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With the launch of the Israeli satellite ISI EROS C-3 ended 2022 of launches for SpaceX. It’s about the 61st orbital launch for Elon Musk’s company which is taking full advantage of the high launch rate of the family of Falcon space rockets. Just two days ago, another Falcon 9 was launched carrying 54 new generation Starlink satellites (albeit in the format supported by this kind of vectors). To understand how much the company has invested in this point, just think that in 2021 there were 31 launches.
In this way the cadence overall for the 2022 by the US company is equal to a launch every 5.98 days (34 were Starlink satellite launches). Definitely a record for an average carrier if you think about the Falcon 9 (heavy carrier for the Falcon Heavy) and especially in terms of payload carried into orbit. The choice of using a first stage capable of landing after a mission on a floating barge (droneship) or on a pitch on the mainland was definitely a good choice. The next step will be taken with Starship which, in addition to being larger, should have an even higher cadence and both the first and second stages will be reusable, reducing operating costs.
SpaceX launches Israel’s ISI satellite EROS C-3
According to reports, the take-off of Falcon 9 it took place at 8:38 today (Italian time) from Space Launch Complex 4E of the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The first stage of this space rocket had previously flown missions Crew-1, Crew-2, SXM-8, CRS-23, IXPE, Transporter-4, Transporter-5, Globalstar FM15 and two Starlink missions. That of ISI EROS C-3 it was therefore the 11th launch with this carrier. The first stage landed on the mainland about 8 minutes after takeoff.
Israel’s satellite forsatellite imaging, with a mass of about 400 kg and a cost of almost 190 million dollars, was released about 15 minutes after take-off at an altitude of about 500 km in a retrograde orbit. The resolution at which it is capable of capturing images is 30cm/pixel in grayscale and 60cm/pixel in multispectral mode. In 2026, the fourth satellite of this constellation, called ISI (acronym for ImageSat International) EROS C-4, will also be launched.
Interesting to note that in this 2022 all missions launched by SpaceX in orbit they were a success with no losses of payloads or carriers. A result which, combined with the numerous launches, make the company one of the strengths of the US space program and more generally of the space market. The new challenge of launching the heavy Starship carrier for its first orbital test during 2023 will perhaps be the most important event in this sphere for the next year (despite development delays).
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