 |
Long duration streak shot of SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on 1st
launch of 2019 from Florida Space Coast delivering Nusantara Satu
communications satellite to Earth orbit for Indonesia and the privately funded Beresheet
moon launder on lunar trajectory for Israel after Feb 21, 2019 nighttime liftoff
at 8:45 PM EST from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
|
Ken
Kremer -- SpaceUpClose.com &
RocketSTEM -- 21 February 2019
CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – We are GO for the Moon ! A SpaceX Falcon 9 roared to orbit tonight on a spectacular nighttime streak of fire carrying the first ever commercial lunar lander for Israel, a commercial telecommunications satellite for Indonesia and an experimental surveillance satellite for the U.S. Air Force.
Tonight’s thunderous liftoff simultaneously counts as the first blastoff of 2019 from the Florida Space Coast and terminated a two month long ‘launch drought.’
Liftoff of the recycled SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying the Nusantara Satu communications satellite for Indonesia and the privately funded 'Beresheet' moon launder for Israel took place right on time Thursday evening Feb. 21 at 8:45 p.m. EST (0145 GMT Friday) at the opening of the 32 minute long launch window from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL.
To date only three countries have successfully landed on the Moon- the US, Russia and China and those were all government run missions.
'Beresheet' was developed at a cost of almost $100 million and will be the world’s first privately funded and developed moon lander.
Enjoy our gallery of Space UpClose photos and check back as the collection grows.
Note : Story being updated!
The countdown and
fueling proceeded by the book with no apparent issues for two stage Falcon 9 rocket which stands 229 feet (70
meters) tall.
The stages were fueled with liquid oxygen and RP-1 kerosene. Vigorous venting of liquid oxygen was visible in the final minutes for both stages.
CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – We are GO for the Moon ! A SpaceX Falcon 9 roared to orbit tonight on a spectacular nighttime streak of fire carrying the first ever commercial lunar lander for Israel, a commercial telecommunications satellite for Indonesia and an experimental surveillance satellite for the U.S. Air Force.
Tonight’s thunderous liftoff simultaneously counts as the first blastoff of 2019 from the Florida Space Coast and terminated a two month long ‘launch drought.’
Liftoff of the recycled SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying the Nusantara Satu communications satellite for Indonesia and the privately funded 'Beresheet' moon launder for Israel took place right on time Thursday evening Feb. 21 at 8:45 p.m. EST (0145 GMT Friday) at the opening of the 32 minute long launch window from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL.
To date only three countries have successfully landed on the Moon- the US, Russia and China and those were all government run missions.
'Beresheet' was developed at a cost of almost $100 million and will be the world’s first privately funded and developed moon lander.
Enjoy our gallery of Space UpClose photos and check back as the collection grows.
Note : Story being updated!
 |
SpaceX Falcon
9 rocket lifts off on 1st launch of 2019 from Florida Space Coast delivering
Nusantara Satu communications satellite to Earth orbit for Indonesia and privately
funded Beresheet moon launder on lunar trajectory for Israel after Feb 21, 2019
nighttime liftoff at 8:45 PM EST from Space
Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
|
The stages were fueled with liquid oxygen and RP-1 kerosene. Vigorous venting of liquid oxygen was visible in the final minutes for both stages.
 |
Prelaunch
view of SpaceX Falcon 9 raised erect at pad 40 carrying Indonesia’s Nusantara
Satu communications satellite to Earth orbit and the privately funded Beresheet
moon launder for Israel. Launched on Feb 21, 2019 nighttime at 8:45 PM EST from
Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
|
At last the first stage roared to life and
rumbled with what seemed like the loudest thunder we’ve ever experienced at the
press viewing site on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station generating 1.7 million
pounds of liftoff thrust from the power of 9 Merlin 1-D engines.
All stages of flight proceeded perfectly with burnout
of the first stage, separation of stages, ignition of the second stage and jettisoning
of the payload fairing.
The flames from the launch were easily visible
for more than four minutes under pristine weather conditions and virtually
cloud free and calm skies.
 |
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off on 1st launch
of 2019 from Florida Space Coast delivering Nusantara Satu communications
satellite to Earth orbit for Indonesia and privately funded Beresheet moon launder
on lunar trajectory for Israel after Feb 21, 2019 nighttime liftoff at 8:45 PM
EST from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
|
It was so clear that we even saw the return descent
of the Falcon 9 first stage as it landed on the OCISLY droneship some 400 miles
(640 km) offshore of Florida’s east coast.
Making the event even more dramatic was the fact that the nearly full moon was rising above the horizon just as the spent first stage plummeted just to the right of the orange colored moon - and as the second stage was simultaneously propelling the Israeli probe on a trajectory towards the moon for the worlds first privately funded lunar landing mission in less than two months.
The
primary payload is the Nusantara Satu telecommunications satellite for
PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN), a leading Asian provider of satellite-based
telecommunication services. It was previously called PSN 6 and will be stationed
at 146 degrees East some 20,000 miles (36,000
kilometers) above the equator.
Nusantara Satu was delivered to the intended orbit on the way to geostationary orbit. It carries the other two satellites attached as rideshare payloads.
Also noteworthy is that this mission launched on a ‘flight-proven’ Falcon 9 booster. In fact this flight marked the first thrice flown Falcon 9 booster launched from the US East Coast.
This booster previously launched the Iridium-7 mission in July 2018 and the SAOCOM 1A mission in October 2018.
SpaceX recently launched the first ever thrice flown Falcon 9 from the US West Coast last December from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Ca.
The 2.5 ton Nusantara Satu comsat was built by prime contractor SSL based on the SSL 1300 series platform. It is Indonesia’s first high-throughput satellite that will serve to improve internet connectivity in the region
All deployments occurred as planned.
The first satellite deployed was the Israeli Beresheet probe bolted on top of Nusantara Satu at 33 minutes after liftoff.
Making the event even more dramatic was the fact that the nearly full moon was rising above the horizon just as the spent first stage plummeted just to the right of the orange colored moon - and as the second stage was simultaneously propelling the Israeli probe on a trajectory towards the moon for the worlds first privately funded lunar landing mission in less than two months.
 |
The Nusantara Satu
spacecraft for Indonesia is equipped with two rideshare payloads, the Beresheet
lunar lander from Israel and the U.S.
Air Force S5 experimental satellite as it is readied for encapsulation inside
the SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. Launch
is slated for Feb. 21, 2019 from Space Launch Complex-40. Credit: SSL
|
Nusantara Satu was delivered to the intended orbit on the way to geostationary orbit. It carries the other two satellites attached as rideshare payloads.
Also noteworthy is that this mission launched on a ‘flight-proven’ Falcon 9 booster. In fact this flight marked the first thrice flown Falcon 9 booster launched from the US East Coast.
This booster previously launched the Iridium-7 mission in July 2018 and the SAOCOM 1A mission in October 2018.
SpaceX recently launched the first ever thrice flown Falcon 9 from the US West Coast last December from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Ca.
The 2.5 ton Nusantara Satu comsat was built by prime contractor SSL based on the SSL 1300 series platform. It is Indonesia’s first high-throughput satellite that will serve to improve internet connectivity in the region
All deployments occurred as planned.
The first satellite deployed was the Israeli Beresheet probe bolted on top of Nusantara Satu at 33 minutes after liftoff.
 |
Beresheet
lunar lander provided by Israeli nonprofit SpaceIL and Israel Aerospace
Industries (IAI) for launch on SpaceX Falcon 9 on Feb 21, 2019. Credit Space
IL/IAI
|
“We received the first sign of life &
data from #Beresheet &
the #spacecraft
deployed its landing legs as expected” SpaceIL tweeted.
“The spacecraft successfully disengaged from the SpaceX Falcon 9 at around 60,000 kilometers above Earth’s surface, beginning, under its own power, a two-month voyage to the Moon’s surface. Beresheet communicated for the first time with the mission’s control center in Yehud, Israel, at 9:23 p.m. ET, and the spacecraft's legs deployed two minutes later, the SpaceIL team said in a statement.
“As of Friday morning, the spacecraft was 69,400 km above Earth, and is starting its way back to begin its first orbit around Earth.”
“In the meantime, the engineers at the SpaceIL and IAI control room have been conducting many in-orbit tests, and have identified high sensitivity to blinding by the sun’s rays in the star trackers, though this issue is being checked.”
The spent Falcon 9 first stage successfully touched down on OCISLY droneship 8 minutes after launch.
“The spacecraft successfully disengaged from the SpaceX Falcon 9 at around 60,000 kilometers above Earth’s surface, beginning, under its own power, a two-month voyage to the Moon’s surface. Beresheet communicated for the first time with the mission’s control center in Yehud, Israel, at 9:23 p.m. ET, and the spacecraft's legs deployed two minutes later, the SpaceIL team said in a statement.
“As of Friday morning, the spacecraft was 69,400 km above Earth, and is starting its way back to begin its first orbit around Earth.”
“In the meantime, the engineers at the SpaceIL and IAI control room have been conducting many in-orbit tests, and have identified high sensitivity to blinding by the sun’s rays in the star trackers, though this issue is being checked.”
 |
Beresheet moon lander mission timeline and trajectory
|
The Falcon 9 launch propelled Beresheet onto the proper
trajectory to begin a series of 4 elongating long looping orbits to gradually
reach the moon.
Landing is expected on April 11 if all goes well.
Beresheet, where in Hebrew means “genesis” or “in the beginning” was one of the competitors for the now defunct Google Lunar XPrize.
If successful it will be the smallest spacecraft to ever land on the Moon, at only 1,322 lbs, or 600 kgs, fueled. The probe has an unfueled mass of 180 kg.
Upon deployment from the top of Nusantara Satu 33 minutes after liftoff it will travel to the Moon using its own power and thruster. The voyage will take about two months over several expanding elliptical orbits – for the longest ever trip to Earth’s nearest neighbor covering a total distance of 6.5 million km.
It should achieve orbit on April 4. If all goes well lunar touchdown is scheduled for April 11 at Mare Serenitatis.
It will transmit photos and video from the lunar surface and conduct scientific measurements with a magnetrometer and laser retroreflector.
Beresheet has a lifetime of about 2 days. There is no thermal control. The team hopes to make it hop about 500 m before it dies.
Landing is expected on April 11 if all goes well.
Beresheet, where in Hebrew means “genesis” or “in the beginning” was one of the competitors for the now defunct Google Lunar XPrize.
If successful it will be the smallest spacecraft to ever land on the Moon, at only 1,322 lbs, or 600 kgs, fueled. The probe has an unfueled mass of 180 kg.
Upon deployment from the top of Nusantara Satu 33 minutes after liftoff it will travel to the Moon using its own power and thruster. The voyage will take about two months over several expanding elliptical orbits – for the longest ever trip to Earth’s nearest neighbor covering a total distance of 6.5 million km.
It should achieve orbit on April 4. If all goes well lunar touchdown is scheduled for April 11 at Mare Serenitatis.
It will transmit photos and video from the lunar surface and conduct scientific measurements with a magnetrometer and laser retroreflector.
Beresheet has a lifetime of about 2 days. There is no thermal control. The team hopes to make it hop about 500 m before it dies.
The moon probe measures 2 meters (6.6 ft) in
diameter and 1.5 meters in height.
The spent Falcon 9 first stage successfully touched down on OCISLY droneship 8 minutes after launch.
The next launch follows quickly on NET March
2 involving the super critical inaugural test flight of the uncrewed SpaceX Crew
Dragon on the Demo-1 mission to the International Space Station for NASA.
The Demo-1 flight is the precursor flight to missions with astronauts aboard starting on the Demo-2 Crew Dragon later in the summer- thus restoring America’s capability to launch Americans to space from American soil and end out sole reliance on the Russian Soyuz capsule since the shutdown of the shuttles.
https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/195751-190222-israel-makes-space-history-as-rocket-carrying-moon-bound-spacecraft-lifts-off
For more all on this Fox 35 Orlando interviewed me about the Nusantara Satu/Beresheet moon lander launch and Mr. Steven’s arrival and fairing recovery goals.
http://www.fox35orlando.com/news/local-news/spacex-plans-falcon-9-rocket-launch-for-thursday
The Demo-1 flight is the precursor flight to missions with astronauts aboard starting on the Demo-2 Crew Dragon later in the summer- thus restoring America’s capability to launch Americans to space from American soil and end out sole reliance on the Russian Soyuz capsule since the shutdown of the shuttles.
Watch my post launch interview
on I24 Isreali TV News here:
For more all on this Fox 35 Orlando interviewed me about the Nusantara Satu/Beresheet moon lander launch and Mr. Steven’s arrival and fairing recovery goals.
http://www.fox35orlando.com/news/local-news/spacex-plans-falcon-9-rocket-launch-for-thursday
http://www.fox35orlando.com/news/local-news/spacex-boat-hopes-to-revolutionize-how-we-launch-and-recycle-rockets
Watch for Ken’s
continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin,
Northrop Grumman and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy
Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida and Wallops Flight
Facility, Virginia.
Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer – email: ken at kenkremer.com
Dr. Kremer is a research scientist and journalist based in the KSC area, active in outreach and interviewed regularly on TV and radio about space topics.
……….
 |
Dr.
Ken Kremer/Space UpClose interviewed on Fox 35 TV News Orlando about SpaceX Mr.
Steven boat and payload fairing recovery goals. Credit: Fox 35/Ken Kremer
|
Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer – email: ken at kenkremer.com
Dr. Kremer is a research scientist and journalist based in the KSC area, active in outreach and interviewed regularly on TV and radio about space topics.
……….
Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events
Learn more about the upcoming/recent SpaceX Falcon 9 Nusantara Satu launch, USAF GPS 3-01, SpaceX Falcon 9/CRS-16 launch to ISS, NASA missions, ULA Atlas & Delta launches, SpySats and more at Ken’s upcoming outreach events at Quality Inn Kennedy Space Center, Titusville, FL, evenings:
Feb 22/28: “SpaceX Falcon 9 Nusantara Satu launch, Dragon CRS-16 resupply launch to ISS, SpaceX Falcon GPS 3-01, SpaceX Falcon Heavy & Falcon 9 launches, upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 USAF GP3 3-01, NRO & USAF Spysats, SLS, Orion, Boeing and SpaceX Commercial crew capsules, OSIRIS-Rex, Juno at Jupiter, InSight Mars lander, Curiosity and Opportunity explore Mars, NH at Pluto, Kuiper Belt and more,” Kennedy Space Center Quality Inn, Titusville, FL, evenings. Photos for sale
Learn more about the upcoming/recent SpaceX Falcon 9 Nusantara Satu launch, USAF GPS 3-01, SpaceX Falcon 9/CRS-16 launch to ISS, NASA missions, ULA Atlas & Delta launches, SpySats and more at Ken’s upcoming outreach events at Quality Inn Kennedy Space Center, Titusville, FL, evenings:
Feb 22/28: “SpaceX Falcon 9 Nusantara Satu launch, Dragon CRS-16 resupply launch to ISS, SpaceX Falcon GPS 3-01, SpaceX Falcon Heavy & Falcon 9 launches, upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 USAF GP3 3-01, NRO & USAF Spysats, SLS, Orion, Boeing and SpaceX Commercial crew capsules, OSIRIS-Rex, Juno at Jupiter, InSight Mars lander, Curiosity and Opportunity explore Mars, NH at Pluto, Kuiper Belt and more,” Kennedy Space Center Quality Inn, Titusville, FL, evenings. Photos for sale
No comments:
Post a Comment