Falcon Heavy attracts customers looking to capitalize on rocket's capabilities

Artist's depiction of Heavy Falcon rocket on ascent. Image Credit: SpaceX

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – The iconic misquote attributed to 1989's Field of Dreams Kevin Costner's character to build a baseball diamond in the middle of a corn field, "If you build it, they will come," – that quote also appears to SpaceX and their Falcon Heavy rocket as well. While the company has yet to follow-up on the vehicle's face on February 6, 2018, it seems that the mission of this mission has not attracted customers to the heavy-lift rocket.

Softening Market or Growing Manifest?

The California-based launch service provider had already booked flights to the Falcon Heavy for Arabsat – the Arabsat-6 satellite communications company was tentatively scheduled for January 2019 – and a United States Air Force (USAF) mission, following a couple months later.

The launch for the USAF, a mission comprising 25 separate spacecraft, is part of the U.S. Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) certification process and should see multiple technology demonstrators deployed on the third flight of the Falcon Heavy.

However, analysts' projections indicated a softening of the market for heavy launches, which would significantly impact the need for a vehicle like the Falcon Heavy. Indeed, with the Falcon 9's capabilities, it was there that it was very powerful.

A Falcon Heavy rocket launches for the first time. Credit Photo: Michael Deep / SpaceFlight Insider

While SpaceX had used the options to use the Falcon Heavy, solid confirmations were somewhat lacking. That changed, however, within a two-week period with two companies announcing their bookings on Falcon Heavy.

Newcomer and Veteran Make the Same Choice

On October 16, 2018, Sweden-based satellite broadband provider, Ovzon, announced they had entered into an agreement with SpaceX to launch their first geosynchronous (GEO) satellite on the FH.

"Contracting the launch of our company Ovzon satellite is an important and exciting step for our company. SpaceX offered a very competitive solution with the Falcon, "stated Per Wahlberg, Ovzon CEO, in a release issued by the company.

They hope to have their advanced satellite broadband, which will host some of the company's own hardware, launch no-earlier than the fourth quarter of 2020.

"We are honored that Ovzon has chosen SpaceX to launch the first of its satellites," noted SpaceX's President and COO, Gwynne Shotwell, in the same release. "We look forward to working closely on this important direct-to-GEO mission."

Following just nine days later, Veteran Satellite Operator Viasat made a similar announcement. The ViaSat-2 satellite from a Falcon Heavy to an Ariane 5 has the train of the future, but kept the option open to the Falcon Heavy for a future mission. The company exercised that option for the launch of their upcoming ViaSat-3 satellite.

"Viasat sought a ViaSat-3 launch partner that understood our unique mission requirements:" To safely and quickly bring forward a broadcaster, "stated Dave Ryan, president, Space Systems at Viasat, in a release issued by the company.

"We selected SpaceX as they continue to demonstrate their commitment to advancing space technologies. They are both powerful and efficient enough to thrust ViaSat-3 spacecraft close to geostationary orbit. "

The ability of the Falcon Heavy to deliver large satellites directly to GEO, or nearly so in Viasat's case, should allow satellite operators to more quickly bring their new hardware online, thus generating revenue less than if they had to use a lower, geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). SpaceX, unsurprisingly, looks to capitalize on this capability.

"There are exciting opportunities for heavy-handedness in the market, particularly for those who need it," said Shotwell said in the same release. "We look forward to delivering ViaSat-3 to orbit and bringing Viasat's latest technology into service."

ViaSat-3 is tentatively scheduled to launch some time in a two-year-window, beginning in 2020.

SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket takes the skies for the first time. The Feb. 6, 2018, launching CEO Elon Musk's Spacex Tesla Roadster into space with a dummy in a spacesuit. Credit photo: Vikash Mahadeo / SpaceFlight Insider

Tagged: Elon Musk Falcon Heavy Space Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A SpaceX Lead Stories

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Curt Godwin

Curt Godwin has been a fan of space exploration for as long as he can remember, keeping his eyes to the skies from an early age. Initially majoring in nuclear engineering, Curt later decided that it would be more interesting – and safer – career field. He has worked in technology for more than 20 years, and is a respected authority on wireless network engineering. Throughout this period of his life, he has written about his experiences at a variety of NASA events and is a freelance media representative.