SpaceX F9 - SES-22 - SLC-40

[Grendal]

Launch Date: June 29
Launch Window: 5:04pm EDT (2:04pm PDT, 21:04 UTC)
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Core Booster Recovery: ASDS - ASOG
Booster: B1073.2
Fairings: TBD
Mass: 3,500kg (7715 lbs)
Orbit: GTO
Yearly Launch Number: 27th

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the SES 22 communications satellite for SES of Luxembourg. Built by Thales Alenia Space, SES 22 will provide C-band television and data services in the United States and will be stationed at 135° west..

SES 22, 23

SES 22 and SES 23 are two C-band only communications satellites owned by SES.

space.skyrocket.de

 

[Grendal]

First post updated.

 

[Grendal]

 

[808?]

 

[Electroman]

What is that foil like thingy they have on the nozzle of the 2nd stage engine? What is its purpose?

 

[ecarfan]

What is that foil like thingy they have on the nozzle of the 2nd stage engine? What is its purpose?

If you are referring to the photo that @Grendal posted above, the second stage engine is not visible.

 

[Grendal]

What is that foil like thingy they have on the nozzle of the 2nd stage engine? What is its purpose?

I can't say for certain but it looks like a protective wrap over the mounting bracket.

2 hour window.

 

[bxr140]

What is that foil like thingy they have on the nozzle of the 2nd stage engine? What is its purpose?

What you're looking at in that picture is the satellite mounted on to the payload adapter--a conical structure that goes between the second stage and the satellite--in front of one fairing half. Below the image the adapter has a large circular interface that bolts to the top of the second stage...or at least will bolt to the upper stage, later on in the launcher assembly flow. The structure is [mostly] covered in thermal insulation--that's he black foil stuff you're seeing. The purpose of this insulation is to keep the adapter structure and, more importantly, the second stage avionics (which are mounted on top of the second stage) warm.

The conical structure is actually made of two major elements--the large cone that's covered in insulation and then a smaller adapter at the top that doesn't have insulation on it. That adapter necks down from SX's standard bolted interface at the top of the "big" cone to the diameter of the satellite interface, and if you look at the history of falcon launches you'll see a number of different versions of this secondary adapter. That adapter doesn't need insulation because its far away from the second stage and there's no line of sight from the inside of that adapter to the second stage avionics (in the vacuum of space there's no convection, only conduction and radiation)...so even if its cold its too far away to suck heat off the second stage through conduction, and no line of sight to suck heat off the avionics through radiation.

 

[HVM]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1542255041867747328

 

[HVM]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1542261433437605888

 

[HVM]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1542256817228636161

https://twitter.com/x/status/1542256041303412737

 

[Cosmacelf]

These newer boosters have really clear and higher definition cameras. Nice that they upgrade even those parts as they manufacture new boosters.

 

[Grendal]

Very nice!. SES has to be very happy with that extra delta V before deployment: 33,500 km per hour and at 700 km altitude. I can't remember all the other similar deployments but that did seem a bit extra.

 

[ecarfan]

These newer boosters have really clear and higher definition cameras. Nice that they upgrade even those parts as they manufacture new boosters.

For sure. Really love the views we are now getting all the way through the booster landing sequence. Just one brief video dropout from the booster shortly after the entry burn. It’s not just better cameras; I believe they are using Starlink to transmit the video and that means the view from ASOG at touchdown does not break up.

 

[ecarfan]

Something I noticed about the webcast of this launch; from about T+00:30 to 02:25, during ascent and Max Q, they continuously showed the camera view looking down the booster. I don’t recall a previous launch where we saw that view during Max Q.

Maybe that is now possible because they are using Starlink.