Launch News SpaceX Telstar 19 VANTAGE (Sunday, July 22 1:50 a.m. EDT/5:50 UTC)

[Nicholas Kang]

Mission Press Kit is available here.

SpaceX is targeting launch of the Telstar 19 VANTAGE satellite to a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The four-hour launch window opens on Sunday, July 22 at 1:50 a.m. EDT, or 5:50 UTC. The satellite will be deployed approximately 32 minutes after liftoff.

A four-hour backup launch window opens on Monday, July 23 at 1:50 a.m. EDT, or 5:50 UTC. Following stage separation, SpaceX will attempt to land Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

Static fire:

Launch Weather Forecast (Patrick AFB):

L-1 Weather Forecast is available here.

Launch day probability of violating launch weather constraints: 40%
Primary concern(s): Thick Cloud Layer Rule, Cumulus Cloud Rule

Delay day probability of violating launch weather constraints: 40%
Primary concern(s): Thick Cloud Layer Rule, Cumulus Cloud Rule

 

[Andy44]

At first I thought it said "Vintage", as in Telstar is a really old program and so here's an old satellite we've had sitting around so let's launch it and get our money's worth lol.

 

[Kyle]

Second Block V flight!

---------- Post added at 03:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:11 PM ----------

Turns out the mass is 7 tons, the heaviest GTO sat launched by a F9.

https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/07/...atellite-awaits-blastoff-from-cape-canaveral/

 

[Nicholas Kang]

Smooth sail!

Will see another launch in 2-3 days, this time from the West Coast! (Iridium-NEXT Flight 7)

 

[BrianJ]

Nicely done, SpaceX :thumbup:
Final orbit injection was ~400m/s dV short of actual GTO from what I can figure.
Guess it makes sense to increase the satellite dV capability in exchange for lower launch cost.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Nicely done, SpaceX :thumbup:
Final orbit injection was ~400m/s dV short of actual GTO from what I can figure.
Guess it makes sense to increase the satellite dV capability in exchange for lower launch cost.

There is also something about fuel efficiency - it's less propellant intensive to lift and refine the orbit with a series of burns at perigee than attempting a direct insertion IIRC, which so happens to lower payload weight and therefore launch cost.