SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch, June 4, 2010

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Boris_Badenov

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

index.php
 
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tgeairn

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

lol Boris!

Also, from SFN:
1720 GMT (12:20 p.m. EST)
The strongback fueling tower has retracted away from the Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral. Whether this activity is a test or a sign that the booster will soon be fueled is unclear. The latest information we received from SpaceX indicated the static fire may occur today, but stormy weather is prevalent across the Space Coast.

I was unable to find a live video stream (see Boris, above :) ), so I guess it's business-as-usual for Space-X.
 
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MeteorWayne

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/001/status.html

Excerpts:

Elon Musk, SpaceX's founder and CEO, has provided the following update on the cause of Tuesday's aborted launch pad engine test:
"The valve that didn't actuate is the ground side isolation valve to release ground supplied high pressure helium to start the first stage engine turbopumps spinning at several thousand rpm. Once that happens it generates enough pressure to start the gas generator, which is a small rocket engine that powers the turbopump. There are no vehicle side valves actuated for spin start (just check valves), so it is an all engines or none situation.

The problem was pretty simple: our autostart sequence didn't issue the command to the normally closed ground side isolation valve. We had tested everything on the vehicle side exhaustively in Texas, but didn't have this iso valve on our test stand there. Definitely a lesson learned to make sure that *everything* is the same between test stand and launch pad on the ground side, not just on the vehicle side.
..............

"If all goes well, we will try the static fire again in the next few days. Right now, we are holding due to extreme weather. It is raining sideways at 46 mph and tornados have been spotted just north of the Cape.

It is important for readers to appreciate that what we are going through right now is the equivalent of "beta testing." Problems are expected to occur, as they have throughout the development phase. The beta phase only ends when a rocket has done at least one, but arguably two or three consecutive flights to orbit."
...

SpaceX is planning April 12 as their new launch date on the Eastern Range, according to the Air Force. The launch window would be between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. EDT. But the new launch date is still pending Air Force approval.
 
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vulture4

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

There are a few Constellaiton supporters who are going to say that SpaceX can't safely fly people if they lose a vehicle in testing. I would agree with Mr. Musk that the system is still in test and even if one or two vehicles are lost that doesn't mean the design is inadequate as long as the problems can be corrected and funds are available to keep flying. On the other hand, the Ares was not going to be cost-effective even if it never hasd a full-scale failure. It's far better to keep the system simple and correct the problems than to add the multiple layers of redundency and procedures that NASA tends to demand.
 
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MeteorWayne

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

This post would be better off in the SpaceX thread in Space Business and Technlology. This discussion is strictly for the
Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch
 
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MeteorWayne

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

js meant 12:30 PM, a few minutes from now.
 
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Boris_Badenov

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

There's not much of a crowd for the Hot Fire. Looks like it's just you & me Wayne.
 
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Boris_Badenov

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

The View on the video really sucks.
 
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js117

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

Hope they have a better camera angle for launch.
 
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MeteorWayne

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

Well, something happened, but the camera view is too far away and shaky to confirm if it was a 3.5 second test or another abort like the other day.
 
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MeteorWayne

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

From SFN:

1730 GMT (12:30 p.m. EST)
IGNITION. The Falcon 9 rocket's nine Merlin engines have fired for a brief test at Complex 40.
 
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Boris_Badenov

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

Well, it looked like it fired.
 
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js117

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

They sure didn't whant a good camera view.
 
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Boris_Badenov

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

Mission status on SpaceFlight Now says it did.
 
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js117

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

I'm just sure that SFN would have used the closer camera if they could. So my guess is that someone (probably SpaceX) wants to restrict the flow of information. Not that I blame them, but it is frustrating for geeks like us who would sit around on Saturday watching a video feed of a test procedure.

Somebody put this on www.Nasaspaceflight.com
 
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MeteorWayne

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

Final word from SFN:

1810 GMT (1:10 p.m. EST)
This will conclude our live stream of today's test. Unfortunately, suitable camera angles were blocked from the public's view during this critical milestone for the Falcon 9 rocket
 
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MeteorWayne

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

From SFN:


http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/0 ... taticfire/

2355 GMT (6:55 p.m. EST Tues.)
SpaceX successfully fired the Falcon 9 rocket's nine Merlin engines on a Florida launch pad Saturday, completing a key preflight test before the privately-developed booster is cleared for launch in April.
The 15-story rocket's first stage engines ignited at 12:30 p.m. EST (1730 GMT), sending a plume of smoke out of the flame trench at Cape Canaveral's Complex 40. The nine engines ramped up to more than 800,000 pounds of thrust and burned for a handful of seconds, meeting all the company's test objectives, according to SpaceX.

"Today, SpaceX successfully completed a test firing of the inaugural Falcon 9 launch vehicle at Space Launch Complex 40 located at Cape Canaveral," the company said in a written statement. "Following a nominal terminal countdown, the launch sequencer commanded ignition of all 9 Merlin first stage engines for a period of 3.5 seconds."


2029 GMT (3:29 p.m. EST)
SpaceX released the following statement this afternoon:
"Today, SpaceX successfully completed a test firing of the inaugural Falcon 9 launch vehicle at Space Launch Complex 40 located at Cape Canaveral. Following a nominal terminal countdown, the launch sequencer commanded ignition of all 9 Merlin first stage engines for a period of 3.5 seconds.

"Just prior to engine ignition, the pad water deluge system was activated providing acoustic suppression to keep vibration levels within acceptable limits. The test validated the launch pad propellant and pneumatic systems as well as the ground and flight control software that controls pad and launch vehicle configurations. The completion of a successful static fire is the latest milestone on the path to first flight of the Falcon 9 which will carry a Dragon spacecraft qualification unit to orbit."
 
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Boris_Badenov

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFbziCQG9FI[/youtube]
 
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edkyle99

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

MeteorWayne":11s48nek said:
Final word from SFN:

1810 GMT (1:10 p.m. EST)
This will conclude our live stream of today's test. Unfortunately, suitable camera angles were blocked from the public's view during this critical milestone for the Falcon 9 rocket

SpaceX will regret shutting the media out if things go bad on launch day.

- Ed Kyle
 
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mr_mark

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Re: Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Flight 1 Launch

Ed, Spacex has gone WAY out of their way to provide accurate coverage of all testing of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle. I don't understand why you keep saying Spacex is not upfront with their coverage. If you don't think Spacex is upfront, just compare them to other private space firms such as ULA and Orbital Sciences. Spacex is way more forward with coming up with information for the public and many of us here at the space.com boards greatly appeciate it.
 
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