Author Topic: SpaceX Reusable Falcon 9 (Grasshopper ONLY) DISCUSSION Thread (3)  (Read 830045 times)

Offline JBF

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http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/media/20110922%20spacex%20grasshopper%20draft%20ea.final.pdf

Originally the altitude limit discussed was 11,500' and IIRC Musk was talking about exceeding mach 1 with grasshopper at McGregor which would be taking it quite a bit higher than 1000'. I don't know if they've said anything about the timetable for moving the testing but it might be a ways off with a lot still to be done in Texas.

The FAA sharply limited the height due to the proximity of inhabited towns. The current license is restricted to 2500'AGL
https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/launch_license/active_permits/media/EP_12-008_Oct_18.pdf
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Offline mrmandias

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No video yet?

Offline plank

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No video yet?

That's what I'm trying to figure out too.  Was there an actual test flight?

Offline neoforce

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No video yet?

That's what I'm trying to figure out too.  Was there an actual test flight?

Seems to be within the normal posting for grasshopper flights:

flight of 9/21, youtube post on 9/24 
flight of 11/1, youtube on 11/5
flight 12/17, youtube 12/23
flight 3/7, youtube 3/11
flight 4/17, youtube 4/22
flight 6/14, youtube posting on ???

Note those are the date uploaded to space-x youtube channel.  There were some videos shown other times.  For example, I remember I was watching elon on a livestream of some conference when he showed the first hoverslam and he said it was brand new.

But in general, 4 to five days to put on Youtube seems the norm, and while I'm sure a lot of the test engineers are working nights and weekends, the PR department had a weekend off since Friday's latest grashopper flight. 

Offline Lars_J

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The first place to be learn of new GrassHopper videos is usually Elon Musk's twitter account:

https://twitter.com/elonmusk
« Last Edit: 06/17/2013 07:26 pm by Lars_J »

Offline neoforce

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The first place to be learn of new GrassHopper videos is usually Elon Musk's twitter account:

https://twitter.com/elonmusk

You are indeed correct, and I have him and space-x set up so I get a text when they tweet.

When I posted the list of YouTube dates above, that was easier to find than going through all of his tweets.  But I just checked for the last Hop and it was indeed the same date as the YouTube upload, 4/22 for a test on 4/17.  https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/326500735233712129

So, we should see the video in a day or two.

Offline CardBoardBoxProcessor

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Shotwells speech showed nothing new grasshopper wise. Even though the 6-14 flight had already happened. it did show some of other new stuff. like the F-9R second stage test.

Offline neoforce

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Shotwells speech showed nothing new grasshopper wise. Even though the 6-14 flight had already happened. it did show some of other new stuff. like the F-9R second stage test.

Shotwell's TEDx speech appears to have been on June 4th.  (https://twitter.com/TEDxChapmanU

She also mentioned they were five of five on Grasshopper and the 6/14 flight was number six.

Offline mlindner

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Shotwells speech showed nothing new grasshopper wise. Even though the 6-14 flight had already happened. it did show some of other new stuff. like the F-9R second stage test.

Shotwell's TEDx speech appears to have been on June 4th.  (https://twitter.com/TEDxChapmanU

She also mentioned they were five of five on Grasshopper and the 6/14 flight was number six.

The video also contains tests of the upper stage engine. It also contains a video of the first test of the F9 1.1 stage which had engine cutoff a few seconds into the test. We haven't seen these videos before.
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Offline Prober

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Shotwells speech showed nothing new grasshopper wise. Even though the 6-14 flight had already happened. it did show some of other new stuff. like the F-9R second stage test.

Shotwell's TEDx speech appears to have been on June 4th.  (https://twitter.com/TEDxChapmanU

She also mentioned they were five of five on Grasshopper and the 6/14 flight was number six.

enjoyed that, sure some details Chris can pick out for his next article.
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Offline manboy

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Shotwells speech showed nothing new grasshopper wise. Even though the 6-14 flight had already happened. it did show some of other new stuff. like the F-9R second stage test.

Shotwell's TEDx speech appears to have been on June 4th.  (https://twitter.com/TEDxChapmanU

She also mentioned they were five of five on Grasshopper and the 6/14 flight was number six.

The video also contains tests of the upper stage engine. It also contains a video of the first test of the F9 1.1 stage which had engine cutoff a few seconds into the test. We haven't seen these videos before.
I'm going to go ahead and link those videos here for the convenience of other members.

Upperstage engine firing -

F9 1.1 first stage firing -

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Offline spectre9

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Thanks for linking that, I didn't want to watch it all.

I notice she says "That's a spectacular video" in reference to a Grasshopper failure.

Is that a hint as to the outcome of flight 6?

Offline neoforce

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Thanks for linking that, I didn't want to watch it all.

I notice she says "That's a spectacular video" in reference to a Grasshopper failure.

Is that a hint as to the outcome of flight 6?

The talk was before flight 6.  So, while she talked about a potential spectacular video, she was talking about something that could happen, about pushing testing to the limit.  She could not have been talking about the outcome of GH flight 6.

Offline PreferToLurk

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Kinda of surprised that they would
publicly acknowledge
the new grasshopper test (Chris's new article), but not release the video at the same time.  Maybe the PR department is readying new music for this one?  I hope they don't decide that grasshopper tests are getting boring and stop releasing the videos unless they break major milestones. 



Offline neoforce

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No video yet?

That's what I'm trying to figure out too.  Was there an actual test flight?

Seems to be within the normal posting for grasshopper flights:

flight of 9/21, youtube post on 9/24 
flight of 11/1, youtube on 11/5
flight 12/17, youtube 12/23
flight 3/7, youtube 3/11
flight 4/17, youtube 4/22
flight 6/14, youtube posting on ???

Note those are the date uploaded to space-x youtube channel.  There were some videos shown other times.  For example, I remember I was watching elon on a livestream of some conference when he showed the first hoverslam and he said it was brand new.

But in general, 4 to five days to put on Youtube seems the norm, and while I'm sure a lot of the test engineers are working nights and weekends, the PR department had a weekend off since Friday's latest grashopper flight. 

Space-X has tons of things on their plate, and in terms of communications I would prefer they spend their time talking to Chris than posting a GH video.

Still, its now been longer between flight and video posting for flight number six than it has been for any previous flight, so I hope we see it soon!

Offline beancounter

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Thanks for linking that, I didn't want to watch it all.

I notice she says "That's a spectacular video" in reference to a Grasshopper failure.

Is that a hint as to the outcome of flight 6?

The talk was before flight 6.  So, while she talked about a potential spectacular video, she was talking about something that could happen, about pushing testing to the limit.  She could not have been talking about the outcome of GH flight 6.

I seem to recall Elon saying something like if they didn't at some stage crash GH then they weren't testing hard enough.  Wonder if 6 will be / was it?
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Online FutureSpaceTourist

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We already know GH flight 6 was a success, first on L2 and then publicly:

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/06/reducing-risk-ground-testing-recipe-spacex-success/:

Quote
The latest “hop” of the Grasshopper took place last week, achieving a huge 325 meter leap into the air, before successfully landing after 68 seconds in the air.

So they're a bit slower posting the video than previously; I don't see that turning a success into a failure ...

Offline spectre9

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OK fair enough.

No splattered grasshopper.

I can't wait to see it happen though. I feel there's a promise that it will happen.

Offline Chris Bergin

Can everyone calm down. You sound like a bunch of young girls upset about Justin Bieber delaying the release of his latest "music" video.

Thread trim.
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Offline Planetes

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I believe the best way to get our minds off the much awaited Grasshopper video is to speculate a bit about the next tests.

After reading Gwynne Shotwell's interview on <a href="http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/space/news/spacex-president-gwynne-shotwell-the-case-for-commercial-rockets-15608331>this article[/url] a specific part about the Grasshopper tests caught my eye:
Quote
The tests are going beautifully, which fundamentally means we're not pushing the envelope hard enough. We should have some failures with Grasshopper. We need to push harder.

What does "push harder" mean?How much harder can this Grasshopper version be pushed before failing?Are we talking about a simple test height increase or an addition of horizontal momentum to test the flight software?I believe that a horizontal momentum test would be more appropriate before the CASSIOPE satellite launch and the water landing on September.

I would like to hear some of your informed guesses, as I am still just a first year engineering student, and have almost no clue what I am talking about!  ;)
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