SpaceX F9 - TESS - SLC-40

[Grendal]

Launch Date: April 18 - Wednesday
Launch Window: 2251 GMT (6:51 p.m. EDT)
Launch Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Booster Recovery: ASDS on OCISLY
Booster Type: B1045 - Block 4 - New
Orbit: HEO (High Earth Orbit - Elliptical) - 350 kg

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The TESS mission will identify planets ranging from Earth-sized to gas giants, orbiting a wide range of stellar types and orbital distances. The principal goal of the TESS mission is to detect small planets with bright host stars in the solar neighborhood, so that detailed characterizations of the planets and their atmospheres can be performed. TESS will be stationed in a high-Earth elliptical orbit.

The TESS Mission
TESS - Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite
Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite - Wikipedia
Home - TESS - Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite

TESS is a very lightweight payload for SpaceX but it is going to an orbit they've never had to reach before. Because of the orbit it is unconfirmed whether this will be an RTLS or not.

Edit: Looks like it will be an ASDS about 300 km out on OCISLY.

Update: Scrub for 16th. Launch delay for 48 hours due to GNC issues.

 

[Grendal]

 

[Grendal]

Updated first post. This is likely the next launch after CRS-14. This is the very last launch of a new Block 4 booster. This will be the 8th SpaceX launch of the year. The launch following this one will likely be the first Block 5 (B1046) launch.

 

[Grendal]

Static Fire happened about 10 minutes ago. Waiting on confirmation of success from SpaceX.

SpaceX twitter: Static fire test of Falcon 9 complete—targeting April 16 launch of NASA TESS from Pad 40 in Florida.

Updated first post to confirm an ASDS landing on OCISLY.

 

[Grendal]

TESS encapsulated for Monday's launch.

6:16 AM - 11 Apr 2018

 

[Nikxice]

After several years of launching ISS cargo, spy and communication satellites, I'm happy to see SpaceX finally get a pure science based mission. Sometime in the next few years the SpaceX team and their workhorse Falcon 9 rocket can be credited with having helped to discover many more planets than we know exist today.

 

[Electroman]

After several years of launching ISS cargo, spy and communication satellites, I'm happy to see SpaceX finally get a pure science based mission. Sometime in the next few years the SpaceX team and their workhorse Falcon 9 rocket can be credited with having helped to discover many more planets than we know exist today.

For a minute I dreamed this is launching James Webb?

 

[ecarfan]

This launch is for the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. See The TESS Mission

James Webb: James Webb Space Telescope (WEBB/JWST) NASA

It’s launch date is now “approximately May 2020”. See NASA’s Webb Observatory Requires More Time for Testing and Evaluation

It will be launched on an Ariane 5. The Launch - Webb/NASA

 

[Grendal]

OCISLY has left port in anticipation of recovery for Monday. This will be the first ASDS landing on OCISLY since last year.

 

[Grendal]

Weather looks good for Monday. 20% of violation according to the 45th Space Wing.

 

[Grendal]

Pre-launch NASA conference. Fairing recovery will be attempted without Mr. Steven. Mentioned at 25:00.

 

[Patrick W]

NASA Television to Air Launch of Next Planet-Hunting Mission

NASA Television to Air Launch of Next Planet-Hunting Mission

 

[Grendal]

NASA conference on the science of TESS for those interested.

 

[SMAlset]

Any idea if we are going to get coverage or will some of it be blacked out like the last launch?

 

[Patrick W]

Any idea if we are going to get coverage or will some of it be blacked out like the last launch?

It's a NASA mission. Nothing secret. So I don't know why any of it would be blacked out.

 

[Grendal]

Any idea if we are going to get coverage or will some of it be blacked out like the last launch?

All NASA missions are exempt from the NOAA rules. I expect that all future SpaceX missions will not have any issues either. The bad publicity the NOAA received shined a spotlight on the flaws in the regulation. We'll see what happens though.

Here is the timeline for tomorrows launch:

 

[SMAlset]

Yes, was thinking of the NOAA restrictions on the March 30 Vandenberg launch. Thanks for the schedule @Grendal. Have my phone alarm set to remind me tomorrow.

 

[Grendal]

I'm not sure if it is official but the TESS booster is rumored to be used for CRS-15.

That makes some sense since this is a NASA mission and NASA has only reused NASA mission boosters.

 

[Grendal]

Main Webcast available:

NASA livestream via PBS:

 

[Grendal]

Aargh. Scrubbed for the day per Chris G. with NSF. He goes on to tweet that it is likely a 48 hour scrub. So maybe Wednesday.

Chris G - NSF (@ChrisG_NSF) | Twitter

From SpaceX:
Standing down today to conduct additional GNC analysis, and teams are now working towards a targeted launch of @NASA_TESS on Wednesday, April 18.

GNC = Guidance, Navigation & Control Systems