SPACEX ANNOUNCES THE FALCON 9

[vt_hokie]

Well, I don't want to say anything that'll get me in trouble, but let's just say I've seen my share of malfunctioning pieces of crap that won't last long enough to see their propellent reserves depleted! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[mrmorris]

Not really on-topic (i.e. not Falcon-9 related) but didn't want to start a new thread just for this tidbit. The SDC article today about the XSS-11 mentioned (and reminded me) about the upcoming Roadrunner/Tacsat-2 launch. It's early in the manifest for Falcon-1 launches. The Roadrunner is a pretty cool satellite in and of itself. A link. Lots of really cool things about the sat: low cost, rapid development, small mass, and autonomous operation. It's also got a small on-board telescope to facilitate hi-res tactical photos... I have to wonder how useful this scope would be pointed outward... would it make a good asteroid-spotter? I expect that it likely would. Anyway -- worth a look at the linked PDF.

 

[mrmorris]

Not really on-topic (i.e. not Falcon-9 related) but didn't want to start a new thread just for this tidbit. The SDC article today about the XSS-11 mentioned (and reminded me) about the upcoming Roadrunner/Tacsat-2 launch. It's early in the manifest for Falcon-1 launches. The Roadrunner is a pretty cool satellite in and of itself. A link. Lots of really cool things about the sat: low cost, rapid development, small mass, and autonomous operation. It's also got a small on-board telescope to facilitate hi-res tactical photos... I have to wonder how useful this scope would be pointed outward... would it make a good asteroid-spotter? I expect that it likely would. Anyway -- worth a look at the linked PDF.

 

[grooble]

Is there a falcon 1 launch this month? Any signs that they are preparing for a launch? Like stuff being moved to that island?

 

[grooble]

Is there a falcon 1 launch this month? Any signs that they are preparing for a launch? Like stuff being moved to that island?

 

[mrmorris]

<font color="yellow">"Any signs that they are preparing for a launch?"</font><br /><br />Everything I've read says later September... but nothing recently. I saw one article a few weeks back that they had shipped a boatload of equipment over there. Didn't find that article with a quick Google, but it was nothing specific.

 

[mrmorris]

<font color="yellow">"Any signs that they are preparing for a launch?"</font><br /><br />Everything I've read says later September... but nothing recently. I saw one article a few weeks back that they had shipped a boatload of equipment over there. Didn't find that article with a quick Google, but it was nothing specific.

 

[radarredux]

> <i><font color="yellow">but the only news they had was the status of the repairs on their boat!</font>/i><br /><br />Well... how is their boat? <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /></i>

 

[radarredux]

> <i><font color="yellow">but the only news they had was the status of the repairs on their boat!</font>/i><br /><br />Well... how is their boat? <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /></i>

 

[henryhallam]

That's a shame. I wish SpaceX would give more frequent and better-detailed updates on their website, we only seem to hear about these things second-hand.

 

[henryhallam]

That's a shame. I wish SpaceX would give more frequent and better-detailed updates on their website, we only seem to hear about these things second-hand.