Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION  (Read 196549 times)

Offline shuttlefan

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #120 on: 06/20/2017 01:06 am »
Maybe something with the engines has arisen just recently and they ARE going to perform another static firing.

Offline sewebster

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #121 on: 06/20/2017 03:35 am »
Maybe they want to test their new fairing valve in the vertical orientation or in some more realistic pre-flight scenario?

But the fairing isn't attached...

Heh, makes my idea somewhat less plausible then!

Edit: Umm... I assume this is the same booster...
« Last Edit: 06/20/2017 03:37 am by sewebster »

Offline shuttlefan

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #122 on: 06/20/2017 03:52 am »
Maybe it's the booster for the next mission off Pad A after Bulgariasat, and they are going to static fire THAT one to stay on the timeline after the Bulgariasat delays. ;)

Offline TrueBlueWitt

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #123 on: 06/20/2017 03:53 am »
Maybe they want to test their new fairing valve in the vertical orientation or in some more realistic pre-flight scenario?

But the fairing isn't attached...

Heh, makes my idea somewhat less plausible then!

Edit: Umm... I assume this is the same booster...

Same booster? that raises an interesting question..
Would they leap frog the static fire of the Intelsat booster to speed up pad flow? Although mating/un-mating probably invalidates the static fire.. right? 
Or they possibly swapping boosters for some reason?
« Last Edit: 06/20/2017 04:00 am by TrueBlueWitt »

Offline shuttlefan

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #124 on: 06/20/2017 04:00 am »
Maybe they want to test their new fairing valve in the vertical orientation or in some more realistic pre-flight scenario?

But the fairing isn't attached...

Heh, makes my idea somewhat less plausible then!

Edit: Umm... I assume this is the same booster...

Same booster.. that raises an interesting question..
Would they leap frog the static fire of the Intelsat booster to speed up pad flow? Although mating/un-mating probably invalidates the static fire.. right?  Or they possibly swapping boosters for some reason?

That's precisely what I am beginning to wonder, about leapfrogging the static fire for the Intelsat booster!

Offline kevin-rf

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #125 on: 06/20/2017 10:37 am »
I thought there was only one strong back. That would require demating and destacking... Seems like a large amount of work to quickly do one test.
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Offline woods170

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #126 on: 06/20/2017 11:01 am »
Very funny to witness the ongoing discussion about potentially another static fire or leap frogging boosters.

There are more reasons than just static fires and launches for a booster to be present on the launchpad.

Never heard of AS-500F? Or the 1986 Atlantis pad tests? Just sayin...


Edit: Now that Chris has thrown it in the public thread (see post below) I can be more specific: GSE testing. Which has been done in the past with flight(like) hardware. Specifically the AS-500F and 1986 Atlantis tests that I mentioned above.
« Last Edit: 06/20/2017 12:22 pm by woods170 »

Offline Chris Bergin

So it seems that the Falcon is on the pad right now. Anyone know why?

Asking.

Can't be another static fire. Previous was deemed good and you get notices of roadblocks etc before such an event. We'll find out.

We believe it's just a GSE test opportunity with a booster on the TEL and a launch delay due to the valve R&R. Waiting for confirmation. In other words, a clever use of the opportunity of having a booster sat on the TEL during a delay not relevant to the rocket.

--

Edit: And it was. Rolling back to the HIF.
« Last Edit: 06/20/2017 01:58 pm by Chris Bergin »
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Offline Herb Schaltegger

Brady out there for NSF taking snap again :) Chris G and Philip are at the Iridium launch. We're covered ;D

https://twitter.com/TheFavoritist/status/878229330391965699
Those wide angle shots are pretty but the lens distortion makes it looks like the pad structures,  T/E and F9 are leaning! Freaked me out a bit. :)
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Offline Star One

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #129 on: 06/23/2017 01:18 pm »
Head of BulgariaSat says satellite project would be impossible without SpaceX

Quote
On the eve of the launch of his country’s first communications satellite on a Falcon 9 rocket, the chief executive of BulgariaSat credited SpaceX’s cost-cutting ways with making space accessible for small nations and money-conscious companies like his own.

Maxim Zayakov, CEO of BulgariaSat and its affiliate television provider Bulsatcom, told Spacefight Now that SpaceX’s push to reduce the cost of space transportation has yielded tangible results for his country.

“People don’t realize that, for small countries and small companies like us, without SpaceX, there was no way we would ever be able to even think about space,” Zayakov said. “With them, it was possible. We got a project. I think, in the future, it’s going to be even more affordable because of reusability.”

https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/06/22/head-of-bulgariasat-says-satellite-project-would-be-impossible-without-spacex/

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #130 on: 06/23/2017 03:50 pm »
Doesn't qualify as an update, so I'll post here:

Quote
Good luck (успех) #BulgariaSat-1! We are excited to see the first #IridiumNEXT "flight-proven" booster back in action!

https://twitter.com/iridiumcomm/status/878260847314739200

Offline Kaputnik

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #131 on: 06/23/2017 06:10 pm »
Launch pushed back an hour... F9 and payload are healthy... I, however, am not, cos I'll miss the launch now. Boo! Look forward to catching the replays.
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Offline gongora

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #132 on: 06/23/2017 06:16 pm »
Tweet from Elon Musk:
Quote
Falcon 9 will experience its highest ever reentry force and heat in today's launch. Good chance rocket booster doesn't make it back.

Going for a better orbit, or playing with a booster they don't intend to reuse more than once?

Offline dorkmo

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #133 on: 06/23/2017 06:18 pm »
Tweet from Elon Musk:
Quote
Falcon 9 will experience its highest ever reentry force and heat in today's launch. Good chance rocket booster doesn't make it back.

Going for a better orbit, or playing with a booster they don't intend to reuse more than once?

sounds like play time to me

Offline Lars-J

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #134 on: 06/23/2017 06:18 pm »
Tweet from Elon Musk:
Quote
Falcon 9 will experience its highest ever reentry force and heat in today's launch. Good chance rocket booster doesn't make it back.

Going for a better orbit, or playing with a booster they don't intend to reuse more than once?

Probably mostly the latter, I would think. A chance to see how much damage it can take.

Offline John Alan

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #135 on: 06/23/2017 06:20 pm »
Tweet from Elon Musk:
Quote
Falcon 9 will experience its highest ever reentry force and heat in today's launch. Good chance rocket booster doesn't make it back.

Going for a better orbit, or playing with a booster they don't intend to reuse more than once?

If you don't try to burn one on reentry... you will never know the limits...
I applaud the fact they are taking chances to learn where the corners are in the envelope...  8)

Offline ZachS09

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #136 on: 06/23/2017 06:21 pm »
Based on how awesome B1021 did during SES-10, I'm going to assume that B1029 makes it back alive.
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Offline The_Ronin

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #137 on: 06/23/2017 06:48 pm »
Is there no technical webcast for this launch?

Offline kevin-rf

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #138 on: 06/23/2017 06:53 pm »
Based on how awesome B1021 did during SES-10, I'm going to assume that B1029 makes it back alive.
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Offline AC in NC

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION
« Reply #139 on: 06/23/2017 06:58 pm »
Tweet from Elon Musk:
Quote
Falcon 9 will experience its highest ever reentry force and heat in today's launch. Good chance rocket booster doesn't make it back.

Going for a better orbit, or playing with a booster they don't intend to reuse more than once?

Seems like it's gotta be both considering the mass (3669kg by the Manifest Thread)

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