• SpaceX: We're Grounded for a 'Couple More Months'
    8 replies, posted
[QUOTE]SpaceX plans to keep its Falcon 9 rocket grounded longer than planned following a launch accident involving the unmanned booster in June, the company president said on Monday. "We're taking more time than we originally envisioned, but I don't think any one of our customers wants us to race to the cliff and fail again," Gwynne Shotwell, president of SpaceX. She said the company was "a couple of months away from the next flight." Source: [url]http://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/spacex-were-grounded-couple-more-months-after-accident-n419051[/url][/QUOTE] I've been eagerly awaiting a September launch. :( [t]http://i.imgur.com/akw44up.png[/t]
Should be interesting if they manage to improve the landing percentages.
I wonder if they'll take the opportunity to upgrade or test the hardware on the rockets that are already lined up for a launch. A few extra months could provide SpaceX with the time they need to slot in and certify a few new improvements. We might even be able to stick the barge landing this time.
[QUOTE=Cheshire_cat;48587772]I wonder if they'll take the opportunity to upgrade or test the hardware on the rockets that are already lined up for a launch. A few extra months could provide SpaceX with the time they need to slot in and certify a few new improvements. We might even be able to stick the barge landing this time.[/QUOTE] Their next landing isn't on a barge, it's on land. There was news a few days back about how much progress had been made on the construction of SpaceX's launch site.. maybe they've got time to finish the proper landing site as well?
My heart jumped there, I almost thought space porn was delayed for a second!
[QUOTE=Bradyns;48590951]Their next landing isn't on a barge, it's on land. There was news a few days back about how much progress had been made on the construction of SpaceX's launch site.. maybe they've got time to finish the proper landing site as well?[/QUOTE] I thought the landing site was one of those unused pads on the air force's station [editline]1st September 2015[/editline] I hope they get a falcon heavy launch in this year to demonstrate the future of American spaceflight [editline]1st September 2015[/editline] A proper cross feed rocket stack would be a quantum leap in rocket technology, the efficiency gains are just enormous and nobody else is trying to do it
[QUOTE=Sableye;48595699]I thought the landing site was one of those unused pads on the air force's station [editline]1st September 2015[/editline] I hope they get a falcon heavy launch in this year to demonstrate the future of American spaceflight [editline]1st September 2015[/editline] A proper cross feed rocket stack would be a quantum leap in rocket technology, the efficiency gains are just enormous and nobody else is trying to do it[/QUOTE] They'll be landing on old pads but the surface still needs to be rebuilt for the role. Last I seen the pad in Vandenburg still hasn't seen concrete. Not sure about the one in Florida. Some pictures of their WIP Pad 39a upgrades: [url]http://spaceksc.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/going-up-part-7.html?m=1[/url] They released some renderings of the completed pad today, too. [editline]1st September 2015[/editline] CRS-8 is slotted for Nov 18, but nothing is set in stone yet.
[QUOTE=OvB;48597438]They'll be landing on old pads but the surface still needs to be rebuilt for the role. Last I seen the pad in Vandenburg still hasn't seen concrete. Not sure about the one in Florida. Some pictures of their WIP Pad 39a upgrades: [url]http://spaceksc.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/going-up-part-7.html?m=1[/url] They released some renderings of the completed pad today, too. [editline]1st September 2015[/editline] CRS-8 is slotted for Nov 18, but nothing is set in stone yet.[/QUOTE] huh, i thought they were removing the entire clamshell gantry and going back to the apollo-style launch tower with the upgrades, i was under the impression that the clamshell couldn't actually survive rocket launches, the shuttle kind of slid away from the gantry on launch, but the one time nasa did launch something straight up it damaged it
[QUOTE=Sableye;48597598]huh, i thought they were removing the entire clamshell gantry and going back to the apollo-style launch tower with the upgrades, i was under the impression that the clamshell couldn't actually survive rocket launches, the shuttle kind of slid away from the gantry on launch, but the one time nasa did launch something straight up it damaged it[/QUOTE] You mean the RSS? They're going to cut it off eventually but they're in no hurry to do it. The whole tower will be modified to fit their use. They posted renders of it on their FB today: [url]https://www.facebook.com/SpaceX[/url]
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