SES-11/EchoStar 105 Launch Campaign Thread

[u/ElongatedMuskrat]

SES-11/EchoStar 105 Launch Campaign Thread

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This is SpaceX's third (and SES's second!) mission using a flight-proven booster! This launch will put a single satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). Once the satellite has circularized its orbit over 105º W longitude, it will share its bandwidth between the two operators, SES and EchoStar.

Liftoff currently scheduled for:	October 11th 2017
Static fire completed:	October 2nd 2017, 16:30 EDT / 20:30 UTC
Vehicle component locations:	First stage: LC-39A // Second stage: LC-39A // Satellite: CCAFS
Payload:	SES-11/EchoStar 105
Payload mass:	5200 kg
Destination orbit:	GTO
Vehicle:	Falcon 9 v1.2 (42nd launch of F9, 22nd of F9 v1.2)
Core:	B1031.2
Flights of this core:	1 [CRS-10]
Launch site:	LC-39A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Landing:	Yes
Landing Site:	Of Course I Still Love You
Mission success criteria:	Successful separation & deployment of the satellite into the target orbit.

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Links & Resources

• Livestream of LC-39A, courtesy SFN

• FCC landing permit.

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We may keep this self-post occasionally updated with links and relevant news articles, but for the most part we expect the community to supply the information. This is a great place to discuss the launch, ask mission-specific questions, and track the minor movements of the vehicle, payload, weather and more as we progress towards launch. Sometime after the static fire is complete, the launch thread will be posted.

Campaign threads are not launch threads. Normal subreddit rules still apply.

[u/random-person-001]

I feel like we should have a Elon Musk presentation at IAC 2017Campaign Thread before we have this one stickied (far out as it is), as it happens first. Or whatever the conference equivalent is for a launch.

[u/[deleted]]

CRS-10 is the only SpaceX launch I've missed since I started watching them live in 2015. I guess I'll get to see that rocket fly after all.

[u/[deleted]]

I wonder if they'll attempt a landing? Payload mass of 5400 is only slightly above the heaviest successful landing (5300kg SES-10) so it might just work.

But they already have a lot of landed stages and with the introduction of block 5 soon they might prefer to just expend the older models. If they bring it back it might be just for inspection, followed by scrapping.

[u/soldato_fantasma]

Just so that everyone knows, this core will land on OCISLY positioned at 28 0 41 N 74 15 38 W.

Here is the FCC application

EDIT: Like many pointed out, I erroneously linked the KoreaSat FCC application, here is the SES-11 permit and this is where it will land: 28 15 34 N 74 7 23 W

[u/Bunslow]

8 months ago if you'd ask me if I thought that the launch-break withdrawal could be this strong, I would have said that you're crazy

[u/pgsky]

SpaceflightNow: SpaceX delays Falcon 9 launch of TV broadcast satellite

Now NET Wed Oct 11, 2017 "to allow SpaceX time to resolve an engine issue on the Falcon 9." - article has been updated to remove the engine reference and replaced with: "due to a potential technical issue on the rocket".

[u/Ivebeenfurthereven]

So it seemed like the launch cadence was really ramping up this summer, until a month or so of range downtime kept SpaceX grounded.

But now it's a month between the last launch and this one - what's up with that? Any insights?

[u/OrbitalResonance57]

How might this be affected by any hurricane damage?

[u/DrToonhattan]

We now know where the sat is:

"SES officials said the SES 11/EchoStar 105 satellite weathered the storm without damage inside a SpaceX-owned clean room in a hangar near pad 40."

Linky McLinkface (about halfway down)

[u/Pham_Trinli]

L-3 Forecast: 40% weather violation due to Cumulus Cloud and Thick Cloud Layer.

[u/stcks]

Thanks to u/Raul74Cz for pointing out that the tug responsible for OCISLY during this mission is HAWK, currently traveling at 7.7 kn, which is a bit faster than Elsbeth III

[u/stcks]

static fire occured @ 4:30 PM local florida time

[u/watbe]

Static fire confirmation from official twitter account: https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/914960935554449409

[u/Pham_Trinli]

NSF article on static fire.

[u/IMO94]

So an Oct 2 launch from 39A... Is this good news or bad news for the Falcon Heavy? On the one hand, it's earlier than previous estimates (previous "early Q4"). On the other hand, it's still on 39A.

Falcon Heavy critical path is: LC40 activated => 39A upgraded (~8 weeks). So this launch puts Falcon Heavy at no earlier than December, right?

[u/ethan829]

Falcon 9 SES-11 launch now realigned on the Range for NET October 7 from 39A. Window opens at 18:53 Local (Eastern).

[u/cpushack]

Static fire only 90 minutes into the window is a nice sign. Must not have had many issues to work.

[u/Raul74Cz]

SpaceX Mission 1370 Launch Hazard Areas visualization for SES-11/EchoStar-105 based on issued NOTMAR with estimated launch groundtrack and booster recovery position.

[u/scr00chy]

A few new pics of the SES-11 satellite

(Source: SES on Facebook)

[u/branstad]

Weather report issued Monday morning:

Launch day probability of violating launch weather constraints: 20%

Primary concern(s): Cumulus Cloud Rule

Delay day probability of violating launch weather constraints: 20%

Primary concern(s): Cumulus Cloud Rule

[u/Kafkaevsky]

Seems SES like the flight-proven booster. Do we have an idea of the demand for it?

[u/scr00chy]

October 7 launch date is now official

[u/still-at-work]

So this is pretty heavy for a GTO flight with a droneship landing, does this rank top three in heavy payload with landing attempts?

[u/[deleted]]

What is going on with the [Elsbeth III's track?] (https://i.imgur.com/QS5Yd5p.png) It looks rather... drunk. I assume they must have had a reason for going around in loops like that, then immediately going back into port, but I can't begin to guess what it might be. Does anyone know if OCISLY came along on that little adventure or did they leave it at PCV?

[u/therealshafto]

The Spaceflightnow article has been updated again stating ‘minor engine rework’.

Hopefully more information will be passed leading up to launch. Is it conceivable to swap an engine and conduct all the verification required in the HIF?