First SpaceX Launch Countdown

[shoogerbrugge]

Hmm Kistler bought its engines, but they didn't get far....<br /><br /><br />But I agree, you can't do everything yourself, some parts should come from outside the company. You can only be the expert on one thing.<br />

 

[spacefire]

I think SpaceX is fully capable of building, launching and supporting the Falcon 1 rocket.<br />I also think they will have some growing to do before they can do the same with the Falcon V or the Falcon 9. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[barrykirk]

This post is directed at the general discussion.<br /><br />Actually, Elon didn't build everything in house. There are a lot of parts that he bought from existing sources.<br /><br />An example is the communications network inside of his rockets. It's ethernet. That's an industry standard. I guarentee that he bought ethernet chips from standard electronics suppliers.<br /><br />I guarentee that for a lot of the electronics in his rockets his purchasing guys just called www.digikey.com or some similar outfit to buy the components.<br /><br />I'm sure that there is a lot of other stuff that he bought off the shelf. In fact, I've heard that he spent a lot of time looking for off the shelf stuff to use in his rockets wherever possible. He only designed the stuff in his own shop that he needed for a rocket and that wasn't general availibilty in the commericial market.<br />

 

[propforce]

Thedream... do you have an inside track on Elon? You seem to speak on behalf of him <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[propforce]

<font color="yellow">".... I would hope I can reach somewhat of that level of success but it remains to be seen. Ideally, I'd like to run a business but not sell out, just keep opening new businesses and expanding into new industries to eventually be something similiar to GE. Life long goal so i've got to get started early. ..."</font><br /><br />Admirable goal there, thedream. The U.S. need more people who share your goals <img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" /> <br /><br />So what steps are you taking in reaching that goal? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[mikejz]

Digging around the SpaceX site and found this picture <br /><br />Enjoy

 

[mattblack]

Very good luck to Elon and his team!! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p>One Percent of Federal Funding For Space: America <strong><em><u>CAN</u></em></strong> Afford it!!  LEO is a <strong><em>Prison</em></strong> -- It's time for a <em><strong>JAILBREAK</strong></em>!!</p> </div>

 

[comga]

What the heck is this? Why should I enjoy seeing Musk and team with mariachi players in some industrial room?<br /><br />This is not in their image gallery. Where did you find it?<br /><br />Again, for a group that started out releasing a blizzard of images of hardware, they have gotten very closed mouthed. <br /><br />On the other hand, some in this forum were worried about these guys' social life. Whether or not this alieviates their worries or agravates them is debatable.

 

[propforce]

Tell Elon better stop partying and get to work if he wants to launch hsi rocket on time !!! <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[barrykirk]

Were now getting closer to late november... Any word yet on a launch date, or is it too soon to tell. <br /><br />When I'm working down a punch list of problems, it's often difficult to judge when your going to run out of punch list items.

 

[jmd2003]

I really hope that Elon can make the end of November launch date. He is still the clear cost winner for American based launch systems but the launch delays do hurt his credability somewhat. I hope they have enough bandwidth out of the islands to stream the launch.<br /><br />Also, according to an article in Inside the Pentagon that was published today, the second Falcon launch, with TAC-SAT 1, is now scheduled for Febuary. The full article is available for purchase here http://defense.iwpnewsstand.com/cs_newsletters.asp?NLN=PENTAGON<br />It is in the November 10th issue. I appologize that I can't link to the full text but its liscened content.<br /><br /><br />Enjoy<br />Brian

 

[n_kitson]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>is still the clear cost winner for American based launch systems but the launch delays do hurt his credability somewhat<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />I think he is still the price winner, but with the launch delays I am highly doubtful that he is the cost winner. I've been wondering whether he has to pay penalities for the ongoing launch delays? I know that if I had a major sat sitting around in a packing crate for a few months, I'd want some kind of compensation.

 

[propforce]

Does anyone know the weight of this first payload is? Is is a DARPA payload? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[dobbins]

I don't know what the mass is, but it's a DARPA satellite developed by the Air Force Academy. The name of it is FalconSat-2. It's named after the Academy's sports mascot, not the rocket.<br /><br />

 

[urgent]

I am in good health and have always enjoyed sex.<br />I was losing my erection during intercourse and during oral sex with <br />my girlfriend.<br />It was difficult to pinpoint the problem so I decided to order some <br />Vjagrra online.<br /><br />I ordered my Vjagrra which arrived in several days. I ordered 4x100mg <br />pills and on the weekend decided to give it a go without saying <br />anything to my girlfriend <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> 35 minutes before we went to bed I took <br />half a pill, and WOW! what a difference. <br /><br />I had a rock hard erection for over an hour of non stop sex. Even <br />after I had climaxed I was ready to go again in twenty minutes, which <br />we did. this lasted for over two hours, and I was still hard in the <br />shower after. <br /><br />It was like being a teenager over again. Amazing!<br /><br />If you have a problem, try Vjagrra, it is great http://www.guidetowa.com<br />

 

[jmd2003]

The FalconSat-2 is going to be used to measure effects in space that impact GPS signals. A little more background on the satellite is available here: http://www.usafa.af.mil/superintendent/pa/factsheets/space.htm<br />According to slide 14 from the below presentation, FalconSat-2 masses only 19.5.<br />http://www.responsivespace.com/Papers/RS1%5CSESSION1%5CSELLERS%5C1005C.pdf<br /><br />The first launch is clearly critical to SpaceX. The payload will not tax the rocket in terms of mass however. That wil come on launch 2. I believe TacSat-1 is closer to the Falcon 1's design mass to orbit<br /><br /><br />The interesting payload IMHO is TacSat-2 on the second launch. A little information on TacSat-2 is available here: http://www.nrl.navy.mil/content.php?P=04REVIEW207

 

[propforce]

Thank you for the links <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[jmd2003]

Glad to help. Its amazing what one can find on google. <br /><br />One more fun one that I found off hobbyspace.<br />http://www.hobbyspace.com/nucleus/index.php?blogid=1&archive=2005-11<br />Go down to the Novemeber 4th post titled "AST/FAA COMSTAC meeting reports..." and click on the last powerpoint by MSgt. LeMaitre. In his presentation, check out the example National Launch Forcast on slide 7 and check out all of the theoretical Falcon launches. Might give some idea of the flight rate. <br /><br />Brian

 

[CalliArcale]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>I really hope that Elon can make the end of November launch date. He is still the clear cost winner for American based launch systems but the launch delays do hurt his credability somewhat.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Well, they don't hurt it as much as a catastrophic failure could. It's certainly not a business where hastiness pays off. Lots of other vehicles have endured launch delays leading up to their maiden flight, so I don't think it'll hurt him too much. Now, if there are similar delays for the <i>second</i> launch, then that could be more of a problem. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[josh_simonson]

His delays look reasonable in contrast with the current shuttle delays too...

 

[jmd2003]

I did not mean to say that the delays are unreasonable or that Elon should rush to launch the Falcon 1 before he is confortable with the level of development on the vehicle, I just wanted to state that there is an issue with managing expectations.<br /><br />If Elon had said in 2003, we are going to build the Falcon 1, a launch vehicle capable of placing 500 kg into LEO with a internally developed liquid engine that is priced at 10 million per launch by the end of 2007, I think most people that follow launches would have been very happy. Then when the Falcon 1 launches before the end of 2005 with a payload capacity of 570 kg at 6.7 million per launch, most of the community would be impressed with SpaceX's ability to deliver a clean sheet launch vehicle more than a year ahead of schedule with greater capacity than planned.<br /><br />I believe that SpaceX is one of the most exciting space companies out there. I just wish they had underpormised at the start.

 

[soyuztma]

From hobbyspace:<br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Update - Elon Musk says, "The engine test went perfectly, development is 100% complete on F1 and launch is scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend. Chafer is talking about the second launch of F1."<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />and:<br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>So to recap, the various articles on Wednesday about a Falcon I launch delay were basically correct except that they were two months late. An engine problem back in September did result in a delay in both the Kwajalein and Vanderberg launches so that additional engine testing could be carried out. Now with the final test of the Merlin 1 successfully completed, the Kwajalein launch is scheduled for the weekend of November 26-27th. If that goes well, the Vandenberg flight would be sometime in early 2006.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote> <br />They finally seem ready. Let's hope this is the final date and that the launch goes off without a hitch. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[soyuztma]

Spacex seems confident they will launch on time:<br />SpaceX to Announce Liftoff Time of the Falcon 1 Rocket: The World’s Lowest Cost Rocket to Orbit <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[comga]

This is what we have all been waiting for. Thanks for the posting. Tremendously exciting. <br /><br />"Good luck and God speed" Falcon!

 

[soyuztma]

Falconsat-2 Launch Campaign blog<br />Falconsat-2 will ride to orbit onboard the first Falcon 1 flight. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>