SpaceX Launch Update

[nacnud]

<img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" />

 

[vt_hokie]

Look at the bright side - at least it's unmanned!

 

[Swampcat]

Looks like we may have to wait for SFN to report something. They're usually good at that sort of thing...unless the video comes back. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>

 

[llivinglarge]

Vanguard'd...

 

[blacknebula]

Vehicle lost <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" />

 

[nacnud]

NSF had a conference call going shortly before launch, checking now.

 

[llivinglarge]

2238 GMT (5:38 p.m. EST)<br /><br />"We did lose the vehicle," says Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX vice president of business development.

 

[tap_sa]

Oh ******! <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" />

 

[yurkin]

2230 GMT (5:30 p.m. EST)<br /><br />The onboard video camera showed the vehicle beginning a distinct rolling motion. The video signal was lost immediately. All has gone silent. <br /><br />from spaceflightnow<br /><br />Yah this ones a goner.

 

[baktothemoon]

How do you know? Are you sure?

 

[SpaceKiwi]

Yeah, but 800K of US Air Force Academy cadet-built spacecraft might have just bit the big one. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>

 

[Swampcat]

Yep, saw that at SFN. Too bad. It's a big disappointment. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>

 

[tap_sa]

spaceflightnow.com:<br /><br />"We did lose the vehicle," says Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX vice president of business development.

 

[nacnud]

<font color="yellow">Vehicle lost <br /><br /><font color="white">source?</font></font>

 

[llivinglarge]

Were there any ground cameras?

 

[nacnud]

The first stage blancket might not have released properlty

 

[llivinglarge]

# FalconSAT-2 - Scheduled for launch on the maiden flight of SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket, on March 24, 2005 at 21:00 GMT (9:00 local time at Kwajalein Atoll), as a DARPA-sponsored payload. Originally scheduled for launch on STS-114 with the Space Shuttle Atlantis in January 2003. Includes a MESA instrument (Miniaturized electrostatic Analyzer), which will be used to sample plasma in the upper atmosphere. The data will be used to correlate the effect of ionospheric plasma on trans-ionospheric radio communications.

 

[jschaef5]

It appeared to ascend perfectly fine for maybe a good 5+ seconds though. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[baktothemoon]

Did the ground cameras catch anything of what happened?

 

[SpaceKiwi]

How far into flight? Only sounds like T+15-20 seconds. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>

 

[tap_sa]

You bet the ground cameras covered everything, but they aint showing it yet to the public.

 

[mikejz]

If it was the thermal blinket, then the LOX bit them in the ass once again.

 

[blacknebula]

"About a minute or so" according to Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX vice president of business development.

 

[bad_drawing]

When the video feed was cutting in and out and showing the occasional scare frames... i was for once in my life praying that i had a bad internet connection.

 

[nacnud]

Aparently the first minute + of flight was good