Viasat’s new broadband satellite could be a total loss (due to antenna hardware issues)
Viasat’s new broadband satellite could be a total loss (due to antenna hardware issues)
arstechnica.com
Viasat’s new broadband satellite could be a total loss
If the insurance company is really on the hook for 420 million, there are probably some interesting discussion going on right now about a cheaper robotic repair mission or so.
A crewed mission won't happen because of cost and physics reasons, but it would be cool to see a Falcon Heavy launch a stripped down Dragon with two crew and a kick stage for a GEO servicing mission.
Considering it costs $67 million just to launch a reusable falcon 9 they’d have to be 100% sure of the outcome to bet on such a thing.
If not you’re $100+ mill out and still have to replace a €420 million satellite..
I think you're right that a dedicated Falcon launch would be needed for getting something like a Northrop's MEV out there, but if the spacecraft was "only" a smallsat with a few commercial arms on board, that might fit on a SpaceX rideshare for a lot less money.