Author Topic: SpaceX core and second stage spotting (Read 430549 times)

Jakusb · « **Reply #560 on:** 01/06/2021 05:24 pm »

Quote from: Jansen on 01/06/2021 03:59 pm

Quote from: scr00chy on 01/06/2021 09:53 am
More photos of the FH center core.

Question is, is it the booster that was sent to McGregor back in November (that would make it B1065, I think), or did we miss a booster somewhere and this is actually B1066?

B1064 left around Oct 15

A horizontal booster was spotted Nov 10, possibly B1065

Another booster was spotted leaving Hawthorne and should have arrived around Nov 20, possibly B1066

There may have been additional boosters that weren’t spotted. So it is possible that this is B1067 or higher based on production cadence.

The lack of markings indicates a side booster, so it could be B1065 with a three month gap in testing.

Anything is possible, but cores being transported have almost never been unseen and unreported. And never a Falcon Heavy booster has been ninja-ed to McGregor.

Most likely this is booster 1065, a side booster for next Falcon Heavy.

Jansen · « **Reply #561 on:** 01/06/2021 05:47 pm »

Quote from: scr00chy on 01/06/2021 05:22 pm

Quote from: Jansen on 01/06/2021 03:59 pm

A horizontal booster was spotted Nov 10, possibly B1065

Another booster was spotted leaving Hawthorne and should have arrived around Nov 20, possibly B1066

These sound like the same booster.

I don’t see how, as the booster spotted on Nov 10 was at McGregor. The second booster left Hawthorne Nov 17.

Quote from: Jansen on 01/06/2021 03:59 pm

The lack of markings indicates a side booster, so it could be B1065 with a three month gap in testing.

Quote from: scr00chy on 01/06/2021 05:22 pm

Yeah, this might be the likeliest possibility. It's just strange that there was such a long gap between B1064 and B1065.

A three month gap in testing would indicate a major issue and point towards a delay for USSF-44 and USSF-52.

Alternatively, the thinking is that production and testing accelerated after the loss of several boosters at sea earlier this year. Booster spotting isn’t perfect and they do get missed. In which case it’s very possible that it is B1067.

scr00chy · « **Reply #562 on:** 01/06/2021 06:00 pm »

Quote from: Jansen on 01/06/2021 05:47 pm

Quote from: scr00chy on 01/06/2021 05:22 pm

These sound like the same booster.

I don’t see how, as the booster spotted on Nov 10 was at McGregor. The second booster left Hawthorne Nov 17.

Then maybe the Nov 10 booster was B1064 being moved around after being tested or something.

Quote from: Jansen on 01/06/2021 03:59 pm

Booster spotting isn’t perfect and they do get missed. In which case it’s very possible that it is B1067.

No way we'd miss that many boosters both during transit and during testing.

Alexphysics · « **Reply #563 on:** 01/06/2021 11:59 pm »

Really? Still debating this? We have literally no pictures of any booster vertical on the stand during the past two months. They don't ship boosters out to launch sites from Hawthorne without being tested at McGregor first. There hasn't been a booster vertical since early November in that test stand. Thinking there's been now like up to three more boosters tested since then and NO ONE has seen ANY of them vertical... that's kind of wishful thinking imo

Spiffles · « **Reply #564 on:** 01/19/2021 03:35 pm »

My guess is they want to push the turnaround time as low as possible. SpaceX also wants to make sure flight 8 is the same as, say, flight 2. Since B1051 flew such a short time ago its the perfect candidate.

vaporcobra · « **Reply #565 on:** 01/27/2021 12:02 am »

Looks like one of the USSF-44 side boosters escaped the roost unseen! Spotted in Lafayette, LA at the same parking lot boosters have stopped at before.

https://twitter.com/KLFY/status/1354115544237170690

Jakusb · « **Reply #566 on:** 01/27/2021 10:16 am »

Quote from: vaporcobra on 01/27/2021 12:02 am

Looks like one of the USSF-44 side boosters escaped the roost unseen! Spotted in Lafayette, LA at the same parking lot boosters have stopped at before.

https://twitter.com/KLFY/status/1354115544237170690

Nice!
First side booster on its way to the Cape.

Makes you wonder if we missed one core being shipped from Hawthorn to McGregor.

Also why now already? It will take up a lot of space in the HIF, so will not likely be done other the Just in Time. Right?

Jakusb · « **Reply #567 on:** 01/27/2021 10:17 am »

Quote from: vaporcobra on 01/27/2021 12:02 am

Looks like one of the USSF-44 side boosters escaped the roost unseen! Spotted in Lafayette, LA at the same parking lot boosters have stopped at before.

https://twitter.com/KLFY/status/1354115544237170690

Whoop whoop

scr00chy · « **Reply #568 on:** 02/03/2021 09:53 am »

Photos of a new booster going to McGregor. I'm guessing it's B1066 FH center core, but I suppose it could be an F9. I can't really tell.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/spacexgroup/permalink/10159676667686318/

astroteuthis · « **Reply #569 on:** 02/03/2021 08:09 pm »

Quote from: scr00chy on 02/03/2021 09:53 am

Photos of a new booster going to McGregor. I'm guessing it's B1066 FH center core, but I suppose it could be an F9. I can't really tell.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/spacexgroup/permalink/10159676667686318/

I just spotted that same booster while passing through Sonora, TX. It had taken the exit off I-10 W and went under the interstate and was heading north on 277, possibly to make a stop. I got some decent video when it passed me when I was parked.

Spiffles · « **Reply #570 on:** 02/03/2021 08:50 pm »

New Falcon on its way to McGregor! Appears to be B1066 (Next Center Core) due to the presence of side core mounting near the base. Interesting why its wrapped with white on the interstage.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/spacexgroup/permalink/10159676667686318/

scr00chy · « **Reply #571 on:** 02/10/2021 11:06 pm »

Quote from: Spiffles on 02/03/2021 08:50 pm

New Falcon on its way to McGregor! Appears to be B1066 (Next Center Core) due to the presence of side core mounting near the base. Interesting why its wrapped with white on the interstage.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/spacexgroup/permalink/10159676667686318/

AFAIK, all new booster leaving Hawthorne are wrapped with white. That's been true for a while now.

vaporcobra · « **Reply #572 on:** 02/25/2021 07:17 pm »

That center core is now vertical at McGregor and may have already been static fired

https://twitter.com/jswartzphoto/status/1364773659097899010

https://twitter.com/jswartzphoto/status/1364988818038874112

Jakusb · « **Reply #573 on:** 03/11/2021 08:12 pm »

F9 spotted in Tucson at I-10 and Kolb:

https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/m2xqks/falcon_9_spotted_in_tucson_at_i10_and_kolb

scr00chy · « **Reply #574 on:** 03/12/2021 09:24 am »

Quote from: Jakusb on 03/11/2021 08:12 pm

F9 spotted in Tucson at I-10 and Kolb:

https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/m2xqks/falcon_9_spotted_in_tucson_at_i10_and_kolb

More pics here, although I don't think it's a FH center core as the album title states.

It's been confirmed the booster was eastbound, but it's missing several engines and doesn't have the white cover at the front that new boosters coming from Hawthorne usually have. So I'm thinking it might not be a new booster.

It could be B1063 coming from VAFB to Florida, now that DART was delayed to November. SARah 1 seems to be delayed also and Transporter-2 can launch from SLC-40, so the next VAFB launch might be WordView-1 in September. Would make sense to make some use of B1063 in the meantime.

Jakusb · « **Reply #575 on:** 03/12/2021 09:32 am »

Quote from: scr00chy on 03/12/2021 09:24 am

Quote from: Jakusb on 03/11/2021 08:12 pm
F9 spotted in Tucson at I-10 and Kolb:

https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/m2xqks/falcon_9_spotted_in_tucson_at_i10_and_kolb

More pics here, although I don't think it's a FH center core as the album title states.

It's been confirmed the booster was eastbound, but it's missing several engines and doesn't have the white cover at the front that new boosters coming from Hawthorne usually have. So I'm thinking it might not be a new booster.

It could be B1063 coming from VAFB to Florida, now that DART was delayed to November. SARah 1 seems to be delayed also and Transporter-2 can launch from SLC-40, so the next VAFB launch might be WordView-1 in September. Would make sense to make some use of B1063 in the meantime.

I tend to agree. My money is on this being 1063 to support the busy East coast

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #576 on:** 03/12/2021 02:48 pm »

https://twitter.com/nextspaceflight/status/1370400469479161860

Quote

Falcon booster B1063 is being moved east to help with the launch cadence from Florida.

This will help with the recent loss of B1059. B1063 has been freed up after the extended delay to the DART mission from Vandenberg.

marsbase · « **Reply #577 on:** 03/15/2021 05:10 pm »

A friend of mine just called to say that he is behind B1063 eastbound on Florida Hwy. 20 just west of Blountstown. He will get a photo if he can. Time of sighting was 14:08 EDT on March 15, 2021

marsbase · « **Reply #578 on:** 03/15/2021 06:27 pm »

My friend reports that B1063 apparently did not continue on Hwy 20 into Tallahassee. May have turned onto Hwy 267 toward Hilliardville. Officials were raising traffic lights to allow the truck to pass under. No passing was allowed in either direction. Here is the only photo he was able to take.

oldAtlas_Eguy · « **Reply #579 on:** 03/15/2021 10:11 pm »

With this progress looks like arrival possible at the Cape tomorrow.

If they are going in the direction you believe. Looks to be headed down to 98 and then to possibly 27 then through Ocala and skirt Orlando area possibly on the North side.