SpaceX successfully returns to flight and lands Falcon 9 at Cape Canaveral
141 replies, posted
Static fire scrubbed tonight, should be happening tomorrow though. Shouldn't have an impact on the 19th launch hopefully though if it's successful.
Update:
[QUOTE]Yesterday @SpaceX had a good run through of pad operations. Looking to static fire this afternoon (exact time TBD)[/QUOTE]
[IMG]http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=38148.0;attach=1087247;image[/IMG]
They are having issues with the liquid oxygen fuel. The upgraded Falcon 9 requires it cooled to -340 F. Still working towards static fire today. I'm going to bed though now so I'll update this thread in 6 hours if no one else has.
Update: While no official confirmation has been given yet it's probably safe to assume the static fire won't happen until later on the 18th at the earliest. Launch on the 19th is most likely scrubbed. Unconfirmed reports of standing down until January to work through issues at Cape. If we don't see a static fire today then that may very well be the case :(
Update 2: Trying static fire again today, if they get it sorted out they will launch on Sunday evening.
Update 3: T-5 Mins on static fire test!
Update 4: Clock reset to T-57 mins, clock paused.
Static fire looks to have occurred! However still awaiting official confirmation.
[IMG]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWi-ZN3WsAACbFt.jpg:large[/IMG]
Elon confirms on twitter. Hoping for Sunday launch.
[QUOTE=OvB;49346529]Elon confirms on twitter. Hoping for Sunday launch.[/QUOTE]
Yup, hopefully the launch goes as planned. Launch window should be on Sunday at 20:29 Eastern but apparently it's instantaneous. So if any delays occur it could get thrown off to tuesday, which only has a 60% go on weather. After that it would probably be pushed back to new years. Could we get the title updated to reflect the new launch time? Thanks
Edit:
Looks like exclusion zones are being setup for a possible landing attempt!
[QUOTE]However, KSC workers have received a security notice on Friday, relating to large exclusion zones for one hour post-launch.
“NASA Causeway, east of the Space Station Processing Facility to the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station boundary, will be closed until approximately 1 hour post launch,” noted the update in SpaceX L2.
“Following the launch, SpaceX may attempt a landing of the Falcon 9 rockets first stage at Space Launch Complex 13 on CCAFS. Should there be an anomaly, personnel are to shelter in place and avoid being next to glass windows and doors.”[/QUOTE]
[URL="http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/12/spacex-static-fire-falcon-9-og-2-rtf/"]Source[/URL]
Apparently FAA approval for the land landing has come through. Press release (although not directly from SpaceX):
[QUOTE]Today SpaceX confirmed that the company is targeting launch of the 11 ORBCOMM satellites aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. on Sunday, Dec. 20. The 60-second launch window opens at 8:29 p.m. ET. If needed, a backup launch opportunity is available on Dec. 21.
In addition to the primary mission of launching ORBCOMM’s fleet of commercial communications satellites, SpaceX is attempting a secondary test objective of landing the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket on land for the first time at SpaceX’s Landing Zone 1. Previous attempts to recover the first-stage of the Falcon 9 have been attempted out at sea using the company’s Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ships. Landing Zone 1 was previously known as Space Launch Complex 13, a former U.S. Air Force rocket and missile testing range last used in 1978. If successful, this test would mark the first time in history an orbital rocket has successfully achieved a land landing.
[/QUOTE]
[URL="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151219005015/en/SpaceX-Planning-Falcon-9-First-Stage-Landing-Attempt"]Source[/URL]
Roughly 24 hours until launch, livestream will go up at 01:00 UTC / 8PM Eastern.
[Quote]SpaceX is currently aiming for a December 20th launch of the Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 11 satellites for ORBCOMM. The launch is part of ORBCOMM's second and final OG2 Mission and will lift off from SpaceX's launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. This mission also marks the first time SpaceX will attempt to land the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket on land. The landing of the first stage is a secondary test objective.
The launch webcast is targeted to begin at 5:05pm PT with liftoff at 5:29pm PT. The launch webcast can be viewed at [url]www.spacex.com/webcast[/url]. For updates, visit [url]www.spacex.com[/url] and [url]www.orbcomm.com[/url].[/quote][url]http://www.spacex.com/news/2015/12/11/orbcomm-2-mission-update[/url]
Here's a neat website I use:
[url]https://spacexstats.com/live[/url]
It's looking promising.
We have confirmation that the landing will be live streamed now though. 80% go based on the weather for tomorrow.
Here's the official press kit, timeline:
[url]http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/spacex_orbcomm_press_kit_final2.pdf[/url]
[QUOTE]
COUNTDOWN
Hour/Min Events
- 00:34 Launch Conductor takes launch readiness poll
- 00:30 RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) and liquid oxygen (LOX) 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 FIRST-STAGE LANDING
Hour/Min Events
00:01 Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
00:02:20 1st stage engine shutdown/main engine cutoff (MECO)
00:02:24 1st and 2nd stages separate
00:02:35 2nd stage engine starts
00:03 Fairing deployment
00:04 1st stage boostback burn
00:08 1st stage re-entry burn
00:10 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO)
00:10 1st stage landing
00:15 ORBCOMM satellites begin deployment
00:20 ORBCOMM satellites end deployment
00:26 1st satellite completes antenna & solar array deployment & starts transmitting
00:31 All satellites complete antenna & solar array deployment & start transmitting
[/QUOTE]
Edit: Update to second release to adjust fairing deployment time.
Wait But Why blogger will be hosting the Launch on the stream:
[url]http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/12/spacex-launch-live-webcast-and-explanation-1-21-15.html[/url]
He's the author Elon commissioned to write a few blog series about what SpaceX, Tesla, and Musk do. They're good, but very long reads.
The series starts here: [url]http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/05/elon-musk-the-worlds-raddest-man.html[/url]
Still can't understand why they deploy the fairing at +12minutes.. They are improving fuel efficiency with cooler engines, but keeping the mass of the craft higher than normal for ~9minutes more than usual.
[QUOTE=Bradyns;49362875]Still can't understand why they deploy the fairing at +12minutes.. They are improving fuel efficiency with cooler engines, but keeping the mass of the craft higher than normal for ~9minutes more than usual.[/QUOTE]
I think the load on the rocket is quite low, so they could just be keeping them on for extra payload protection.
They have released a second press kit stating fairing deployed at 3minutes.
[t]http://i.imgur.com/uE1nUcq.jpg[/t]
[editline]22nd December 2015[/editline]
2hours 30mins
To clarify for people, the picture above is a picture of SpaceX's new Landing Zone 1.
[editline]22nd December 2015[/editline]
Live stream will be up in ~20 mins!
[URL="http://www.spacex.com/webcast/"]Just went live. [/URL]
[URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5bTbVbe4e4"]YouTube Live Stream[/URL]
The YouTube livestream is 1080, while the one on the SpaceX site is only 720.
Thank god for youtube, the spacex stream freezes like a motherfucker.
Here we go!
I'm so excited, god only knows how Elon must feel, I was so gutted watching the last 2 :(
SpaceX is getting really good at doing webcasts, wow
It's so nice seeing SpaceX up and flying after I saw the last one explode in-person back in June. Here's hoping for a successful landing!
[editline]1[/editline]
Fuck yeah, they did it!
The production quality of this cast along with how hype the SpaceX employees is incredible. I can't imagine the excitement in the room if it lands, or even if it gets really close to landing. Hoping for the best
[editline]22nd December 2015[/editline]
That FUCKING LANDING THOUGH
THEY FUCKING DID IT!!!
Holy shit they did it
Everyone going absolutely nuts!!!
They did it
THEY DONE DID IT
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