SpaceX lifts up Falcon 9 rocket with Bangabandhu Satellite-1 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has successfully launched its Bangabandhu Satellite-1 on Friday, May 11 from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The launch was initiated at 4:14 p.m. EDT. As per the reports, the Bangabandhu Satellite-1 was deployed into a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) approximately 33 minutes after launch.
Bangabandhu Satellite-1 is Bangladesh’s first geostationary communications satellite. Development of
the satellite program, known as the “Bangabandhu Satellite Launching Project,” was managed by the
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) with technical support from Space
Partnership International (SPI). The satellite, which is comprised of 26 Ku-band and 14 C-band
transponders, was manufactured by Thales Alenia Space on the Spacebus 4000B2 platform and will be
operated by the Bangladesh Communication Satellite Company Limited (BCSCL).
The Bangabandhu Satellite-1 mission is the first to utilize Falcon 9 Block 5, the final substantial upgrade to
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle. Falcon 9 Block 5 is designed to be capable of 10 or more flights with very
limited refurbishment as SpaceX continues to strive for rapid reusability and extremely high reliability.
The first launch of upgraded Falcon 9 was aborted forcefully for the reasons that remain unclear, just one minute before the countdown yesterday. The organizations first-ever Falcon 9 Block 5 was planned to launch on May 10 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, set for a mission to carry Bangabandhu Satellite-1 correspondences satellite to circle for the administration of Bangladesh.
Just 58 seconds before the planned liftoff time (5:47 pm) an automatic abort was triggered, and SpaceX couldn’t analyze and settle the issue before the closing of the launch window 6:22 p.m. a twitter update by Space X stated that they are going to halt it today due to a standard ground system auto-abort at T-1 “Rocket and payload are healthy — groups are working towards tomorrow’s backup dispatch opportunity at 4:14 p.m. EDT, or 20:14 UTC.”
SpaceX originator and CEO Elon Musk have said that The Block 5 is the most recent and last emphasis of SpaceX’s two-organize Falcon 9 rocket. The new form includes various unwavering quality and reusability overhauls that ought to permit each Block 5 first stage to fly 10 times with no restoration amongst dispatch and landing, and 100 times or more with some minor support. The new Falcon 9 cuts the turnaround time for dispatches from months to weeks.
The overhauls were likewise intended to meet NASA’s team conveying prerequisites. SpaceX holds a deal with space agency which is worth multibillion- dollars to fly astronauts to and from the international space station and the Falcon 9 block 5 and its Dragon capsule will be used to perform these missions.
Built by the French company Thales Alenia Space, Bangabandhu-1 is going to be Bangladesh’s first communication Satellite. This shuttle will provide a variety of communication services and broadcast to the tenants of the South Asian Country.
Bangabandhu Satellite-1 has a primary service area encompassing Bangladesh and the surrounding
region. The satellite will offer Ku-band coverage over Bangladesh and its territorial waters in the Bay of
Bengal, as well as India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Indonesia. It will also provide Cband
capacity for the entire region.
Located at 119.1° East, Bangabandhu Satellite-1 will provide direct-to-home (DTH) services, video
distribution and very small aperture terminal (VSAT) communications across Bangladesh. The satellite
will also provide broadband connectivity to rural areas throughout the country. Bangabandhu Satellite1’s
mission is expected to last at least 15 years.
Launch Facility
Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center has a long and storied history dating back to the
early 1960s. Originally built to support the Apollo program, LC-39A supported the first Saturn V launch
(Apollo 4), and many subsequent Apollo missions, including Apollo 11 in July 1969. Beginning in the late
1970s, LC-39A was modified to support Space Shuttle launches, hosting the first and last shuttle
missions to orbit in 1981 and 2011 respectively.
In 2014, SpaceX signed a 20-year lease with NASA for the use of historic Launch Complex 39A. Since
then, the company has made significant upgrades to modernize the pad’s structures and ground
systems, while also preserving its important heritage. Extensive modifications to LC-39A have been
made to support launches of both commercial and crew missions on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy
launch vehicles.
