Space stuff (NASA, UKSA, CSA, ESA, etc)

DarkAudit

DarkAudit

SpaceflightNow twitter feed giving better updates than the official SpaceX feed. As I type this, liftoff planned for 3:45pm EST, but I'm gonna bet it scrubs for the day.
 
Dave

Dave

Staff member
The video I posted is to a live feed. When it gets to be time they'll cut back to it. Until then you get PBS with Falcon sitting in the background.
 
Dave

Dave

Staff member
Yup. Much better feed than the one I posted. I was just coming in to post this video as well.
 
strawman

strawman

It is astounding that everything went as well as it did. I dragged the kids who were at home in to watch it - the little ones didn't really care or pay attention, but I think the big kids had an idea of just what happened.[DOUBLEPOST=1517952760,1517952298][/DOUBLEPOST]
 
strawman

strawman

I'm glad they shined that car up good, there's a neat mirror of earth on the side panel even when the earth isn't in the camera view.
 
strawman

strawman

I'm guessing it was intentional once they determined they had more fuel. "We can not only go to mars, but well beyond."

Plus it's a good idea to use up all the remaining fuel. A floating satellite is bad enough (ie, not very bad) but one that has leftover O2 and kerosene is worse (ie, still not very bad).
 
strawman

strawman

Launch window 4:12pm to 6:22pm EDT - notable as it's the latest major change to the first stage launch vehicle, intended to allow a 24 hour turnaround time of the first stage. Hopefully that 24 hour turnaround time is demonstrated later this year. Last year they demonstrated the ability to turn the launch pad and launch control around in 24 hours, but bringing a first stage in from the landing pad, loading a second stage onto it, refueling it, and launching it 24 hours after the previous launch would be a huge accomplishment. The ability to do that on a regular basis would decrease the cost of spaceflight substantially again, on top of reusable vehicles, and all the other cost optimizations they've already made.

It's another step towards the big rockets that will need to be capable of turnaround in a matter of hours.



"The Bangabandhu Satellite-1 mission will be the first to utilize Falcon 9 Block 5, the final substantial upgrade to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle. Falcon 9 Block 5 is designed to be capable of 10 or more flights with very limited refurbishment as SpaceX continues to strive for rapid reusability and extremely high reliability. Following stage separation, SpaceX will attempt to land Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. "
 
evilmike

evilmike

stienman said:
Launch window 4:12pm to 6:22pm EDT - notable as it's the latest major change to the first stage launch vehicle, intended to allow a 24 hour turnaround time of the first stage. Hopefully that 24 hour turnaround time is demonstrated later this year. Last year they demonstrated the ability to turn the launch pad and launch control around in 24 hours, but bringing a first stage in from the landing pad, loading a second stage onto it, refueling it, and launching it 24 hours after the previous launch would be a huge accomplishment. The ability to do that on a regular basis would decrease the cost of spaceflight substantially again, on top of reusable vehicles, and all the other cost optimizations they've already made.

It's another step towards the big rockets that will need to be capable of turnaround in a matter of hours.



"The Bangabandhu Satellite-1 mission will be the first to utilize Falcon 9 Block 5, the final substantial upgrade to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle. Falcon 9 Block 5 is designed to be capable of 10 or more flights with very limited refurbishment as SpaceX continues to strive for rapid reusability and extremely high reliability. Following stage separation, SpaceX will attempt to land Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. "
Click to expand...
Bangabandhu Satellite-1.jpg
 
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