosed the exact time of second stage shutdown.
• T+32:XX AsiaSat Separation
  The AsiaSat 8 broadcasting satellite is deployed from the Falcon 9 second stage in an orbit with a perigee of 115 miles, an apogee of 22,236 miles (185 km x 35,786 km) with an inclination of 23.4 degrees. AsiaSat expects to acquire radio signals from the satellite moments after separation.

Data source: SpaceX via Spaceflight Now

And the weather.....

Weather forecast for Titusville, Florida on August 5, 2014 (1 a.m.)

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 24C. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. Chance of rain 50%.

Time|Temps|Dew Point|Relative Humidity|Precip|Snow|Cloud cover|Pressure|Wind|Weather
1 AM|25°C|24°C|95%|24%|0%|77%|1015 hPa|10 km/h SW|

Mostly Cloudy

 

[Kyle]

Vehicle is vertical. Webcast to start at 1:10am EDT.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

No problems reported as of right now.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

Let's see if this works... Should be a countdown to the YouTube Livestream on the video as I post this...

EDIT: Appears to be working. Anyone having issues?

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

On hold with less than 1 minute to go. Still very early in a 2 hour 46 minute window.....

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Launch countdown is recycling to T-20 minutes. Launch will be after 07:00 UTC (3 am Eastern).

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Looks like they are trying again one more time - new T-0 at 08:00 UTC (4 am Eastern).

 

[Axertan]

Liftoff and first stage separation successful.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

MECO-1. Parking orbit is 176 x 200 km x 27.7°.

 

[Axertan]

MECO and end of webcast coverage. Good orbit for insertion.
Galactic Penguin SST is a :ninja:

 

[Jarod]

I'm glad I didn't wake up early for this, caught it in time randomly, Orbiter-Forum is the first thing I check in the morning , thanks Galactic Penguin for the updates.
I was surprised they relit the first stage engine, given that this is a GEO sat, I thought the first stage would be empty.

 

[Kyle]

Looks like there was a first stage re-ignition after separation. Obviously, they didn't attempt a water recovery with it, but still if you've got gas in the tank, you use it.

Four down for the year. Next up AsiaSat-6 in a few weeks!