Memo of Event

0754-EX-ST-2019 Pre Coordination Document

Vector Launch, Inc.

2019-04-25ELS_228460

Vector
824 E. 16th Street
Tucson Arizona, 85719 USA
888.346.7778
https://vector-launch.com/



                                      Memorandum
Date:             05 Apr 2019

From:             Christopher Timperio
                  Vector Launch, Inc.

                  FRN: 0026456863

Subject:          Vector Launch, Inc. Experimental STA Application for
                  Vector-R Series B0.101 Launch Vehicle

Reference Documents:

REF1              FCC, DA-13-446, Guidance on Obtaining Experimental Authorizations
                  for Commercial Space Launch Activities, 15 March 2013.

REF2              GN-0275-VSS-1001, Vector FCC Memo 1001 (this document)

REF3              GN-0276-VSS-1001, Vector Supporting Material Experimental STA
                  Application 1001

REF4              87_Tform_Vector_1001, AFTRCC Experimental License Form

REF5              FCC Table of Frequency Allocations (Note US276)

This memorandum provides backup data for the Experimental STA Application for the Vector-R Block
1 series launch vehicle being developed by Vector Launch Inc. of Tucson AZ. This STA request follows
the application guidelines DA-13-446 Guidance on Obtaining Experimental Authorizations for
Commercial Space Launch Activities (REF1) and guidance from the FCC Table of Frequency Allocations
Note US276 (REF5). Vector Launch Inc. is developing the Vector-R as a rapid and frequent launch
vehicle with capabilities to serve the commercial small satellite market. A spreadsheet providing
tabulated values of mission parameters is provided in REF3, also attached to this application.

Vector has completed an analysis of the nominal trajectory for a two-stage flight of the Vector-R. The
timeline of mission events (Max Q, MECO, Stage Sep, etc..) is listed in the attached REF3. Max Q will
occur roughly 22 seconds into flight, where MECO will occur roughly at the same time. Stage
separation will occur roughly 7.5 seconds after MECO. Maximum downrange distance where
communication is required is 1.58 km. The maximum vehicle altitude will be 3.6 km, and the maximum
slant range (crossrange) will be 3.93 km from the ground station to the vehicle.




                                       Vector Launch, Inc.
GN-0275-VSS-1001


Under nominal flight conditions, after Stage 1 burnout and separation, Stage 2 is expected to tumble
and break up with an instantaneous impact point (IIP) similar to that of Stage 1. These IIP are as well
listed in REF3.

This application will cover a single flight of the Vector-R B0.101 launch vehicle. This launch will
demonstrate launch capability for the Vector-R B1 and B2 series. Separate STA applications will be
submitted for the follow-on Vector-R series.

This application is for a single flight (estimated 3 hours of frequency usage) of the Vector launch
vehicle. The launch vehicle maximum flight duration will be less than 10 minutes. Pre-flight transmitter
operation is expected to be less than 90 minutes. The maximum operating time is expected to be less
than 3 hours from the commencement of launch activities.

For this application we would like to submit approval for the following range of dates; May 1st, 2019
to October 1st, 2019. This application should cover the following launch sites;
    • Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS), located at the southern top of NASA’s Wallops Flight
         Facility on Wallops Island, VA. MARS is operated by the Virginia Commercial Space Flight
         Authority (VCSFA), also known as ‘Virginia Space’, and is located at 37°49'40.8'’ N,
         75°29'38.04'' W.
    • Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska (PSCA), located on Kodiak Island, Alaska at 57°26’6” N,
         152°20’30.12” W.
    • Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), located in southern California at 34°34'34.68'' N,
         120°37'57'' W.
    • Cape Canaveral Air Force Station located in Cape Canaveral, FL at 28°35'0.24'' N, 80°34'58.44''
         W.
    • Friends of Amateur Rocketry (FAR) launch complex, located in Randsburg, CA at 35°20'51'' N,
         117°48'33.84'' W.
    • Vector Arizona Test Site (ATS), located in Pinal County, AZ at 32°30'43.92'' N, 111°17'59.64''
         W.
    • NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), located in Cape Canaveral, FL at 28°27'29.88'' N,
         80°31'42.96'' W.
    • Spaceport Camden, located in Camden County, GA, near the city of Woodbine at 30°56’1.32”
         N, 81°31’5.88” W.

Vector will finalize the planned launch site and date with local area frequency managers 15-days prior
to the flight. Communications will be by means of email and telephone. Vector will also provide an
update 7-days prior to launch and at the day of launch prior to the flight. Vector has included a stop
buzzer phone number in the data table attached to our FCC STA application (REF3). Vector will confirm
the stop buzzer contact information prior to the flight.

The experimental STA application requests two telemetry downlinks in the 2360 to 2390 MHz Upper
S-Band. This band is allocated for government use however the allocation is also authorized for use by
commercial launch vehicles telemetering in accordance with the FCC Table of Frequency Allocations
Note US276 (REF5). Vector requests use of this band on a non-interference basis.

The two downlink frequencies listed below are planned for the Vector-R B0.101 flight.
            Frequency     Modulation Data Rate Emission Designator                    Use
  Link 1   2370.5 MHz SOQPSK-TG           2 Mbps           1M92G1D            nd
                                                                             2 Stage Telemetry



                                        Vector Launch, Inc.
GN-0275-VSS-1001


  Link 2     2382.5 MHz      SOQPSK-TG       10 Mbps           8M00G1D                   Special
                                                                                    Instrumentation

Two S-Band transmitters (Quasonix nanoTX and Quasonix TIMTER) will be used as Commercial-Off-
The-Shelf (COTS) telemetry transmitter radio components for the Vector-R B0.101 rocket. The
Quasonix brand is used extensively throughout the aerospace and space industries. Both Quasonix
units employ Shaped Offset Quadrature Phase Shift Key (SOQPSK-TG) modulation to provide highly
efficient bandwidth utilization at higher data rates. For the Vector-R B0.101 application, two data rates
are indicated: 2 Mbps and 10 Mbps. These are to be used for high-rate digital telemetry, and special
instrumentation digital telemetry including NTFS digital video data.

The Quasonix transmitter radios will output a 10W (40dBm) 2370.5MHz RF signal of 2MHz bandwidth
(nanoTX), and a 10W (40dBm) 2382.5MHz RF signal of 10MHz bandwidth (TIMTER).

Two omni-directional antennas with “hemi-spherical” patterns are used on opposite sides of the
vehicles to provide full RF visibility during flight. The output power from the Quasonix transmitters will
be combined and split equally and fed to these antennas. Given the full pattern coverage of the vehicle,
we note the vehicle antennas to have a “total equivalent gain” of 0dBi. Therefore, the effective
isotropic radiated power (EIRP) can be estimated as the equivalent power output from both
transmitters; 20W (43dBm).

The TX S-Band antennas on the launch vehicle are of a single omnidirectional type; Haigh-Farr
conformal panel antennas. The S-Band antennas are of the linear polarization type. The antenna height
on the vehicle is 12.2 m off the ground.

Thank you for your consideration, and if additional information is required, please do not hesitate to
contact me as soon as possible.

Thank you,


Christopher Timperio
RF Engineer

Vector Launch, Inc.
15261 Connector Ln.
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
Office: 888.691.9778 EXT. 329
christopher.timperio@vector-launch.com
https://vector-launch.com




                                         Vector Launch, Inc.
GN-0275-VSS-1001



Document Created: 2019-04-05 10:14:22
Document Modified: 2019-04-05 10:14:22

© 2025 FCC.report
This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FCC