Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9: To Static Fire or not to Static Fire; that is the question  (Read 71928 times)

Offline zubenelgenubi

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Will there be a Static Fire before the launch of Starlink v1.0 Flight 26?

The first stage will be 1058.8.  Launch is currently scheduled for May 15.

Edit May 14: Apparently, no.
« Last Edit: 05/14/2021 10:00 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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« Last Edit: 05/24/2021 07:45 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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Will there be a Static Fire before the launch of Starlink v1.0 Flight 26?

The first stage will be 1058.8.  Launch is currently scheduled for May 15.
No Static Fire. LV erected on the EDT afternoon of May 15.
Also May 15 EDT: A successful launch and first stage recovery on ASDS.
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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Will there be a Static Fire before the launch of Starlink v1.0 Flight 28?

Apparently, yes.  Static Fire on the evening EDT of May 24.

Successful launch and 1st stage ASDS landing on May 26.

Edited
« Last Edit: 05/27/2021 10:30 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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Will there be a Static Fire before the launch of Dragon SpX-22?

I suspect yes.  It's a Cargo Dragon flight.  And, it will be the first flight for first stage 1067.

Wrong.

Complete stack erected afternoon and evening of June 1 EDT.  No Static Fire.
« Last Edit: 06/03/2021 05:03 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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Will there be a Static Fire before the launch of SXM-8?

It will be the third flight for first stage 1061.  Therefore, I doubt it will be static fired.
« Last Edit: 06/03/2021 06:40 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline ChrML

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Likely statistics told them that most times there are not issues on the pad. The pad availability is the no.1 launch capacity constraint right now, makes sense trying to optimize it.

Pro of not doing a static fire on pad:
- Saving time on a shared resource, the pad, if everything is ok.

Cons of not doing a static fire on pad:
- If there is an issue with the vehicle or GSE that scrubs the launch that would be caught by a static fire, a lot more time is spent on the pad, and a precious launch window was wasted. Plus additional mission and range costs.

- Slightly higher risk if an issue not causing abort would be caught during post-static fire review.

Statistics should have data on the cons, and they concluded that no static fire is most efficient at this time.
« Last Edit: 06/02/2021 08:56 pm by ChrML »

Offline zubenelgenubi

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Will there be a Static Fire before the launch of Dragon SpX-22?

I suspect yes.  It's a Cargo Dragon flight.  And, it will be the first flight for first stage 1067.

Wrong.  Complete stack erected afternoon and evening of June 1 EDT.  No Static Fire.

EDIT June 3: Successful launch and first stage ASDS landing.
« Last Edit: 06/03/2021 06:39 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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Will there be a Static Fire before the launch of SXM-8?

It will be the third flight for first stage 1061.  Therefore, I doubt it will be static fired.

Wrong again!  Launch vehicle, minus payload, went to the pad in the afternoon EDT, June 2nd.  Static fire at 2:30 am EDT, June 3rd.

EDIT June 3: Did Sirius pay for a Static Fire?

EDIT June 6: Successful launch and first stage ASDS landing.
« Last Edit: 06/09/2021 08:34 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline dondar

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I am too lazy to check, but I am pretty much (sic) sure that static fire is determined by the launch pad availability over anything else. If they erect booster in time and have space (nothing being "scared" on other pads) and time for relaunch they do static fire. It's simple as that. Old, new,repaid booster doesn't matter.
I've mentioned the reason  already.

Offline zubenelgenubi

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Will there be a Static Fire before the launch of GPS III-5?

It will be the second flight for first stage 1062.  Therefore, I doubt it will be static fired, UNLESS the Space Force is paying for a Static Fire.
« Last Edit: 06/09/2021 08:31 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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Will there be a Static Fire before the launch of GPS III-5?

It will be the second flight for first stage 1062.  Therefore, I doubt it will be static fired, UNLESS the Space Force is paying for a Static Fire.

June 12, 19:30 UTC: Static Fire.

Edit June 17: Successful launch and first stage ASDS landing.
« Last Edit: 06/17/2021 07:21 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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Will there be a Static Fire before the launch of Transporter-2?

It will be the eighth flight for first stage 1060.  It will also follow the previous launch from SLC-40 by seven days (as of this posting).  I doubt it will be static fired.
« Last Edit: 06/23/2021 01:56 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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Will there be a Static Fire before the launch of Transporter-2?

It will be the eighth flight for first stage 1060.  It will also follow the previous launch from SLC-40 by seven days (as of this posting).  I doubt it will be static fired.
Wrong!  Successful static fire afternoon EDT June 22, now three days before scheduled launch.

Successful launch and first stage LZ-1 landing on June 30!

Edited
« Last Edit: 07/10/2021 08:25 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Michael S

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Will there be a Static Fire before the launch of Transporter-2?

It will be the eighth flight for first stage 1060.  It will also follow the previous launch from SLC-40 by seven days (as of this posting).  I doubt it will be static fired.
Wrong!  Successful static fire afternoon EDT July 22, now three days before scheduled launch.

July?
Are you sure about that?
I only ask because July 22 is my birthday, and well, today is not my birthday.  :P

Offline zubenelgenubi

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Will there be a Static Fire before the launch of SpaceX Dragon-23?

As of this posting, 4 days before launch, we don't know what booster will be used. The LV has not yet been transported to LC-39A.

Is 1051 still in Florida? Or was another first stage taken to Vandenberg in its place? Or, it could be 1058.9, 1060.3, 1061.4, 1063.3, 1067.2.

1062.3 will launch Inspiration4 next month.

We also don't know yet if there will be a Static Fire.
« Last Edit: 08/24/2021 10:08 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Alvian@IDN

Will there be a Static Fire before the launch of SpaceX Dragon-23?

As of this posting, 4 days before launch, we don't know what booster will be used. The LV has not yet been transported to LC-39A.

Is 1051 still in Florida? Or was another first stage taken to Vandenberg in its place? Or, it could be 1058.9, 1060.3, 1061.4, 1063.3, 1067.2.

1062.3 will launch Inspiration4 next month.

We also don't know yet if there will be a Static Fire.
The LV for CRS-23 has been rolled out. And yes, there will be a static fire. B1061.4 will be the booster according to Nextspaceflight
https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1430389350764883968?s=19
« Last Edit: 08/25/2021 05:07 am by Alvian@IDN »
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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Successful B1061.4 SpX-23 Static Fire evening August 25 EDT.

Edit August 29: Successful launch and first stage ASDS landing on morning of August 29 EDT.
« Last Edit: 08/30/2021 07:14 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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Will there be a Static Fire before the launch of Inspiration4?

I expect yes, as part of the preparation for a crewed Dragon flight.  First stage is 1062.3.
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Offline RocketLover0119

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Will there be a Static Fire before the launch of Inspiration4?

I expect yes, as part of the preparation for a crewed Dragon flight.  First stage is 1062.3.

Considering this is such a valuable mission, including humans, I would imagine they will do a firing.
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