SpaceX launches JCSAT-14 aboard Falcon 9, nails another landing at sea
41 replies, posted
Today was the backup date, used due to weather. Press release isn't up yet.
Narrated livestream:
[video=youtube;L0bMeDj76ig]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0bMeDj76ig[/video]
Technical livestream:
[video=youtube;1lYZLxr3L4E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lYZLxr3L4E[/video]
[media]https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/726932435569508352[/media]
[media]https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/727873475466153984[/media]
[URL="http://www.patrick.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070716-028.pdf"]> 90% go on weather[/URL]
This one is going to GEO, barge landing will be attempted however it is expected to be a failure. Once SpaceX [URL="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/726559284306173952"]increase the thrust of the engines again[/URL] later this year we might start seeing GEO payloads land more reliably.
Mission Timeline (all times approximate):
[QUOTE]
COUNTDOWN
Hour/Min Events
- 00:38 Launch Conductor takes launch readiness poll
- 00:35 RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) and LOX (liquid oxygen) loading underway
- 00:10 Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch
- 00:02 Range Control Officer (USAF) verifies range is go for launch
- 00:01:30 SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch
- 00:01 Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks
- 00:01 Pressurize propellant tanks
- 00:00:03 Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start
00:00:00 Falcon 9 liftoff
LAUNCH AND SATELLITE DEPLOYMENT
Hour/Min Events
00:01:20 Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
00:02:38 1st stage engine shutdown/main engine cutoff (MECO)
00:02:41 1st and 2nd stages separate
00:02:49 2nd stage engine starts
00:03:36 Fairing deployment
00:08:53 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)
00:26:27 2nd stage engine restarts
00:27:26 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2)
00:32:02 JCSAT-14 satellite deployed
[/QUOTE]
Just under six hours to go.
[IMG]https://scontent.ftpa1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13139101_1147728201924187_7418101343306807750_n.jpg?oh=ce24d8075fce3335fd7e420c37076a1f&oe=57ABD27B[/IMG]
Landing on the barge is less likely to be successful due to the payload weighing more, i've heard. It's gonna be awesome if this thing lands and soon space flight becomes as cheap as any other transportation
[QUOTE=cody8295;50265077]Landing on the barge is less likely to be successful due to the payout weighing more, i've heard. It's gonna be awesome if this thing lands and soon space flight becomes as cheap as any other transportation[/QUOTE]
We don't know for sure how much it weighs, the satellite company is weird and won't tell people it's mass. Best guess we have is 4691 KG iirc.
[editline]6th May 2016[/editline]
[IMG]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Chu2A5-VEAAnnVE.jpg:large[/IMG]
2hours!
1 Hour!
[editline]6th May 2016[/editline]
It's live!
Got home from work 2minutes ago - I am ready for this.
[editline]6th May 2016[/editline]
That gets me every time.
SO MUCH POWER!
[editline]6th May 2016[/editline]
Loving that KSP-esque graphic, as well as the underbody view on ascent.
NAILED IT!
HOLY SHIT NEARLY DEAD CENTER
Bang on bloody target!
THEY DID IT AGAIN
Holy crap. That was awesome.
Holy shit they did it!
Are you fucking kidding me
Elon Musk you lucky bastard
8,200km/h @ separation and they fucking landed it.
[video=youtube;jheEi_R0kV0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jheEi_R0kV0[/video]
Them chanting USA is always the best part of it
quite the landing there, really just went straight in. No doubt theyre still improving their software and hardware.
[QUOTE=wystan;50266597]Them chanting USA is always the best part of it[/QUOTE]
America always wins again.
[sp]but nah seriously it was a lot of people coming together to make future for mankind in space travel so each one of you need a beer[/sp]
This is a much harder landing that the previous drone ship landing too, I think comparable to SES-9 (the one that punched a hole in the ship). I believe they used 3 engines rather than 1 to decelerate quick enough, so all the more impressive! I'm starting to believe in Elon's 90% (I think) recovery target.
[QUOTE=ben1066;50266643]This is a much harder landing that the previous drone ship landing too, I think comparable to SES-9 (the one that punched a hole in the ship). I believe they used 3 engines rather than 1 to decelerate quick enough, so all the more impressive! I'm starting to believe in Elon's 90% (I think) recovery target.[/QUOTE]
It's like betting on a KSP rocket, but damn if you can't doubt the man for dragging humanity into progress.
What a landing!
Updated the title.
[QUOTE=OvB;50266677]Updated the title.[/QUOTE]
"nails another one at sea" would have been better
Was thinking of an innuendo thanks OvB
Is this the reused stage or a new one? I thought they were going to use the one that landed later in the year.
[editline]6th May 2016[/editline]
Still fucking impressive. I wonder how consistent they can make the landings now they've done 3 of them.
So, this the Falcon 9 v1.2 has had 4 launches.
3 of those launches have succesfully landed.
[Success] Orbcomm - launch to LEO and landed back at the Cape.
[Failure] SES-9 - launch to GTO and failed to land back on the ASDS.
[Success] CRS-8 - Launch to LEO and landed back on the ASDS.
[Success] JCSAT-14 - Launch to GTO and landed back on the ASDS.
Out of the 4 launches this year (3 of the v1.2's, and the last v1.1) SpaceX has landed twice - 50% success rate for 2016.
[QUOTE=Whomobile;50266696]Is this the reused stage or a new one? I thought they were going to use the one that landed later in the year.
[editline]6th May 2016[/editline]
Still fucking impressive. I wonder how consistent they can make the landings now they've done 3 of them.[/QUOTE]
New stage. Previous stage is going to be fired up 10 times on land and inspected in and out before it fly's again. Won't be till later in the year.
[editline]6th May 2016[/editline]
[media]https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/728462267893698561[/media]
nvm thinking of another launch
[QUOTE=OvB;50266709]New stage. Previous stage is going to be fired up 10 times on land and inspected in and out before it fly's again. Won't be till later in the year.
[/QUOTE]
Rocket fuel and testing is some of the cheaper parts compared to losing a booster right?
[URL]https://zippy.gfycat.com/BasicSpecificFalcon.webm[/URL]
idk how to embed webms
[QUOTE=JohnFisher89;50266716]nvm thinking of another launch
Rocket fuel and testing is some of the cheaper parts compared to losing a booster right?[/QUOTE]
Rocket fuel very cheap compared to the rocket. SpaceX tests every engine they build at least twice before it ever see's the launchpad. (once by itself in Texas, once attached to the rocket in Texas as a full stage test, then a 3rd test as a static fire at the launch pad.)
Fuel cost isn't a problem.
(they want to do 18 launches in 2016, each rocket has 10 engines, thats 180 engines that need to be tested three times each.)
(didn't factor in the Falcon Heavy launches, which have 28 engines each.)
I can't believe how close to the centre it is...
[t]https://i.imgur.com/b40ReAA.png[/t]
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