SpaceX launches Mystery Falcon 9 launch to Packed October Manifesto

SpaceX launches Mystery Falcon 9 launch to Packed October Manifesto

SpaceX FCC Paperwork has unveiled the inclusion of an unknown Falcon 9 launch in the company’s packed October manifesto, which includes Crow Dragon’s first working astronaut launch from several Starlink missions.

Under the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), companies must submit an application for permission to communicate with their rocket for each launch. Although a major hassle for those companies and a seamless hypocritical process, the application for “special temporary authority” (STA) communication is one of the ways in which public members can independently enter the US. Can monitor and predict startup activities. For SpaceX, the company typically applies for multiple STAs for each launch, including special applications for booster launches, landings and preflight ground tests.

Different STAs may have a “mission number” attached to each of the SpaceX, while the coordinates involved in determining the area of ​​landing communications (such as a drone ship recovery zone) often indicate a mission move. Together, STAs can often be used to identify the right mission (i.e. a Starlink launch, Crew Dragon, etc.). STA has already identified SpaceX’s upcoming Crow Dragon Crew-1 and Cargo Dragon CRS-21 missions, as well as several Starlink launches.

The FCC paperwork suggests that SpaceX has included a secret rocket launch in its packed October manifesto. (SpaceX / Richard Angle)

Due to bad weather and the flare-up of ULA delays, SpaceX’s October manifesto is currently packed with three Sterlink missions, a GPS III satellite launch for the US military, and Crew Dragon’s first operational astronaut from the International Space Station (ISS). Mission. Except for one miracle, UALA’s latest Delta Ivy Heavy launch delay has pushed SpaceX’s GPS III SV04 mission to October 1.

The GPS III Space Vehicle 04 (SV04) is embedded inside the payload lower of the Falcon 9. (SpaceX)

Starlink-12 – SpaceX’s 11th Starlink mission this year – is temporarily scheduled to follow GPS III SV04 on October 1 at 9:17 a.m. EDT (13:17 UTC). Then Starlink-13 and Starlink-14 are going to be launched before mid-October. Finally, SpaceX and NASA crews are in the final stages of preparing for Dragon’s Crew-1 mission – the first active delivery of the spacecraft’s astronauts to the ISS – as of October 31 (Halloween).

The new Sirius XM Radio Satellite (SXM-7) could launch on November 6 on the Falcon 9 rocket. On the West Coast, SpaceX’s first California mission since June 2019 could begin on November 10. SpaceX and NASA are also targeting the initial launch of the upgraded cargo Dragon 2 reconnaissance spacecraft on a mission known as CRS-21, which will be launched on November 15 at NET. Last but not least, Turkey’s Turkish 5A communications satellite could launch early on November 31. No Starlink missions are currently scheduled for November but it is safe to assume that there will be at least one or two. In all, SpaceX already has five launches scheduled for October and four sets for November. Despite being extremely lucrative, SpaceX never launched more than three times a month.

Falcon 9B1059LZ-1 completes RTLS landing on August 30. (SpaceX)

Now, on top of that swath of firm launches, mysterious “SpaceX Mission 1512” Have joined the field. At the request of the FCC STA, the mission is scheduled to launch before October 3 (with a six-month window) (net) and will include a return launch-site (RTLS) Falcon 9 booster landing. . RTLS in particular significantly intercepts the landing mission and means – off the bat – that this may not be the case for Starlink, while Cargo Dragon CRS-21 (RTLS Landing STA already exists) and Crew Dragon Do -1 (Drone landing). Simply put, every other launch in an RTLS SpaceX 2020 manifest is regularly beyond the Rideshare mission scheduled for December, and SpaceX almost never files an STA for months.

It leaves some kind of undeclared, mysterious mission. Only once in the history of SpaceX has the company made an unannounced launch – not surprisingly, some unknown branch of the US military or spy equipment. Known as Zuma and still shrouded in secrecy, It followed almost identical patterns, Only FCC launches and landing communications in 2017 prior to the January 2018 inauguration were revealed by requests and rumors. However, Northrop Grumman was thrown under the bus for a failed payload adapter May or may not ruin the Satellite, No federal agency took credit for the mission – it’s weird without the spaceflight going.

At the time, unofficial rumors circulating on Reddit indicated that Zuma would be just the first of many similar missions. It is believed that the spring-like deployment mechanism and the alleged failure of the spacecraft to be lost – estimated to be worth one or several billion dollars – will surprisingly fall into those gears within hours of launch. Now, almost three years later and in the midst of an extraordinary engagement of several important launches, can SpaceX prepare for the Zuma-2?

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About the author: Raven Weber

Musicaholic. Unapologetic alcohol maven. Social media expert. Award-winning coffee evangelist. Typical thinker.

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