Science

LongTomH

(8,636 posts) Wed Dec 4, 2013, 11:59 PM Dec 2013

SpaceX puts first payload into Geostationary transfer orbit

SpaceX Successfully Completes First Mission to Geostationary Transfer Orbit:

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida – Today, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) successfully completed its first geostationary transfer mission, delivering the SES-8 satellite to its targeted 295 x 80,000 km orbit. Falcon 9 executed a picture-perfect flight, meeting 100% of mission objectives.

Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at 5:41 PM Eastern Time. Approximately 185 seconds into flight, Falcon 9’s second stage’s single Merlin vacuum engine ignited to begin a five minute, 20 second burn that delivered the SES-8 satellite into its parking orbit. Eighteen minutes after injection into the parking orbit, the second stage engine relit for just over one minute to carry the SES-8 satellite to its final geostationary transfer orbit. The restart of the Falcon 9 second stage is a requirement for all geostationary transfer missions.

“The successful insertion of the SES-8 satellite confirms the upgraded Falcon 9 launch vehicle delivers to the industry’s highest performance standards,” said Elon Musk, CEO and Chief Designer of SpaceX. “As always, SpaceX remains committed to delivering the safest, most reliable launch vehicles on the market today. We appreciate SES’s early confidence in SpaceX and look forward to launching additional SES satellites in the years to come.”

I need to point out that this press release was for a mission to a geostationary transfer orbit. The final burn to put thea SE-8 satellite into a geostationary orbit will come later.

6 replies

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SpaceX puts first payload into Geostationary transfer orbit (Original Post) LongTomH Dec 2013 OP

The first burn extends the apogee out to the target altitude. longship Dec 2013 #1

This message was self-deleted by its author delrem Dec 2013 #2

Well, Gauss helped advance celestial mechanics by solving the orbit equations. longship Dec 2013 #3

I've been doing this in Kerbal space program krispos42 Dec 2013 #4

Thanks for the explanation! LongTomH Dec 2013 #6

Go falcon 9! phantom power Dec 2013 #5

longship

(40,416 posts)

1. The first burn extends the apogee out to the target altitude.

Reply to LongTomH (Original post)

Thu Dec 5, 2013, 12:59 AM

Dec 2013

Into a highly elliptical orbit. Another burn brings the perigee into an orbit to coincide with the apogee.

Apogee == the point in the orbit farthest from earth.

Perigee == the point in the orbit closest to earth.

In general, a burn one one side of the orbit will extend (or reduce) the diameter of the orbit on the other side of the orbit. So a transfer orbit has only one element of the orbit at the target altitude. Subsequent burn is required to bring the perigee up to the same level.

This is rocket surgery!

Newton could have solved it, though. About 400 years ago!

on edit: clarification. Late night and decades since I got my BS in physics.

Response to longship (Reply #1)

delrem This message was self-deleted by its author.

longship

(40,416 posts)

3. Well, Gauss helped advance celestial mechanics by solving the orbit equations.

Reply to delrem (Reply #2)

Thu Dec 5, 2013, 01:23 AM

Dec 2013

You observe three positions of an astronomical object; by Gauss you can determine the orbit. But as Newton stated, Gauss stood on the shoulders of giants, namely Newton himself.

Gauss' method is legendary. Don't ask me to splain it. Too many decades...

But Newton was the real deal... Except for the alchemy part.