News Intelsat Signs First Commercial Falcon Heavy Launch Agreement with SpaceX

[Cosmic Penguin]

I knew that someone would sign a launch contract for the Falcon Heavy..... but Intelsat!? Who 'da have 'funk it? hsnap:

Intelsat Signs First Commercial Falcon Heavy Launch Agreement with SpaceX

Advanced Vehicle Provides Expanded Options for Operator of the World's Largest Satellite Fleet



Washington, DC / Hawthorne, CA May 29, 2012 - Today, Intelsat, the world's leading provider of satellite services, and Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), the world's fastest growing space launch company, announced the first commercial contract for the Falcon Heavy rocket.



"SpaceX is very proud to have the confidence of Intelsat, a leader in the satellite communication services industry," said Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer. "The Falcon Heavy has more than twice the power of the next largest rocket in the world. With this new vehicle, SpaceX launch systems now cover the entire spectrum of the launch needs for commercial, civil and national security customers."



"Timely access to space is an essential element of our commercial supply chain," said Thierry Guillemin, Intelsat CTO. "As a global leader in the satellite sector, our support of successful new entrants to the commercial launch industry reduces risk in our business model. Intelsat has exacting technical standards and requirements for proven flight heritage for our satellite launches. We will work closely with SpaceX as the Falcon Heavy completes rigorous flight tests prior to our future launch requirements."



This is the first commercial contract for SpaceX's Falcon Heavy launch vehicle. Under the agreement, an Intelsat satellite will be launched into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).

 

[Urwumpe]

What do they want to launch? The whole Madison Square Garden?

 

[Codz]

Huh. My father worked at Intelsat.

 

[boogabooga]

Read:
"As a global leader in the satellite sector, our support of successful new entrants to the commercial launch industry reduces risk in our business model."

As:
"Were going to support the new guy at least once, even if it's only to get better deals from Ariane/ILS/Sea Launch later."

 

[N_Molson]

"Were going to support the new guy at least once, even if it's only to get better deals from Ariane/ILS/Sea Launch later."

or :

"We got some money under the table from the governement to support the new guy".

 

[boogabooga]

What do they want to launch? The whole Madison Square Garden?

Perhaps they are going to launch 2-3 at a time?

 

[Pipcard]

19 metric tons to GTO.

Maybe 3-4 satellites.

We have never had a GTO launcher with this much capability.

 

[N_Molson]

I wonder if the mass of satellites will continue to increase. The heaviest ones have a mass of nearly 7.000 kg. Is there a reason for that growth to stop ? I mean, they can always add solar panels and dishes to make the satellite capable of handling always more data, redundant systems to expand the lifetime, etc... :hmm:

 

[Capt_hensley]

19 metric tons to GTO.

Maybe 3-4 satellites.

We have never had a GTO launcher with this much capability.

19mT, that's 28,000kg right? The heaviest object on Gateway station is 19,277kg estimated, sweet! This is great news!

 

[Pipcard]

19mT, that's 28,000kg right? The heaviest object on Gateway station is 19,277kg estimated, sweet! This is great news!

No, 1 mT (metric ton) = 1000 kg, so it's 19000 kg. Unless that was a typo.

 

[Capt_hensley]

No, 1 mT (metric ton) = 1000 kg, so it's 19000 kg. Unless that was a typo.

Never did like the metric system, US tons are: 2000 lbs = 1ton Thanks!

 

[Jarvitä]

Never did like the metric system, US tons are: 2000 lbs = 1ton Thanks!

Whereas a metric ton is a megagramme, or properly defined as one thousand kilogrammes, since the base SI unit of mass is the kilogramme. Makes more sense to me.

 

[anemazoso]

Wow pieces of the puzzle just keep falling into place for SpaceX. This is great news. I just hope the merlin is the most reliable engine ever built because it will have to be for a rocket that has 27 engines that must work at launch.

27 engines have flown so far. I remember hearing about some oxygen rich problems on the first launch and we have had a couple check valve issues too. I'm sure there are always bugs to work out of the system but it has always made me uncomfortable with so many motors.

 

[Zachstar]

Quite a gamble. Especially considering the cost of modern communication birds is what makes selection of old space the usual choice.

Tho as others have suggested. Success of this gamble = Reduced prices from other launch providers.

 

[movieman]

Wow pieces of the puzzle just keep falling into place for SpaceX. This is great news. I just hope the merlin is the most reliable engine ever built because it will have to be for a rocket that has 27 engines that must work at launch.

If the engines don't work at launch, you don't launch. The problem is if they start shutting down after launch.

From what I remember the N1's thirty engines were all working at launch, and it was lost because several stopped working in flight (some of them explosively).

 

[Tacolev]

If the engines don't work at launch, you don't launch. The problem is if they start shutting down after launch.

From what I remember the N1's thirty engines were all working at launch, and it was lost because several stopped working in flight (some of them explosively).

This has always been my worry with the Falcon. Other medium lift rockets don't have the same level of complexity. Even if the engine is the best in the world, it's not going to be the best in the world every last time.

Now triple that complexity and the inevitable becomes even more inevitable.

...and that makes costs go up. SpaceX is brewing project after project at a pace that excites the ceaseless optimism of the internet but perhaps at the risk of their own accomplishments and successes. Their diversity of endeavors can transition at a moment's notice into overextendedness and liability at the whimsy of a force far more primal than managerial oversight or public policy: the old battle between statistical power and engineering hubris.

As decade after decade with the R-7 has shown, one in the hand might be worth five or six in the bush. SpaceX has a space capsule and a rocket that can take it uphill. It might do them good to be the Dragon company before they become the Space Exploration company.

 

[Urwumpe]

From what I remember the N1's thirty engines were all working at launch, and it was lost because several stopped working in flight (some of them explosively).

The problem is a bit more complex than just the engines, it was rather that the whole first stage was not tested at all and tested during the launches, resulting in everything that could go wrong going wrong. Engine failures had been the smallest problem there, only 2 engines out of 120 failed themselves during the four flights, which is a pretty good ratio (1.6%) that early in development.

One had a broken pipe near the gas generator by vibrations (untestable before flight), another ingested a loose bolt and had the stabilization system shutdown all except one engine when it went postal (was partially testable). The other failures had been caused by the stage itself, one was an underdimensioned roll control system, another was a propellant line bursting when a fluid hammer formed by closing the engine valves for shutdown of the six center engines.

Such problems can also apply to SpaceX, but nut not that easily. If they are smart, they will test the rocket as whole on the pad, instead of waiting for it to explode inflight.

 

[IronRain]

Such problems can also apply to SpaceX, but nut not that easily. If they are smart, they will test the rocket as whole on the pad, instead of waiting for it to explode inflight.

Just like the static firings with the Falcon 9?

 

[tl8]

Just like the static firings with the Falcon 9?

Yes, SpaceX generally has each engine go through 2 static burns before launch. These occur at their engine test facility in Texas and on the pad. I would expect them to keep these burns in place for a while.

 

[boogabooga]

19 metric tons to GTO.

Maybe 3-4 satellites.

We have never had a GTO launcher with this much capability.

Keep in mind too that it's probably quoted as 19 metric tons to a "traditional" GTO of 35786 x 200ish km, inclined 28.56 degrees.

The more left over delta-V, the more the possibilities open up for more exotic super-synchronous transfer orbits with higher apogee and perigee and lower inclination. This takes more of the burden off of the satellite operator, allowing them to potentially save money on the satellite's propulsion, etc.