Memo of Event UPDATED

1559-EX-ST-2018 Pre Coordination Document

Vector Launch, Inc.

2018-09-06ELS_215409

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



                                      Memorandum
Date:             06 Sept 2018

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 small, low cost, launch vehicle
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 41 seconds after launch, where MECO will occur roughly 2 minutes and 7 seconds into
the launch. Stage separation will occur roughly 5 seconds after MECO. Maximum downrange distance
where communication is required is 316 km. The maximum vehicle altitude will be 64 km, and the
maximum slant range (crossrange) will be 242 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 similar to that of Stage 1. These points will be off
the coast of Kodiak Island, approximately 316 km downrange into the Pacific Ocean; located at 54° 9'
8.28''N, 149° 50' 14.64'' W.

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. This is an absolute worst-case estimate as
operating longer than 30 to 60 minutes may require shut down of the transmitters due to thermal
concerns.

The proposed launch site is Launch Pad C at Pacific Spaceport Complex - Alaska, located on Kodiak
Island, Alaska at 57°25’50.57141” N, 152°21’10.93786” W. For this application we would like to submit
approval for the following range of dates; October 8th, 2018 to April 1st, 2019. However, the planned
launch date for Vector-R B0.101 is targeted for October 31st, 2018 from Kodiak Island, AK (PSCA).

Launch processing and integration will be performed at the Integration and Processing Facility (IPF)
located at 57°26’04.6” N, 152°20’33.2” W. Launch operations will be controlled from the Launch
Operations Control Center (LOCC) located at 57°27’12.9” N, 152°22’46.3” W. The launch site is
operated by Alaska Aerospace Corporation (AAC).

Vector will finalize the planned launch date with local area frequency managers 7-days prior to the
test flight. Communications will be email and telephone. Vector will also provide an update 2-days
prior to launch and 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. 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 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
                                                                              nd
  Link 1   2370.5 MHz SOQPSK-TG           2 Mbps           1M92G1D           2 Stage Telemetry
  Link 2   2382.5 MHz SOQPSK-TG 10 Mbps                    9M10G1D                   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, 2 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.

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


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). The RF chain of TX
components which follow the Quasonix transmitter radios are shown below;




Two 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 split equally and
fed to these antennas. Given the full pattern coverage of the vehicle, we note the antennas to have a
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; P/N: 13315. 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: 2018-09-05 17:26:09
Document Modified: 2018-09-05 17:26:09

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