Cape Canaveral prepping for third launch in three weeks

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station could host its third launch in as many weeks if SpaceX lifts off as planned next Saturday afternoon.

A Falcon 9 rocket is targeting launch of Turkmenistan’s first satellite at 4:04 p.m., the opening of a one-hour window at Launch Complex 40.

The contact with satellite builder Thales Alenia Space calls for launch a communications satellite to a geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles over the equator.

The satellite will enable Turkmenistan “to secure and enhance Turkmenistan communication means,” according to Thales.

As with SpaceX’s first launch this month on March 1, the company will not attempt to land the Falcon 9 booster on a drone ship in the ocean because of the satellite’s weight and flight to a high orbit.

The next attempt to do that will likely be on SpaceX’s next launch of cargo to the International Space Station, currently targeted for no earlier than April 10, according to NASA’s Web site.

Cape welcomes LC-1

Speaking of landing Falcon 9 boosters, SpaceX has officially named the Cape Canaveral site where it eventually hopes to fly boosters back for refurbishment and reuse.

A new sign now identifies the former Launch Complex 13 as “Landing Complex 1.”

SpaceX and the Air Force recently agreed to a lease of the property for the proposed booster landings.

Before trying to do that, SpaceX must demonstrate the rocket stage’s ability to perform precision landings out in the ocean, which the company has not yet done successfully.

A first attempt came close, but ended with a fiery crash when the booster hit the deck of SpaceX‘s “autonomous spaceport drone ship.”

Video shows SpaceX fiery crash landing

Jupiter to ISS?

Lockheed Martin this week unveiled a new concept for resupplying the International Space Station, and potentially more.

The system consists of a space tug, called Jupiter, that would haul Exoliner cargo modules to the station. After the initial launch, the tug would remain in space and use a robotic arm to pluck new modules from the Centaur upper stage of an Atlas V rocket. Old capsules filled with trash would be loaded on the Centaur for disposal.

In a public event at Union Station in Washington, D.C., Lockheed compared the spacecraft to a locomotive that could add or remove modules like rail cars. The Jupiter craft could be refueled and reused repeatedly.

Lockheed said the same system could serve planned commercial habitats. And it suggested the cargo module could support astronauts launching from Kennedy Space Center in Orion capsules, which Lockheed also builds, to orbits near the moon.

A crowded field is competing to win NASA’s next round of ISS cargo resupply contracts, known as Commercial Resupply Services-2, which are expected to be awarded this summer.

In addition to Lockheed, it includes incumbents SpaceX and Orbital ATK, Boeing with the CST-100 capsule it is designing to fly astronauts to the ISS, and Sierra Nevada Corp.’s Dream Chaser mini-shuttle, which lost out in NASA’s commercial crew competition. Sierra Nevada plans to discuss its proposal next week.

Booster roars

If you’re in the mood for a jolt of horsepower, check out a video of this week’s test-firing of the giant solid rocket booster being designed to help launch NASA’s next exploration rocket from Kennedy Space Center.

Video: Giant rocket test firing

The 154-foot booster generated 3.6 million pounds of thrust, or 22 million horsepower, during the two-minute test at Orbital ATK’s facility in Promontory, Utah.

The all-white, five-segment booster is a slightly longer version of a four-segment space shuttle booster. Just as two helped launch shuttles, two of the upgraded boosters will lift NASA’s 322-foot Space Launch System rocket carrying astronauts in Orion capsules on deep space missions. NASA is hoping for a first test launch without a crew in 2018.

Unlike shuttle boosters, SLS boosters will not be recovered from the ocean.

Wednesday’s “qualification ground test” was called a success.

“The data from today and from our three development motor tests, along with information we have collected on hundreds of predecessor motors over the past three decades, confirms this is the most capable and powerful solid rocket motor ever designed,” said Charlie Precourt, vice president and general manager of Orbital ATK’s Propulsion Systems Division, in a statement.

Long climb

One of the two all-electric satellites that SpaceX launched earlier this month from Cape Canaveral has begun an eight-month climb to its final orbit, Paris-based Eutelsat confirmed this week.

The Boeing-built communications satellite has no liquid fuel on board, using only pulses of xenon ions to generate thrust. That saves a lot of weight, but means Eutelsat 115 West B will take much longer to get where it needs to go more than 22,000 miles above the equator.

Engine maker to adopt new ticker, cut costs

A leading manufacturer of rocket engines and spacecraft propulsion systems has a new corporate name and will soon trade under a new ticker symbol.

GenCorp Inc., formerly “GY” on the New York Stock Exchange, has renamed itself Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. The Sacramento, California-based company in late April will begin trading as “AJRD.”

The company also announced a “competitive improvement program” intended to achieve annual cost savings of about $145 million by 2019, including consolidating facilities and cutting its 5,000-person work force by 10 percent.

Among Aerojet Rocketdyne’s products are engines that help propel Atlas V, Delta II, Delta IV and Antares rockets, and NASA’s planned Space Launch System rocket.

Local journalist honored

At the 58th Annual Robert H. Goddard Memorial Dinner on Friday in Washington, D.C., the National Space Club gave its Press Award to Cocoa Beach resident Marcia Dunn, recognizing nearly a quarter-century covering the space beat for the Associated Press.

Contact Dean at 321-242-3668 or jdean@floridatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter at @flatoday_jdean