Beautiful Blastoff of Bangabandhu-1 for Bangladesh on 1st New and Improved SpaceX Falcon 9: Photos

Beautiful blastoff of Bangabandhu-1 geostationary communications satellite for nation of Bangladesh on 1^st new and improved Block 5 version of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on May 11, 2018 at 4:14 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida – as seen from the pad crawlerway. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Ken Kremer  --   SpaceUpClose.com  --   11 May 2018

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL –  Bangabandhu-1 the first ever geostationary communications satellite for the nation of Bangladesh provided a beautiful blastoff experience as it was carried to orbit on the first new and improved SpaceX Falcon 9 booster Friday afternoon May 11 from the Florida Space Coast.  This revamped version of the Falcon 9 will also launch US astronauts back to space from US soil soon.  

The Bangabandhu-1 geosatcom will greatly improve internet and TV connectivity in Bangladesh and benefit peoples lives across Asia - especially in rural areas.

Following a 24 hour delay caused by a last second technical glitch that halted the countdown at T Minus 45 seconds, the upgraded 23 story tall Falcon 9 lifted off right on time at 4:14 p.m. EDT (2014 GMT) from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The 229 foot tall (70 meter) Falcon 9 soared off seaside pad 39A into brilliant blue skies mixed in with wispy clouds that afforded an absolutely gorgeous sky show for spectators gathered from across the globe to witness the spectacle.

Beautiful blastoff of Bangabandhu-1 geostationary communications satellite for nation of Bangladesh on 1^st new and improved Block 5 version of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on May 11, 2018 at 4:14 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida – as seen from the KSC press site. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The two stage Falcon 9 liftoff off roared off pad 39 after all 9 Merlin 1D engines ignited to generate about 1.95 million pounds of liftoff thrust- roughly 8 percent higher than the prior Block 4 version of the booster.

Beautiful blastoff of Bangabandhu-1 geostationary communications satellite for nation of Bangladesh on 1^st new and improved Block 5 version of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on May 11, 2018 at 4:14 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida – as seen from the KSC press site. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The flawless launch delivered Bangabandhu-1 to its intended geostationary transfer orbit after launching right at the opening of the over two hour long launch window.

The nearly 4 ton satellite separated from the Falcon 9 second stage for deployment 33 minutes after liftoff – as seen on the SpaceX hosted webcast which transmitted all events live. 

Eight minutes after blastoff, SpaceX engineers also successfully completed a precision guided landing and recovery of the 156 foot tall revamped first stage booster on the OCISLY drone ship prepositioned at sea in the Atlantic Ocean some 400 miles (600 km) off the east coast of Florida.

This marked the 25^th successful landing – 14 on drone ships at sea and 11 on ground landing pads. 

The launch was contracted the governmental Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) at a cost of approximately $50 million.

Wide angle view of beautiful blastoff of Bangabandhu-1 geostationary communications satellite for nation of Bangladesh on 1^st new and improved Block 5 version of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on May 11, 2018 at 4:14 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida – as seen from the KSC press site with the famous countdown clock with water reflection in the turn basin. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Friday afternoons launch was the first for the upgraded Falcon 9 booster built by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.  

Watch this launch video from colleague Jeff Seibert:

Video Caption:  4K SpaceX 'Block 5' Launch Debut with Bangabandhu-1. Credit: Jeff Seibert

This newest and last major upgrade to the Falcon 9 is dubbed the Block 5 version. The rocket on pad 39A is the first built Block 5 rocket manufactured by SpaceX after years of painstaking and cutting edge internally funded research and development (R & D) effort.  

At a prelaunch media telecon SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says numerous improvements built onto the Block 5 Falcon 9 will significantly increase the reliability and reusability of the Falcon 9 including faster turnaround with less maintenance and fewer refurbishments.

Musk expects each Block 5 rocket to launch 10 times before requiring any appreciable maintenance or refurbishments – thereby drastically slashing the cost of access to space.  

He also hopes to demonstrate the relaunch the same rocket twice within a 24 hour period with two different payloads.

 Overall a Block 5 Falcon 9 could achieve a lifetime goal of 100 launches, Musk said.  

The satellite bears the symbolic name of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He led the country during the bloody war of independence from Pakistan in the early 1970s.

Rahman served as the first President of Bangladesh until he was assassinated in 1975.  

His daughter, Sheikh Hasina is the current Prime Minister and gave a live broadcast speech following the successful launch. 

Bangladesh is the worlds 8^th most populous country with a population of nearly 170 million people. Thus indigenous satellite services are sorely needed with a giant market clearly available to tap and serve.

The 3.7-ton satellite was built by prime contractor Thales Alenia Space, a satellite manufacturing company based in France in their Cannes facility for the governmental Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

Bangabandhu-1 will be positioned at 119.1° East longitude some 22,500 miles (36000 km) above the equator.

“This satellite will narrow the digital divide, as it will take broadcasting and telecommunication services to rural areas and introduce profitable services, including direct-to-home services, across the country and over the region,’ according to the BTRC.

The satellite arrived by plane at Cape Canaveral on March 30 for processing by SpaceX. 

Bangabandhu1 is equipped with fitted with 26 Ku-Band and 14 C-Band transponders. The satellite’s coverage zone encompasses Bangladesh and the surrounding region. This system will offer capacity in Ku-Band over Bangladesh and its territorial waters of the Bay of Bengal, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Indonesia; it will also provide capacity in C-Band over the whole region.

Artists concept of Bangabandhu-1 communications satellite.  Credit: Thales Alenia Space

Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida and Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia.

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