SpaceX Falcon Heavy - Psyche - KSC LC-39A - 13 October 2023 (14:19 UTC)

[mn]

The chart lists daily launch times but not windows. Do we know if it is an instantaneous window?

And we also know that due to subcooling, F9 is committed to an instantaneous launch once they start fueling.

Not true, the window due to sub-cooling is limited but not instantaneous.

As far as I can remember SpaceX has never changed the T0 after start of fueling (since the switch to subcooling)

Edit: this question is really besides the point.
My main question is: if F9 really limited to an instantaneous window because of the lack of RAAN steering? Or do they have a certain amount of leeway and they can recalculate a new T0 and new flight profile if needed, (even if not autonomously by the flight computer)

Some SpaceX launches do have / have had launch windows, but if they start fueling, AFAIK they cannot hold until later in the window to launch. If a hold happens when they have already started fueling, IIRC they have always scrubbed and gone to the next day's launch window.

However, there have been several examples of them delaying the start of fueling until they predicted a gap in the weather would be overhead, then managing to launch through that gap.

Yes we know they have done that many times and that brings us back to the question relevant to this thread and this mission.

Can they do that for this mission? or does this mission have an instantaneous window and if it is instantaneous, exactly why, (Jim is claiming that it is instantaneous due to the inability to do RAAN steering, I'm not yet convinced)

[mn]

The idea that F9 couldn’t e.g. hold for 10 seconds and then launch strictly due to sun-cooling is patently ridiculous.  Sun-cooling doesn’t require an instantaneous launch window.  I don’t remember exactly how long they can extend the window without a full drain/retank, that may not be known publicly.

You are logically correct but the reality is that they have never done it.

Rockets can't hold the count and resume at any arbitrary point, if they could count down to T-1 and hold arbitrarily and then resume the count and launch instantly we would have seen that, the fact is that no rocket that I know of has ever done that, any holds force a recycle to at least a few minutes, before they started subcooling F9 would roll back the clock quite a bit for a new attempt, all this means that while theoretically they can hold a few minutes even with subcooling, the reality is that they don't. (And even for missions that don't need the extra performance, there was lots of guessing early on whether SpaceX would use the old launch profile but they have clearly decided that it's not worth it to support the old launch profile just to gain a longer launch window)

[abaddon]

SoaceX has never launched on a Wednesday at 10:47 and 27 seconds (probably) so presumably they can’t do that either, since they never have before…

Regardless this is all off topic for Psyche, so I’m done here.

[GewoonLukas_]

Transporter-Erector has gone vertical to pick-up the reaction frame (NSF Spacecoast Live view)

[Targeteer]

Terminal 34 at Canberra is currently shown as in contact with, Psyche.  Since launch is next week is this a checkout on the assigned frequency that will be used? If so what is sending the test signal?

[GewoonLukas_]

T/E has made it down the ramp (SFN Launch Pad Live View)

Edit to add: Has now entered

[zubenelgenubi]

Will there be a Falcon Heavy Static Fire before the payload is attached?

[alugobi]

Magic Right Ball sez:  all signs to point to 'yes' for an expensive payload.

[spacenuance]

Will there be a Falcon Heavy Static Fire before the payload is attached?

Yes, it was mentioned in a media briefing SF a week before launch, then rollout of payload once that test is successful. Honestly surprised we havent seen a SpaceX tweet of FH in the hanger yet, has happened with basically every other recent FH mission once the TE rolls into the hanger.

[GewoonLukas_]

Will there be a Falcon Heavy Static Fire before the payload is attached?

Yes, it was mentioned in a media briefing SF a week before launch, then rollout of payload once that test is successful. Honestly surprised we havent seen a SpaceX tweet of FH in the hanger yet, has happened with basically every other recent FH mission once the TE rolls into the hanger.

Yeah most of the time it happened just shortly after the T/E entered the hangar, but in the case of ViaSat-3 Americas it happened 16 hours after the T/E entered.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Updated launch windows to the second is now available at https://beta.science.nasa.gov/mission/psyche/launch-windows/ - for October 5 it's 14:34:13 UTC (10:34:13 am EDT).

[gracet]

What happens when there is a government shutown ?

[dsmillman]

What happens when there is a government shutown ?

The launch will go on since it is now in the hands of contractors SpaceX and JPL.
There may be some impact on NASA TV coverage.

[gracet]

thanks
 I have air and hotel with a cancel deadline of tomorrow.
 Also have the LTT  tickets.

still coming then.

[wannamoonbase]

One week to launch of a Falcon Heavy with an escape velocity mission.

I am stupid excited about this one!


Edit: FH static fire is an added bonus.

[spacenuance]

A little longer then a week now . . . god if they miss this launch window too that would just be embarrassing

The launch of NASA's Psyche asteroid mission is being delayed a week due to an issue with the spacecraft. Liftoff on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is now scheduled for no earlier than Oct. 12.

https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1707457675863191831?s=20

[ZachS09]

New launch time, using https://beta.science.nasa.gov/mission/psyche/launch-windows/ as the source, is October 12th at 14:16:49 UTC.

[zubenelgenubi]

Will there be a Falcon Heavy Static Fire before the payload is attached?

Yes, it was mentioned in a media briefing SF a week before launch, then rollout of payload once that test is successful.

SFN Launch of NASA’s Psyche asteroid mission slips a week due to spacecraft issue, September 28, by SFN

The Falcon Heavy rocket that will launch the probe is expected to rollout of its hangar soon for a static test firing of its 27 Merlin booster engines that was scheduled no earlier than Friday.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

https://blogs.nasa.gov/psyche/2023/09/28/nasas-psyche-mission-targeting-oct-12-for-launch/

NASA’s Psyche Mission Targeting Oct. 12 for Launch

NASA and SpaceX are now targeting Oct. 12 at 10:16 a.m. EDT for a Falcon Heavy launch of the Psyche mission from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. The change allows the NASA team to complete verifications of the parameters used to control the Psyche spacecraft’s nitrogen cold gas thrusters. These thrusters are used to point the vehicle in support of science, power, thermal and other demands, such as spacecraft orientation and momentum management. The parameters were recently adjusted in response to updated, warmer temperature predictions for these thrusters. Operating the thrusters within temperature limits is essential to ensure the long-term health of the units.

The verification activities involve rerunning simulations and fine-tuning adjustments as required to the flight parameters and procedures.

NASA, SpaceX, and Psyche mission managers met today, Sept. 28, to conduct a Flight Readiness Review (FRR) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. During the FRR, teams provided an update on the mission status, and certified the readiness to initiate final launch preparation activities including a static fire test on Sept. 29.

Psyche has launch opportunities every day between Oct. 12 and Oct. 25.

[spacenuance]

. . . final launch preparation activities including a static fire test on Sept. 29.

Hanger door has opened in the past hour ahead of rollout for this test.