Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 : BulgariaSat-1 : June 23, 2017 : DISCUSSION  (Read 196506 times)

Offline Star One

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Maybe they have started doing a basic wash as part of the landing site processing.

But this is not going to be the BulgariaSat core, so this should be posted elsewhere.

I'm pretty certain the images at the bottom *aren't* the just-landed CRS-11 booster, but a refurbished one. The interstage has been touched up in places and the flexible TPS around the engines looks brand new. It's plausible this is the BulgariaSat booster moving into LC-39A hangar now that CRS-11 is off the ground so it does make sense to have this posted here.

But you have no actual evidence to say it is therefore why post it here.

Offline envy887

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Maybe they have started doing a basic wash as part of the landing site processing.

But this is not going to be the BulgariaSat core, so this should be posted elsewhere.

I'm pretty certain the images at the bottom *aren't* the just-landed CRS-11 booster, but a refurbished one. The interstage has been touched up in places and the flexible TPS around the engines looks brand new. It's plausible this is the BulgariaSat booster moving into LC-39A hangar now that CRS-11 is off the ground so it does make sense to have this posted here.

But you have no actual evidence to say it is therefore why post it here.

It's a refurbished booster driving down Cape Road, past LC-39A, directly towards the LC-39A HIF, immediately after the last launch. The BulgariaSat booster is a refurbished booster, and it will be the next launch from LC-39A and thus will be processed in the 39A HIF in the next two weeks. I'd say that's fairly conclusive circumstantial evidence.

Driving the HIF: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4236/34917428342_dbd6512b8a_b.jpg

Offline Lar

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Maybe they have started doing a basic wash as part of the landing site processing.

But this is not going to be the BulgariaSat core, so this should be posted elsewhere.

I'm pretty certain the images at the bottom *aren't* the just-landed CRS-11 booster, but a refurbished one. The interstage has been touched up in places and the flexible TPS around the engines looks brand new. It's plausible this is the BulgariaSat booster moving into LC-39A hangar now that CRS-11 is off the ground so it does make sense to have this posted here.

But you have no actual evidence to say it is therefore why post it here.

Quibbling about whether something is on or off topic? ... is off topic.

I think a case was made that this might be this booster. Good enough.
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"We're a little bit like the dog who caught the bus" - Musk after CRS-8 S1 successfully landed on ASDS OCISLY

Offline Lars-J

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...

http://wereportspace.com/2017/06/04/spacex-re-flies-dragon-capsule-crs-11/)

...

But this is not going to be the BulgariaSat core, so this should be posted elsewhere.

How can you say that with certainty?

I can't, it was just an assumption if the image was taken very recently. But my assumptions regarding the workflow speed could very well be wrong.

Offline ChrisGebhardt

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SpaceX Falcon 9 launch with BulgariaSat-1 from 39A now NET June 17, Static Fire NET June 13. CRS-11 two-day weather slip was the impact.

If they can pull this off around the Florida weather, it'll be their quickest turnaround at just 13 days launch to launch.

Offline whitelancer64

SpaceX Falcon 9 launch with BulgariaSat-1 from 39A now NET June 17, Static Fire NET June 13. CRS-11 two-day weather slip was the impact.

If they can pull this off around the Florida weather, it'll be their quickest turnaround at just 13 days launch to launch.

It would tie for quickest turnaround. 13 days also between CRS-6 and TurkmenAlem52E in 2015.
« Last Edit: 06/06/2017 09:40 pm by whitelancer64 »
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Offline ChrisGebhardt

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SpaceX Falcon 9 launch with BulgariaSat-1 from 39A now NET June 17, Static Fire NET June 13. CRS-11 two-day weather slip was the impact.

If they can pull this off around the Florida weather, it'll be their quickest turnaround at just 13 days launch to launch.

It would tie for quickest turnaround. 13 days also between CRS-6 and TurkmenAlem52E in 2015.

Ah.  I thought it was 14 days as the record... at least that's what I was corrected to prior to CRS-11.  OK.  So CRS-6 to TurkmenAlem52E is the quickest.  Which this one won't beat, actually, if you go down to minutes and seconds.

CRS-6 to TurkmenAlem52E - 13 days 02 hrs 50 mins
CRS-11 to Bulgariasat -        13 days 21 hrs 03 mins.
« Last Edit: 06/06/2017 09:58 pm by ChrisGebhardt »

Offline ChrisGebhardt

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...

http://wereportspace.com/2017/06/04/spacex-re-flies-dragon-capsule-crs-11/)

...

But this is not going to be the BulgariaSat core, so this should be posted elsewhere.

How can you say that with certainty?

I can't, it was just an assumption if the image was taken very recently. But my assumptions regarding the workflow speed could very well be wrong.

Confirmed.  It's Bulgariasat's booster. 

"@SpaceX
Hours after CRS-11 lifted off, this flight-proven booster rolled into the hangar at 39A; targeting June 17 launch of BulgariaSat-1."

Offline gongora

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TechCrunch are claiming (indirectly) it's 1029

https://techcrunch.com/2017/06/07/spacex-aims-to-reuse-a-falcon-9-booster-used-in-january-on-june-17/

I'm not seeing a source in the article, and I asked SpaceX what the tail number was via a tweet reply.

The booster was announced a month ago, it's 1029.
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=35587.msg1674916#msg1674916

Offline Lar

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Sorry, I was applying Wikipedia level reliable source rules :)  SFN didn't cite directly but did say that the sat owner said so... TechCrunch of course didn't cite any sources.
"I think it would be great to be born on Earth and to die on Mars. Just hopefully not at the point of impact." -Elon Musk
"We're a little bit like the dog who caught the bus" - Musk after CRS-8 S1 successfully landed on ASDS OCISLY

Offline whitelancer64

TechCrunch are claiming (indirectly) it's 1029

https://techcrunch.com/2017/06/07/spacex-aims-to-reuse-a-falcon-9-booster-used-in-january-on-june-17/

I'm not seeing a source in the article, and I asked SpaceX what the tail number was via a tweet reply.

This was posted by BulgariaSat early in May:

"The launch of BulgariaSat-1, the first Bulgarian geostationary satellite, is planned for mid-June, Maxim Zayakov, CEO of BulgariaSat, announced. The satellite will be delivered into orbit by the same Falcon 9 rocket's first stage booster that successfully landed on a drone ship in the Pacific on 14th of January 2017."

http://www.bulgariasat.com/news/SpaceX-to-Launch-BulgariaSat-1-in-Mid-June
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Offline mme

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Space is not Highlander.  There can, and will, be more than one.

Offline old_sellsword

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Here's the picture from the SpaceX tweet: https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/872455800177831936
No landing legs?

The landing legs are never on the booster during transport...

Offline mme

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Here's the picture from the SpaceX tweet: https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/872455800177831936
No landing legs?

The landing legs are never on the booster during transport...
Right. Brain fart, I was thinking it was coming out of the hanger not going in. I really need to stop trying to multi-task.
Space is not Highlander.  There can, and will, be more than one.

Offline Wolfram66

Here's the picture from the SpaceX tweet: https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/872455800177831936
No landing legs?

The landing legs are never on the booster during transport...
Right. Brain fart, I was thinking it was coming out of the hanger not going in. I really need to stop trying to multi-task.

Offline Comga

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Can we assume that the title "Expendable Launches" is a hold-over, and is not reflective of the assumed plan for a first stage landing on OCISLY?
Or is it truly an expendable?
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Offline gongora

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Can we assume that the title "Expendable Launches" is a hold-over, and is not reflective of the assumed plan for a first stage landing on OCISLY?
Or is it truly an expendable?

I doubt the Eastern Test Range has updated all of their forms/computer systems for the SpaceX reusability era.  Bulgariasat-1 is small, should be a drone ship landing.

Offline toren

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Anyone know what's going on with the tall boom crane evident in today's and yesterday's pix of 39A?

Offline ChrisGebhardt

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Anyone know what's going on with the tall boom crane evident in today's and yesterday's pix of 39A?

They're working on the lightning mast.

Offline kevin-rf

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In theory, in the rare event of a re-usable failure all launches will still need the full expendable exclusion zones. (What if the flip and boost back fails).

That said, they should change the name to "partially reusable launch"
 
edit/gongora: fixed typo
« Last Edit: 06/13/2017 04:33 pm by gongora »
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