SpaceX is making ready to launch a Falcon 9 rocket with a payload that has been shrouded in secrecy to the purpose of not disclosing any specifics of the mission, and never utilizing its authentic identify.
All regulatory filings and U.S. authorities businesses just like the House Pressure and the Federal Aviation Administration name the payload ‘Optus-X,’ whereas SpaceX calls the mission ‘TD7.’ Liftoff from Launch Complicated 39A at NASA’s Kennedy House Heart on Sunday, Nov. 17, is focusing on the start of an virtually two-hour launch window, which opens at 4:29 p.m. EST (2129 UTC) and closes at 6:27 p.m. EST (2327 UTC)
Spaceflight Now could have reside protection starting about an hour previous to liftoff.
Climate for launch is about pretty much as good because it will get on Florida’s House Coast. On Saturday, the forty fifth Climate Squadron forecast a higher than 95 p.c probability for favorable climate at liftoff.
Delicate winds and cumulus clouds had been highlights at launch, however the booster restoration space does stay considerably of a watch merchandise.
“A seasonably cool and dry airmass will stay in place throughout the Spaceport over the subsequent few days as a big space of excessive strain slides out of the Nice Lakes and off the coast of the Carolinas,” meteorologists wrote. “With mild onshore movement in place, a low-topped stratocumulus deck is probably going, although that is anticipated to be far too heat for any launch climate considerations.”
Following liftoff, SpaceX could have tied the full variety of House Shuttle launches from Launch Complicated 39A with simply its Falcon 9 rocket at 82 launches every. SpaceX can also be near eclipsing the full variety of launches from NASA at that pad.
NASA launched a complete of 94 missions (82 House Shuttle and 12 Saturn 5) from LC-39A and thus far, SpaceX launched 92 missions (81 Falcon 9 and 11 Falcon Heavy).
The Falcon 9 first stage booster for this mission, tail quantity B1077 within the SpaceX fleet, will likely be launching for a sixteenth time. It beforehand supported the launches of three missions to the Worldwide House Station (Crew-5, CRS-28 and Cygnus NG-20), GPS 3 House Car 06 and 9 earlier Starlink missions.
Almost 9 minutes after liftoff, B1077 will landing on the SpaceX droneship, ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas.’ If profitable, this would be the eighty fifth booster touchdown on ASOG and the 369th booster touchdown thus far.
Secret payload
The payload flying on the mission dubbed ‘TD7’ on SpaceX’s webpage will head to a geosynchronous switch orbit, however timing of deployment was not disclosed previous to the launch.
A variety of publications have provided hypothesis relating to the performance of the Optus-X spacecraft, claiming that it’s the achievement of a contract introduced in 2022 between Northrop Grumman and SpaceLogistics for a Mission Robotic Car (MRV) spacecraft on behalf of Optus Networks Social gathering Restricted (Optus), an Australian telecommunications firm.
Nevertheless, Spaceflight Now understands that Sunday’s mission will not be the execution of that contract.
Filings with the U.S. Federal Communications Fee (FCC) state that Optus is a subsidiary of Singtel Optus Pty. Ltd., which in flip is a subsidiary of Singapore Telecom Australia Investments Pty. Ltd., which is in flip is a subsidiary of SingTel Australia Funding Ltd., a British Virgin Islands funding holding firm.
The identify ‘Optus-X’ was referenced by the FAA in its flight schedule and by the U.S. House Pressure when making its launch climate forecast. The identify additionally appeared in a FCC submitting in late October referring to using an Intelsat floor station for post-launch checkouts:
“On October 28, 2024, Intelsat License LLC was granted particular short-term authority for 30 days, starting on October 28, 2024 by means of November 26, 2024, to function its Ka-band antenna in Nuevo, CA, to supply launch and early orbit section (LEOP) providers to speak with the Optus X satellite tv for pc on the 29.625 GHz and 29.630 GHz (Earth-to-space) and 19.825 GHz and 19.830 GHz (space-to-Earth) heart frequencies.”
Within the letter requesting that particular short-term authority (STA) dated Sept. 24, 2024, from W. Ray Rutngamlug, Intelsat’s Affiliate Basic Counsel, to FCC Secretary Marlene Dortch, Rutngamlug acknowledged in a footnote that Optus X will function on the 87.75 levels east longitude.
“Grant of this STA request will enable Intelsat to assist launch the Optus X satellite tv for pc,” Rutngamlug wrote. “It will enable Optus X to supply capability on the nominal 88.0° E.L. location and thereby promotes the general public curiosity.”
Rutngamlug additionally confirmed Northrop Grumman’s function within the mission.
“Intelsat clarifies that in the course of the Optus X mission, Northrop Grumman will function the mission supervisor,” he wrote. “Northrop Grumman will construct and ship the instructions to the Intelsat antenna, which can course of and execute the instructions. Telemetry obtained by Intelsat will likely be forwarded to Northrop Grumman.”
A Northrop Grumman official referred questions concerning the mission to Optus, which has not responded to Spaceflight Now’s requests for extra data.
