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<\/p>\nWith its two April launches behind it, SpaceX is deep into processing for its coming slate of three missions planned for May 2018. The three flights will see two flight-proven launches with SES-12 and the Iridium NEXT-6\/GRACE-FO rideshare as well as the highly anticipated debut of the Block 5 variant of the Falcon 9, which will launch Bangladesh\u2019s first satellite to orbit No Earlier Than 7 May.<\/p>\n
SpaceX\u2019s May manifest:<\/b><\/p>\n
Following on the heels of success with Iridium NEXT-5 for Iridium Communications, CRS-14 for NASA, and TESS for NASA, MIT, and Orbital ATK, SpaceX is sailing toward its next round of three missions in May 2018.<\/p>\n
The three flights will launch a total of nine satellites into orbit, Bangabandhu-1, Iridium NEXT 51-55, GRACE-FO -1 and -2, and SES-12. Two of those will be launched into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (Bangabandhu-1 and SES-12) and seven into polar Low Earth Orbit (the Iridiums and two GRACE-FO satellites).<\/p>\n
However, the May campaigns will actually begin in April.<\/p>\n
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First Block 5 on the McGregor Test Stand on Monday \u2013 via Gary Blair for NSF\/L2<\/p>\n
On Monday 30 April, SpaceX was to roll the Bangabandhu-1 vehicle out to LC-39A at the Kennedy Space Center, FL, for Static Fire. This is now set to take place on May 1, following the slip to the launch date.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
This will be the first time that a Block 5 Falcon 9 graces a SpaceX launch pad and will be the first Block 5\u2019s final major test before its inaugural flight.<\/p>\n
SpaceX (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/p>\n Once connected to Pad-A\u2019s systems, SpaceX will put the first Block 5 (core B1046) through a standard countdown and fueling process, validating all of the booster and second stage systems up to and including an engine firing. <\/p>\n The core has already undergone Acceptance Testing at McGregor, Texas. At a pre-launch news conference for the TESS flight last week, Hans Koenigsmann of SpaceX stated that the first Block 5\u2019s acceptance runs were extremely smooth, noting that the Block 5 upgrade made it through all of its McGregor testing far faster than previous major Block upgrades to the Falcon 9 have.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n