Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES  (Read 158474 times)

Offline Joffan

Super-smooth launch and landing, top work by SpaceX and great commentary here at NSF, for which thanks.

The grid fins (which I want to call feathers) seemed to be making light work of steering; gentle adjustment rather than big rotations, which is how you want it. Maybe the first two burns did a good enough job of putting everything on target.
« Last Edit: 09/07/2017 05:30 pm by Joffan »
Getting through max-Q for humanity becoming fully spacefaring

Offline Endeavour_01

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #141 on: 09/07/2017 05:30 pm »
Congrats to SpaceX, the Air Force, and everyone else involved. Extra kudos for getting this bird aloft before Irma becomes a threat to KSC.
« Last Edit: 09/07/2017 05:30 pm by Endeavour_01 »
I cheer for both NASA and commercial space. For SLS, Orion, Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, Dragon, Starship/SH, Starliner, Cygnus and all the rest!
I was blessed to see the launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-99. The launch was beyond amazing. My 8-year old mind was blown. I remember the noise and seeing the exhaust pour out of the shuttle as it lifted off. I remember staring and watching it soar while it was visible in the clear blue sky. It was one of the greatest moments of my life and I will never forget it.

Offline CyclerPilot

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #142 on: 09/07/2017 05:46 pm »
Congrats all.  Starting to look routine, although it is anything but.  Keep it up SpaceX.

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #143 on: 09/07/2017 06:04 pm »
More SpaceX launch photos

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #144 on: 09/07/2017 06:05 pm »
SpaceX landing photos

Offline pmenstrom

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #145 on: 09/07/2017 06:25 pm »
I enjoyed the nonchalant webcasting with the perfect launch and landing.

Offline Bubbinski

Congratulations SpaceX on beating the hurricane and getting a baker's dozen successful launches this year! Now stay safe Southeast US from Irma.
I'll even excitedly look forward to "flags and footprints" and suborbital missions. Just fly...somewhere.

Offline Craftyatom

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #147 on: 09/07/2017 06:53 pm »
Huge congratulations to everyone involved in this launch - smooth ride all the way through!

I missed the first two minutes after liftoff because of my commute, but I went back to watch it later.  I liked how much F9 footage the air force/boeing put into their little promo.

Now to wait for trackers to get the TLEs (and for Irma to have a go at the Cape... stay safe, everyone, and best of luck to the hardware)!
All aboard the HSF hype train!  Choo Choo!

Offline PahTo

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #148 on: 09/07/2017 06:55 pm »

Congrats to all teams involved.  Now get that S1 horizontal, in the barn and batten down the hatches!
Best to all in the area--stay safe...

Any word on the status of Stage 1 post-landing? Doesn't it usually take a couple of days to safe, lift, detach the legs, lower it to horizontal and move it to storage? I heard that NASA has secured KSC and is ordering evacuations.  I don't suppose they'll just leave the first stage sitting at the LZ?

Offline abaddon

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #150 on: 09/07/2017 07:11 pm »
I'd imagine most if not all of the media and/or fans that might be able to tell us about this are taking care of their own hurricane preparation, not sitting around watching the stage on the landing pad.  In fact I doubt they are even allowed in locations where they can see the stage...

We might hear something from SpaceX, but they're all really busy too.

I'd have to imagine they were prepared to get the stage down and into a hanger quickly.  But who knows when we will hear anything about it?

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #151 on: 09/07/2017 08:35 pm »
Thank you for this NSF launch update thread, and to Steven...I missed the launch due to a long commute, then making up for lost time at work.
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline Elmar Moelzer

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #152 on: 09/07/2017 09:25 pm »
Congrats to SpaceX on yet another amazing launch and landing!

Offline Oersted

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #153 on: 09/07/2017 09:25 pm »
I think Air Force brass will be impressed by the sangfroid and efficiency SpaceX displayed today under pressure. Best possible advertisement for their new launch provider.

Offline wannamoonbase

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #154 on: 09/07/2017 09:52 pm »
I'm late to the party today, but congrats to all.  What a smooth accomplishment. 

I love the decent video and telemtery back to the cape from the booster.
Wildly optimistic prediction, Superheavy recovery on IFT-4 or IFT-5

Offline rickl

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #155 on: 09/07/2017 11:45 pm »
Belated congratulations to SpaceX, the Air Force, and Boeing.  I watched it at work this morning, then kept refreshing the page until the word came of a successful orbital insertion.

I was anxious about this launch, both because of the pressure to launch before the hurricane hit, and also because there was a lot at stake regarding future national security contracts.  It looked like it went as smoothly as I could have hoped for, and the rocket cam video from the first stage on the way back was superb.

It's amazing how routine the landings have become, less than two years after the first one.
The Space Age is just starting to get interesting.

Offline chad1011

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #156 on: 09/08/2017 01:53 am »
Great job SpaceX on make something very difficult look very routine. Congratulations to all involved and NFS for the coverage.

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #157 on: 09/08/2017 01:59 am »
Congrats SpaceX, USAF and Boeing. Love those incredible landing photos!

Offline Lar

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #158 on: 09/08/2017 04:32 am »
Nice work. Makin' it look easy is the way to do it! Just don't showboat TOO much.

Congrats to USAF, Boeing, SpaceX and everyone at the Cape.

Thanks as usual to the NSFers doing coverage!
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Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #159 on: 09/08/2017 06:06 am »
Quote
45th SW launches 5th OTV mission
By 45th Space Wing Public Affairs

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. --
The 45th Space Wing successfully launched a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle Sept. 7, 2017, from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A.

Approximately eight minutes after the launch, SpaceX successfully landed the Falcon 9 first-stage booster at Landing Zone 1 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, the 45th SW commander, thanked the entire OTV-5 mission team for their efforts in ensuring a successful launch.
 
“I’m incredibly proud of the 45th Space Wing’s contributions to the X-37B program,” Monteith said. “This marks the fifth successful launch of the OTV and its first onboard a Falcon 9. A strong relationship with our mission partners, such as the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, is vital toward maintaining the Eastern Range as the world’s premiere gateway to space.”
 
The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle is led by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, with operations overseen by Air Force Space Command’s 3rd Space Experimentation Squadron. The OTV is designed to demonstrate reusable spacecraft technologies for America’s future in space and operate experiments, which can be returned to and examined on Earth.

http://www.af.mil/News/Article/1301794/45th-sw-launches-5th-otv-mission/

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