At T-14 hours the countdown is on! :tiphat:
Find the press kit for the launch here!
As for the satellite on board that, again, no one cares....
PAYLOAD
AsiaSat 6 communication satellite:
Spacecraft Overview
AsiaSat 6 is a Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) satellite being built for Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat), serving Asia, the Middle East, and Australasia. The satellite is designed on the flight-proven SS/L 1300 satellite platform, which provides the flexibility for a broad range of applications and technology advances. It will have 28 high-power C-band transponders. The satellite is scheduled for launch in 2014 and designed to provide service for 15 years or more.
{colsp=2}Summary
Parameter
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Value
Working Orbit:
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GEO
Orbital Location:
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120° East
Coverage:
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Eastern/Southern/Middle/South-east Asia, Australia
ApA at separation:
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35786 km
PeA at separation:
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185 km
Inc at separation:
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25.3°
Characteristics|
AsiaSat 8
Customer:
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Prime contractor:
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Platform:
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Mass at Separation:
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Dry Mass:
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Stabilization:
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Dimensions:
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Power at end-of-life:
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Primary Payload:
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Coverage area:
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Life time:
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And the launch timeline for carrying the satellite into a standard GTO (185 x 35786 km x 25.3°):
- T-00:00 Liftoff
After the rocket's nine Merlin 1D engines pass an automated health check, the Falcon 9 is released from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
- T+01:10 Mach 1
The Falcon 9 rocket passes the speed of sound. The first stage's nine Merlin 1D engines produce 1.3 million pounds of thrust at sea level, ramping up to 1.5 million pounds of thrust in vacuum.
- T+01:18 Max Q
The Falcon 9 rocket reaches Max Q, the point of maximum aerodynamic pressure.
- T+02:56 MECO
Moments after two of the Falcon 9's first stage engines shut down, the remaining seven Merlin 1D engines cut off at an altitude of about 90 kilometers, or 56 miles.
- T+03:00 Stage 1 Separation
The Falcon 9's first stage separates from the second stage four seconds after MECO.
- T+03:08 Stage 2 Ignition
The second stage Merlin 1D vacuum engine ignites for an approximately 5-minute, 33-second burn to inject the AsiaSat 6 satellite into a parking orbit.
- T+03:XX Fairing Jettison
The 5.2-meter (17.1-foot) diameter payload fairing jettisons once the Falcon 9 rocket ascends through the dense lower atmosphere. The 43-foot-tall fairing is made of two clamshell-like halves composed of carbon fiber with an aluminum honeycomb core.
- T+08:41 SECO 1
The second stage Merlin 1D vacuum engine shuts down after reaching orbit.
- T+26:XX Stage 2 Restart
The second stage Merlin 1D vacuum engine re-ignites for a brief burn lasting just over one minute to inject AsiaSat 6 into the planned geosynchronous transfer orbit. SpaceX has not disclosed the exact time of second stage restart.
- T+27:XX SECO 2
The second stage Merlin 1D vacuum engine shuts down. The upper stage next re-orients itself to deployment of the AsiaSat 6 payload. SpaceX has not disclosed the exact time of second stage shutdown.
- T+32:XX AsiaSat Separation
The AsiaSat 6 broadcasting satellite is deployed from the Falcon 9 second stage in an orbit with a perigee of 115 miles, an apogee of 22,236 miles (185 km x 35,786 km) with an inclination of 25.3 degrees. AsiaSat expects to acquire radio signals from the satellite moments after separation.
Data source:
SpaceX via Spaceflight Now
And the weather - with hurricane Cristobal completely missing Florida the chances of good weather now stands at 80%! :thumbup:
Weather forecast for Titusville, Florida on August 27, 2014 (1 a.m.)
Some clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 24C. Winds NNE at 15 to 30 km/h.
Time|Temps|Dew Point|Relative Humidity|Precip|Snow|Cloud cover|Pressure|Wind|Weather
1 AM|26°C|22°C|82%|19%|0%|38%|1014 hPa|10 km/h NE|
Partly Cloudy