August launch date decided for Falcon !

spacefire · May 23, 2005

http://www.space.com/adastra/050523_musk_nss.html Who else is excited about this? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.comhttp://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </div>

nacnud · May 23, 2005

rubicondsrv · May 23, 2005

now if only i could convince my parents to go on vacation to california in august. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

elguapoguano · May 23, 2005

Yeah, I'd like to see her fly. But I'm not going to get all anxious, so many delays already. I won't be holding my breath for an August Launch... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Don't let your sig line incite a gay thread ;>) </div>

spacefire · May 23, 2005

let's cross our fingers. It would make 2005 a good year for the private industry. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.comhttp://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </div>

grooble · May 23, 2005

Even more than the Falcon launch, i'm looking forward to Bigelow getting his test module up there.

mrmorris · May 23, 2005

Despite the fact that no capsules are involved -- I am indeed excited about this. Although I was also excited about the scheduled January, February, April, May, and July launch dates as well... <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> What I found more interesting in that article was the note about them completing their Marshall Islands pad at the Kwajalein Atoll. I was wondering about the feasibility of launching cargo/people to the ISS -- or Bigelow's CSS, so I checked the latitude. It's at about 8 degrees north -- so definitely not the best for the ISS. Pretty good for Geosynch, and indeterminate for BSS since we don't know what inclination that will have. However -- since the US has the Marshall islands, and Russia is able to use Kourou at 5.3 degrees N -- a commercial space station around that inclination might well be what he decides on. It will make for the most efficient launching of mass to orbit. Of course if he were to make it about 10 degrees south -- he would also make Woomera at 31 degrees S. a reasonable launch site in addition to the other two. Decisions decisions... <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

henryhallam · May 23, 2005

I was wondering about the feasibility of launching cargo/people to the ISS -- or Bigelow's CSS, so I checked the latitude. It's at about 8 degrees north -- so definitely not the best for the ISS. Pretty good for Geosynch, and indeterminate for BSS since we don't know what inclination that will have. Actually an equatorial launch site is the best no matter what your desired orbital inclination is (as long as it's prograde). That is to say, best in terms of payload lifted on a given launch vehicle. However there is a disadvantage in that launch windows are shorter than they are at a latitude equal to the inclination of the orbit (i.e. for ISS which has an inclination of 51.6 degrees, you get best payload launching from the equator but longest daily launch windows from Baikonur). I don't think the launch windows from the Marshall Islands or Kourou would be MUCH shorter than those from KSC though (although I don't have the numbers on that one). By launch window I mean the daily window, i.e. how many minutes each day you can launch, rather than how often those windows appear (although Baikonur is better for that, too). The absolute best payload for your money is achieved by launching from an equatorial site into an orbit with zero inclination. It gets worse if you move the launch site away from the equator, and also if you increase the inclination of the orbit. But an equatorial site is better than a high latitude one for the same orbit.

krrr · May 23, 2005

<blockquote>In reply to:<hr />I was wondering about the feasibility of launching cargo/people to the ISS -- or Bigelow's CSS, so I checked the latitude. It's at about 8 degrees north -- so definitely not the best for the ISS.<hr /></blockquote> Why do you think an equatorial launch site is bad for an ISS orbit? It's optimal for any inclination. A plane change from 0 degrees to 51 degrees at (essentially) 0 km/s is not equivalent to a plane change from 51 degrees to 0 degrees at 7.8 km/s. How would the Ariane 5 ES be able to lift 21 tons from Kourou to a 51 degree orbit if that were true?

henryhallam · May 23, 2005

Have there been any Shuttle missions where the orbiter needed to make a "significant" plane change? (more than just a couple of minutes of arc to clean up the orbit from ascent)

apollo_18 · May 23, 2005

Yeah I agree . A low-cost launch capability in private hands would be the best news for any of us space-fans. I really hope they are able to pull it off . <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

nacnud · May 24, 2005

Well he has already stated that he wants to build a F1 class engine, (150000 lb thrust). If this engine were to be used as the current Merlin engine to produce a single engine heavy launch vehicle and a five engine super heavy launch vehicle what sort of scale vehicles would result?

arobie · May 24, 2005

Spaced_Case, I absolutely love the sound of 'big gulps'! The BFR rumors are beginning to sound much more true!

nacnud · May 24, 2005

I must have failed in my copy and paste from astronautix <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" />, oh hum. 1,500,000lb thats a lot more thrust <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" />

mikejz · May 24, 2005

If you go over to RLV News, you'll notice a quick summery of a Musk speech. Highlights: 1. After the Falcon V, They plan to develop a booster to put 60,000 lbs in LEO. 2. Target price is $500/lb by the end of the decade. A single F-1 class engine might be able to fit the bill for 60,000lbs. It seems like Musk is going to go after DoD contacts, (2010 is I believe when the current Dod contacts with Boeing and Lockheed are up until) Of course he could also follow the same development phase with going from a single engine to a cluster...I think we all know what that means.

holmec · May 24, 2005

GREAT!. Does anyone know what they will use as a first stage. Ie. what plane they will use for this launch? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off </div>

henryhallam · May 24, 2005

SpaceX launches are all from "ordinary" launchpads on the ground, they have not announced any intention to launch anything from the air.

holmec · May 24, 2005

Hmmm. I thought that was part of the design of the Falcon. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off </div>

nacnud · May 24, 2005

No its part of the design from t/space with the CXV not spaceX

mikejz · May 24, 2005

One of the things that I have been wondering is the cost split between the first and second stage. If the first stage turns out to be reusable It would be nice to see it offered as a single stage sounding rocket or with a spin-stablizied solid second stage to put a few-100-lbs to leo.

spacefire · May 24, 2005

how would you recover that first stage if it goes in orbit? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.comhttp://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </div>

holmec · May 24, 2005

OK I'm up to speed now on this rocket. just read : http://www.spacex.com/payloaduserguide.pdf Reliability. I can get behind that idea! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off </div>

holmec · May 24, 2005

And I'm liking the FalconV. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off </div>

holmec · May 24, 2005

I guess its not supposed to go into orbit but splash down. But maybe you can wait 20 years to recover it. lol, like the Saturn V part that revisited earth. But I think that was the 2nd stage and it went into a solar orbit. I still laugh at that. I guess - "what goes around, comes around" <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off </div>

holmec · May 24, 2005

Is this the first cost effective booster at $5.9 million for a payload of 1480 lbs.? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off </div>

August launch date decided for Falcon !

spacefire

Guest

nacnud

Guest

rubicondsrv

Guest

elguapoguano

Guest

spacefire

Guest

grooble

Guest

mrmorris

Guest

henryhallam

Guest

krrr

Guest

henryhallam

Guest

apollo_18

Guest

nacnud

Guest

arobie

Guest

nacnud

Guest

mikejz

Guest

holmec

Guest

henryhallam

Guest

holmec

Guest

nacnud

Guest

mikejz

Guest

spacefire

Guest

holmec

Guest

holmec

Guest

holmec

Guest

holmec

Guest

Similar threads

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Share this page