August launch date decided for Falcon !

[mrmorris]

<font color="yellow">"how would you recover that first stage if it goes in orbit?"</font><br /><br />The two applications he suggested were using it as a single stage sounding rocket, or the first stage with a solid second stage (spin stabilized). Sounding rockets don't go into orbit -- by definition, and with a solid second stage -- obviously there's no need for the first to go into orbit.<br /><br />However, there's at least one problem with the Falcon-V first stage being used as a sounding rocket and still staying reusable. While a sounding rocket doesn't go into <b>orbit</b> -- it needs to go considerably higher than First-Stage Engine Cut-Off would normally occur. If FSECO normally occurs at 60km of altitude, but the sounding rocket needs to go to 120km, then recovering the stage becomes much more problematic.

 

[holmec]

Thanks. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[nacnud]

No problem, there are far too many new(ish) companies with space in the title, SpaceX t/space spacedev etc.... <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[spacefire]

oops misread mikej's post.<br />nevermind.<br /><br />as usual, MrMorris is quick to correct me! <br /><br /><br />however, I will have to correct MrMoriss now:<br />I think mike was talking about the Falcon 1, not Falcon V. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[holmec]

Oh. I knew it was one of those stages, lol. <br /><br />Its still funny! <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[holmec]

Don't feel bad, Shuttle_guy corrects me often. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[mrmorris]

<font color="yellow">"What will really stinck is when all of this becomes so common people donot apprciate it anymore. "</font><br /><br />Um yeah -- It'll really bite when that's a problem to be worried about. Manned spaceflight so common that people take it for granted. I shudder at the thought. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[spacefire]

My lifting body gets better fuel economy than your capsule, and I don't need to take it to the mechanic after every flight. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[najab]

><i>My lifting body gets better fuel economy than your capsule, and I don't need to take it to the mechanic after every flight.</i><p>What the frell is that supposed to mean?</p>

 

[nacnud]

bet its not as good as a '75 civic

 

[spacefire]

najaB-see post above mine <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[mrmorris]

<font color="yellow">"What the frell is that supposed to mean?"</font><br /><br />najaB -- you just don't appreciate the subtlety of spacefire's humor. Why just yesterday he told one of his lifting-body jokes during recess and little Timmy laughed so hard he snorted milk out of his nose.

 

[wvbraun]

spacefire's lifting body fetish is getting a little creepy if you ask me...I wonder what he will do when he finds out that NASA under Griffin will never chose Lockmart's crappy design.

 

[spacefire]

I sleep with a stuffed HL-42 toy and in my bathtub I practice emergency ditching with my inflatable CEV.<br />I also have a capsule toy but that one sinks to the bottom every time, drowning the Astronaut Ken and Astronaut Barbie aboard. This has led me to conclude that capsules are dangerous. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[wvbraun]

It's good to know how you arrived at your conclusions regarding space transportation.

 

[radarredux]

> <i><font color="yellow">that one sinks to the bottom every time, drowning the Astronaut Ken and Astronaut Barbie aboard. This has led me to conclude that capsules are dangerous.</font>/i><br /><br />LOL!<br /><br />Loved it. Its good to see such posts from time to time.</i>

 

[mrmorris]

<font color="yellow">"Its good to see such posts from time to time. "</font><br /><br />I think that you will generally find the posts about Ken & Barbie in the 'Human Biology' forum -- with a few in the 'Phenomena' forum from time to time.

 

[spacefire]

Falcon engine test aborted: see space.com<br /><br /><br />hope they are still ging tio go with an August launch. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[grooble]

Pity. They are becoming the hot date who doesn't turn up <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" />

 

[grooble]

I just checked the www.spaceflightnow.com website, it says they tested the rocket engine. <br /><br />Good luck to them i say.

 

[Blur]

Yup- it was tested on the pad at Vandenberg this morning. It all went well with the exception of a poor owl who is now deaf and severely shaken (may have to be put to sleep).

 

[grooble]

They are getting access to some good facilities hopefully, that ought to give them a boost.

 

[spacefire]

Errol got it again! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[wvbraun]

They did it. Congratulations to Musk and his team!

 

[spacefire]

the article about the pad test is also on space.com.<br /><br />these guys have a really small team at the launch site. I think the Falcon launch will be the most significant space endeavour of this year. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>