Thaicom 8
Falcon 9 Full Thrust
SpaceX
Weather Forecast During Launch
According to weather officials, there’s a 60% chance of favorable weather conditions at the time of the launch.
Mission
Thaicom 8
- Type: Communications
- Orbit: Geostationary Transfer Orbit
- Launch Cost: $50,000,000
Thaicom 8 will be launched into a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) on a Falcon 9 Full Trust for a 30 days testing phase following a in orbit burn of the satellite propulsion system to put the spacecraft into a geosynchronous orbit (GSO)at 78.5 degrees east longitude. Where Thaicom 8 will provide broadcast and data services for up to 15 years. The Falcon 9 first stage will test a experimental ballistic landing off the coast where it is schedule to land on the Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship (ASDS). Even if the landing fails the knowledge learned from the attempt will help for future missions.
Location
Rocket
Landing
Core B1023
Booster B1023 last launched 02/06/2018 and has seen 2 successful launches and landings. Retired; on permanent display indoors at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
Of Course I Still Love You – OCISLY
The second ASDS barge, Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) services launches in the Pacific Ocean and was the site of the first landing of a SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage during CRS-8, the launch of a Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station.
Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship – ASDS
An autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS) is an ocean-going vessel derived from a deck barge, outfitted with station-keeping engines and a large landing platform. Construction of such ships was commissioned by aerospace company SpaceX to allow for recovery of rocket first-stages at sea for high-velocity missions which do not carry enough fuel to return to the launch site after lofting spacecraft onto an orbital trajectory.
Agency
SpaceX
Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. SpaceX operates from many pads, on the East Coast of the US they operate from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and historic LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. They also operate from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, usually for polar launches. Another launch site is being developed at Boca Chica, Texas.