SpaceX Launch Update

[edkyle99]

They are already showing more than Microsoft.

This is an example of a post to be either deleted, or moved.

Microsoft? Microsoft isn't working on a $1.6 billion taxpayer-funded project. Nevertheless, they've endured plenty of probes by U.S. and European governments, and have had to provide details of their operating systems that they did not want to provide, etc.

My posts belong in this thread because this thread is about Falcon 1 Flight 1, as are my posts.

If my on-topic posts are deleted, why should we not also delete your posts, or everyone's posts? I am following the forum guidelines to the best of my knowledge.

I am surprised that so many who claim interest in space flight are willing to be denied information about the real world of space launch. This stuff is hard, but so many want to believe it is easy. I happen to believe that if you all were able to see all of the failure details, to see what SpaceX has had to endure and overcome, you would be even more impressed by the company's story.

- Ed Kyle

 

[nimbus]

It'll be really significant if the upcoming F9 fails and they don't release that.

 

[docm]

Wet tank and countdown test was today. Details in M&L.

 

[mr_mark]

Interesting article on Dragon and Spacex. The LAS system will be built into dragon just like the draco thrusters in the same area. The fuel used would be the same that supplies the thrusters as well. That way you can escape all the way to orbit with no ejection mechanism for the LAS. Great idea. http://www.cnbc.com/id/35604813

 

[mr_mark]

Also, moderator is there a way to merge the spacex launch update and spacex update threads or just kill one. very confusing and one is just not needed. maybe just keep the falcon 9 flight 1 and the spacex update page?

 

[Gravity_Ray]

Those who know me know that I am anything but a "troll".

Mr Mark didnt give names, so if you feel the shoe fits you will have to decide if you want to wear it or not.

I am not trying to discredit SpaceX. I would like to see SpaceX succeed, and it has achieved success. In many ways, it is the last American space launch company.

Wrong, look up Orbital Sciences Corp.

...The current Falcon 9/Dragon work is being funded by taxpayers to the tune of more than $1.6 billion. ...but I would be a lot more comfortable about things if SpaceX wasn't blatantly hiding some basic, important parts of its story.

- Ed Kyle

Wrong, NASA has given SpaceX a CRS, a commercial ressuply services contract for 12 resupply missions to the ISS worth 1.6 Billion dollars. SpaceX actually has not recieved any of this money yet until the work is done. Yet another way having these commercial companies is different than the way things are done now. Money is given for work done. Not like the way things are now which is cost plus.

Not picking on you or anything, just correcting some errors.

 

[nimbus]

Interesting article on Dragon and Spacex. The LAS system will be built into dragon just like the draco thrusters in the same area. The fuel used would be the same that supplies the thrusters as well. That way you can escape all the way to orbit with no ejection mechanism for the LAS. Great idea. http://www.cnbc.com/id/35604813

Escape all the way to orbit? Why would they bother with a rocket if you only needed the LAS?

 

[mr_mark]

LAS only have enough thrust to escape the general area not lift the spacecraft to orbit. Very limited range.

 

[mr_mark]

maybe I should have said all along the way to orbit.

 

[docm]

Link to the pertinent clip....

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?play=1&video=1425741019

My take is that escape thrusters will be built into crewed Dragons, but removable for cargo versions. Shared fuel so the (probably larger diameter) lines to the LAS motors will likely be capped in the cargo version. A relatively simple solution to a complex problem.

Question now is how many motors? 2, 3 or 4? I would think 3 as a minimum to provide at least a bit of automated steering capability (keep 'em directed at the ocean for pad aborts).

 

[Jazman1985]

Building them into the vehicle is a fantastic way to solve the launch abort problem. From the interview with Musk, I assume they will be building them in house and they will simply be a larger version of the Draco thruster, so they will be using Monomethyl Hydrazine and Nitrogen Tetroxide as fuel and Oxidizer.

Simply the fact that this makes the abort system 100% reusable with maintaining the same number of pieces of craft to recover after flight should really keep the costs down.

 

[kelvinzero]

Its such a great sounding idea there must be a really good reason why other organisations don't do it.

Im a glass half empty kind of person

 

[docm]

Its such a great sounding idea there must be a really good reason why other organisations don't do it.

Im a glass half empty kind of person

Maybe it's like setting the side angle on Orion to that of Apollo instead of maximizing interior volume with the same diameter by using a higher angle like Dragon - they find one way of doing things and stick with it regardless, AKA corporate inertia. Also; NIH, not invented here.

 

[edkyle99]

I am not trying to discredit SpaceX. I would like to see SpaceX succeed, and it has achieved success. In many ways, it is the last American space launch company.

Wrong, look up Orbital Sciences Corp.

A company that is outsourcing most of its "Taurus 2" ISS resupply rocket to non-U.S. manufacturers (Ukrainian first stage powered by Russian engines - even the payload is largely Italian-built) isn't acting like a U.S. space launch company in my book.

...The current Falcon 9/Dragon work is being funded by taxpayers to the tune of more than $1.6 billion. ...but I would be a lot more comfortable about things if SpaceX wasn't blatantly hiding some basic, important parts of its story.

- Ed Kyle

Wrong, NASA has given SpaceX a CRS, a commercial ressuply services contract for 12 resupply missions to the ISS worth 1.6 Billion dollars. SpaceX actually has not recieved any of this money yet until the work is done.

My understanding is that the company gets paid for meeting milestones, many of which (design reviews, etc.) have already been met. Either way, SpaceX is working for the government.

- Ed Kyle

 

[frodo1008]

Ed, when you say:

"My understanding is that the company gets paid for meeting milestones, many of which (design reviews, etc.) have already been met. Either way, SpaceX is working for the government."

I could not agree more. But, I also think that is fine with me, as we are supposedly the government. And so, we are employing spacex to do an important job for us!

That is as terrific to me as it was for the great companies that also worked for the government back in the Apollo era. And in fact, I was an employee of one of those companies myself, and I certainly felt no shame in that at all.

NASA is practically the only real investment in the future that we the people make through our government, and that is one of the best (if not "THE" best) uses for our tax dollars. I only wish our elected representatives realized this more!!!

Also, in fact I would be more than happy to see Congress ignore that naysayers and increase NASA's already minuscule budget by what it would take to BOTH continue Constellation AND support the efforts of such as spacex for CATS. With perhaps the only provision being that NASA seriously investigate possibly less expensive and better alternatives to both the Ares I and the Ares V. Any reasonable American could not possibly call such an increase even a meaningful inflation of the deficit, let alone the overall budget!!

I really, really get tired of over the years seeing the incredible stupidity of the budget hawks in Congress blaming the budget problems of the federal government on the best program that the government has (and one of its least expensive as well), and allowing all their fat cats (banking type industry) buddies to just rob the people of this country in the meantime!!! :x :x :x :x

 

[js117]

This was posted on spacex updates also.

From
http://www.hobbyspace.com/nucleus/index ... emid=18997

Falcon Launch Report | Falcon countdown dress rehearsal a "great success" - Spaceflight Now.

I was given a message sent out within SpaceX by launch director Tim Buzza that said,
From my years on Delta, Falcon 1 at VAFB and Kwaj this was by far the smoothest test we have conducted to date. For a brand new launch pad to interact with a brand new launch vehicle without any major anomalies was a pleasant surprise. The launch team both on the pad and in the Launch Control Center acted professionally and with confidence throughout the day. It shows how extensive training and preparation pays off. We are excited to comb thru the data and begin preparations for Static Fire.
Below is a list he gave of highlights from Friday and some remaining tasks:
1. The team down on the launch pad had everything ready to go to start the day at 7am. Everything was setup perfectly to begin operations
2. Powered up the rocket, completed the 1st and 2nd Vehicle Integrity Tests (tests all sensor, valves, and misc functions on the rocket)
3. We loaded Helium checkout and the ASC bottle on the 2nd stage to 2500psia (50% MEOP) until pad clear
4. Preloaded Helium to the arde bottles to 1,000 psi
5. Pad Air Conditioning to the Avionics suite hummed along at 70 deg F and 50% RH keeping all the equipment happy and dry (changed to GN2 and 90 deg F before cryo load)
6. Performed Engine Purge Checks (76 lb/s at startup) – nominal
7. Cleared the launch pad to the fallback area.
8. Started the countdown clock at T-2.5 hrs
9. Simulated Range checks for MLO, holdfire, and launch inhibit
10. Ramped ACS bottle fill (we cryo load) and He Checkout to 4950 psig
11. Lowered the strongback nominally
12. Loaded Lox on both stages to 98%, entered topping mode and held liftoff levels thru to T-zero
13. Loaded Fuel in 20 minutes on both stages. Load within .15% of target (will confirm with data review)
14. Eagle Eye proved valuable w/Launch Commit Criteria (LCC;s) at pad preps, countdown, and terminal all nominal
15. Global warnings worked well keeping an eye on everything and letting us know when things were off nominal
16. Started Terminal Count at T-10 min
__a. Completed self align
__b. TVC2 wiggles
__c. Went internal
__d. Lox closeout
__e. Entered vehicle startup at T-60 seconds
__f. TVC1 wiggles
__g. Pressed the tanks at T-40 seconds
__h. Aborted at T-10 seconds using pad abort system
17. Completed automated Terminal Count Abort to safe vehicle and pad
18. Detanked and raised strongback
19. Safed Pad
20. Powered down on Rocket

So what’s left:
1. Lot’s of data to scrub thru
2. Spin start valve timing checks
3. Tea-Teb cold flows (planned)
Posted 02/27/10 | 03:12:56 by TopSpacer | Filed under: Transport Companies

Comments
Nice to hear the WDR went well. Looks like the 1st stage paint job wasn't stellar, though. There are substantial bits of paint that have visibly fallen/peeled off, presumably some time after detanking.

Sporadic flakes can be seen falling off even now in the live LC-40 feed. F9 is transforming from a "sleek white booster" into one sick-looking puppy. Curious, considering how many cryo cycles they had on a run tank in Texas previously and this flight stage. One too many

Also a live feed of the Pad from http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/

http://kscwmserv1.ksc.nasa.gov/ae%20video%20channel%201

 

[Swampcat]

Also, moderator is there a way to merge the spacex launch update and spacex update threads or just kill one. very confusing and one is just not needed. maybe just keep the falcon 9 flight 1 and the spacex update page?

I agree.

I realize this thread is a general SpaceX launch update as opposed to Falcon 9 Flight 1 specifically, but there is already a general SpaceX update thread and a Falcon 9 M&L thread. This one seems superfluous.

 

[Swampcat]

I'm amazed that so many would rather live in blissful ignorance!

- Ed Kyle

And you're obsessed with seeing that video.

I hear it's on NSF.com

BTW, we're all ignorant...just about different things.

 

[edkyle99]

I'm amazed that so many would rather live in blissful ignorance!

- Ed Kyle

And you're obsessed with seeing that video.

I hear it's on NSF.com

You've heard incorrectly. There is no such video on NSF.

- Ed Kyle