F9: Telstar 19 Vantage commsat

[Dr Mordrid]

Medium size GEO commsat

Second of a run-n-gun, 2 launches in ~48 hours, after Iridium NEXT #7

Date: July 22, 2018
Time: 0150 Eastern (05:50 UTC)
Pad: KSC LC-40
Core: B1047.1 (Block 5)
Recovery: ASDS Of Course I Still Love You
Coordinates: 28°17'45" N 73°53'39" W

Payload: Telstar 19 Vantage commsat
Payload mass: 3,031kg (dry)
Propulsion: 4 × SPT-100 plasma thrusters
Insertion orbit: GTO
Target orbit: 63° West (Northern Canada, the Caribbean, Brazil, the Andes and North Atlantic)

[Dr Mordrid]

SpaceX patch


UASF Drive to 48 (launches/year - Eastern Range goal) patch

[Dr Mordrid]

HOLY MOLEY!!

Mass (wet): 15,600 lbs (7,076 kg)!

This will be the largest commsat ever launched, the previous record being TerreStar 1 at 15,234 lbs (6,910 kilograms) on Ariane 5.

With recovery!!!!

F9 Block 5 is a monster!

[Dr Mordrid]

Those landings never fail to amaze, and the launch.....

Just. Like. Clockwork.

(Except for the ground station & ASDS dropouts, but those aren't the rocket)