Author Topic: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion Thread 1  (Read 790160 times)

Offline Basto

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 159
  • Salt Lake City, UT
  • Liked: 145
  • Likes Given: 204
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #540 on: 12/28/2017 02:57 pm »
Might just be the angle or an artifact of the photo (or the earlier renders), but the interstage/2nd stage looks longer/taller than renders over the past years...
(that is, the PLF appears higher/farther from the side boosters)

It looks consistent with the renders on SpaceX’s website.

Offline cebri

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 245
  • Spain
  • Liked: 291
  • Likes Given: 181
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #541 on: 12/28/2017 03:03 pm »
A "clearer" shot.

Quote


Credit to @ExploreSpaceKSC
« Last Edit: 12/28/2017 03:03 pm by cebri »
"It's kind of amazing that a window of opportunity is open for life to beyond Earth, and we don't know how long this window is gonna be open" Elon Musk
"If you want to see an endangered species, get up and look in the mirror." John Young

Online Johnnyhinbos

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3863
  • Boston, MA
  • Liked: 8095
  • Likes Given: 943
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #542 on: 12/28/2017 03:08 pm »
Two questions:

1) Is that a BLACK landing leg on the left-hand booster or just a play of the light?

2) Are people saying that the FH interstage / 2nd stage is longer than the F9? If so, that's news to me - I thought that the FH and the F9 were the same height...
John Hanzl. Author, action / adventure www.johnhanzl.com

Offline nacnud

  • Extreme Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2691
  • Liked: 981
  • Likes Given: 347
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #543 on: 12/28/2017 03:12 pm »
I think the 'landing leg' you are seeing is a rain bird.

Offline Ben the Space Brit

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7206
  • A spaceflight fan
  • London, UK
  • Liked: 806
  • Likes Given: 900
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #544 on: 12/28/2017 03:14 pm »
Quote
It is real! Look at that @SpaceX  #FalconHeavy 🚀 View from Playalinda National Seashore vista. @NASASpaceflight @lorengrush

https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/946404807379771394

It's good to see FH-001 on the pad. Maybe, in the not-too-distant future, we'll be seeing crewed BLEO flights from LC-39A again!
"Oops! I left the silly thing in reverse!" - Duck Dodgers

~*~*~*~

The Space Shuttle Program - 1981-2011

The time for words has passed; The time has come to put up or shut up!
DON'T PROPAGANDISE, FLY!!!

Offline billh

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 778
  • Houston
  • Liked: 1098
  • Likes Given: 792

Offline Rocket Science

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10586
  • NASA Educator Astronaut Candidate Applicant 2002
  • Liked: 4548
  • Likes Given: 13523
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #546 on: 12/28/2017 03:17 pm »
FH "fills up the pad" quite nicely... 8)
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

Offline Ben the Space Brit

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7206
  • A spaceflight fan
  • London, UK
  • Liked: 806
  • Likes Given: 900
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #547 on: 12/28/2017 03:32 pm »
Maybe more knowledgable folks  than me can say: As there is no launch license in place for the FH Demo Launch that I am aware of, what is the earliest possible date from today that they can launch this vehicle?
"Oops! I left the silly thing in reverse!" - Duck Dodgers

~*~*~*~

The Space Shuttle Program - 1981-2011

The time for words has passed; The time has come to put up or shut up!
DON'T PROPAGANDISE, FLY!!!

Online Herb Schaltegger

Maybe more knowledgable folks  than me can say: As there is no launch license in place for the FH Demo Launch that I am aware of, what is the earliest possible date from today that they can launch this vehicle?
The FAA has sometimes issued prior launch licenses the day before a launch, even on a weekend.
Ad astra per aspirin ...

Online gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10205
  • US
  • Liked: 13885
  • Likes Given: 5933
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #549 on: 12/28/2017 03:44 pm »
Maybe more knowledgable folks  than me can say: As there is no launch license in place for the FH Demo Launch that I am aware of, what is the earliest possible date from today that they can launch this vehicle?
The FAA has sometimes issued prior launch licenses the day before a launch, even on a weekend.

...and the license might not be publicly posted on the FAA web site until after the launch has already happened (maybe not even then).

Offline dpark

  • Member
  • Posts: 60
  • Eastern Washington
  • Liked: 57
  • Likes Given: 42
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #550 on: 12/28/2017 06:04 pm »
I think the 'landing leg' you are seeing is a rain bird.
So no landing legs yet, huh? Was that expected for the WDR?

Offline Lars-J

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6809
  • California
  • Liked: 8485
  • Likes Given: 5384
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #551 on: 12/28/2017 06:06 pm »
I think the 'landing leg' you are seeing is a rain bird.
So no landing legs yet, huh? Was that expected for the WDR?

They are there. Just white. Look closer in the image from this post: http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=42705.msg1765037#msg1765037
« Last Edit: 12/28/2017 06:06 pm by Lars-J »

Offline ketivab

  • Member
  • Posts: 12
  • Liked: 31
  • Likes Given: 16
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #552 on: 12/28/2017 06:09 pm »
I think the 'landing leg' you are seeing is a rain bird.
So no landing legs yet, huh? Was that expected for the WDR?
It has white landing legs. See THESE photos from Elon.  ;)

Offline Lars-J

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6809
  • California
  • Liked: 8485
  • Likes Given: 5384
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #553 on: 12/28/2017 06:14 pm »

Offline saliva_sweet

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 614
  • Liked: 476
  • Likes Given: 1826
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #554 on: 12/28/2017 06:16 pm »
So, as she stands right there... is it the most powerful rocket since the Saturn V? Or at least the Shuttle?

Offline Craftyatom

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 652
  • Software!
  • Arizona, USA
  • Liked: 720
  • Likes Given: 9169
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #555 on: 12/28/2017 06:23 pm »
So, as she stands right there... is it the most powerful rocket since the Saturn V? Or at least the Shuttle?
Less liftoff mass and thrust than shuttle, but more payload than anything since Energia.
« Last Edit: 12/28/2017 06:23 pm by Craftyatom »
All aboard the HSF hype train!  Choo Choo!

Offline Space Ghost 1962

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2780
  • Whatcha gonna do when the Ghost zaps you?
  • Liked: 2925
  • Likes Given: 2247
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #556 on: 12/28/2017 06:23 pm »
The largest potentially payload to LEO/above since Saturn V.

(And the cheapest to (re)launch hands down.)

Finally, the TE no longer looks small and empty, as it did with just a Falcon 9 on it.

So ... how long has this been waiting on by those here? Good Christmas for you all?

Online PahTo

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1698
  • Port Angeles
  • Liked: 271
  • Likes Given: 1194
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #557 on: 12/28/2017 06:25 pm »
So, as she stands right there... is it the most powerful rocket since the Saturn V? Or at least the Shuttle?

She hasn't flown yet, but...
most powerful liquid rocket since Saturn V (7+mlf).  Shuttle had more total thrust (approx 5mlf for FH v 6+mlf)

Offline DecoLV

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 234
  • Boston, MA, USA
  • Liked: 205
  • Likes Given: 72
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #558 on: 12/28/2017 06:31 pm »
I never thought we would see this day. FH is real.  :D

Offline Semmel

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2178
  • Germany
  • Liked: 2433
  • Likes Given: 11916
Re: SpaceX FH : Falcon Heavy Demo : early 2018 : Discussion
« Reply #559 on: 12/28/2017 06:31 pm »
So, as she stands right there... is it the most powerful rocket since the Saturn V? Or at least the Shuttle?

Energia was the most powerful rocket since Saturn V and still is. Unfortunately, it flew only two times, in 1987 and 88 and had a LEO capacity of about 100 mT and . More than Falcon Heavy. Space Shuttle could only get 28mT to LEO. In pure payload numbers, Shuttle is more comparable to F9 B5 expendable (not quite but close) than FH. But of course Shuttle could launch payload and astronauts at the same time and return the orbital stage to earth, which is quite some different game than Falcon Heavy.

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
0