SpaceX launched JCSAT-18/Kacific1 from Space Launch Complex 40 or SLC-40 on Dec. 16 at 7:10 p.m. EST. This was done at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The satellite was deployed approximately 33 minutes after liftoff.
JCSAT-18/Kacific1 Mission
The first stage of Falcon 9 for the JCSAT-18/Kacific1 mission previously supported the CRS-17 mission in May 2019 and the CRS-18 mission in July 2019. Following the stage separation of Falcon 9, SpaceX landed Falcon 9's first stage on the drone ship, "Of Course I Still Love You, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
CRS-19 was the last launch from SLC-40, it was a cargo resupply mission for the International Space Station. CRS-19 launched on Dec. 5, which was only 11 days before JCSAT-18/Kacific-1's planned launch date. The previous record was between Amos-17 flights and CRS-18, a gap of over 12 days. After its renovation in 2017, SLC-40 was rated for a minimum turnaround time of one week.
JCSAT-18/Kacific-1's launch flow began with the static fire test. Ahead of a static fire test, the vehicle is rolled out onto the launch pad, and it was raised vertically. The propellant tanks on the first and second stages are filled, and the test culminates with a brief firing of the nine Merlin 1D engines on the first stage.
In the early morning of Dec.13, the Falcon 9 was rolled out, and it was raised vertical on the launch pad at SLC-40. After fueling and after a quick engine firing, SpaceX confirmed a successful test later in the day.
The first stage of B1056-3, a specific part of Falcon 9, has flown twice before. The "56" in its name means that it was the 56th first stage core produced, and the "-3" at the end means that this will be its third mission.
B1056 first flew in May 2019 on the CRS-17 mission. After its landing on SpaceX's drone ship, its landing legs were retracted, and it was locked back into position. Previously, the landing legs on the first stages were removed after the landing. The stage flew for a second time in July 2019 for the CRS-18 mission. B1056 was planned to fly again for CRS-19. However, for unknown reasons, that mission was later reassigned to the brand-new B1059.
B1053-3, together with the second stage, launched JCSAT-18/Kacific-1 into an eccentric geostationary transfer orbit. Once the satellite reached that orbit, it will use its own thrusters to reach a circular geostationary orbit, which is nearly 36,000 kilometers above the surface of the Earth.
The satellite will be owned and operated by two different companies, Kacific Broadband Satellites, and SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation. By sharing the satellite bus, the two operators were able to split the costs of construction and launch.
Satellite launch in space for high-speed connectivity
The JCSAT-18 payload has Ku-band conventional and spot beams that will give phone and broadband internet connectivity to South East Asia, Northern East Asia, the Northern Pacific, and parts of southern Alaska. The Kacific-1 payload features 56 Ka-brand narrow beams to give broadband internet to South East Asia, including New Zealand. The payload will bring high-speed connectivity to the region, with a 550-600ms latency and an overall system capacity of 60Gbps.
The Kacific-1 will be the first in a series of satellites for Kacific. The company plans to place future satellites in different orbital positions to increase the area of coverage and bandwidth capacity. Following the JCSAT-18/Kacific-1 mission, SpaceX plans to close out 2019 with the second operational Starlink launch, currently scheduled for Dec. 30.
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