Author Topic: SpaceX conducts tanking test on In-Flight Abort Falcon 9  (Read 49997 times)

Offline yg1968

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Re: SpaceX conducts tanking test on In-Flight Abort Falcon 9
« Reply #60 on: 03/17/2016 01:38 pm »
In-flight abort test appears to be currently planned around March 2017. See slide 6:

http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/4-CCP-Status-McAlister.pdf

Offline Norm38

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Re: SpaceX conducts tanking test on In-Flight Abort Falcon 9
« Reply #61 on: 05/09/2016 06:28 pm »
Now that first stage recovery has potential to be routine (don't count your first stages until they land), I wonder if they'll find themselves with a spare used stage they'd prefer to use instead?  A brand new stage would be best used for a paying customer who demands it, yes?

With the test scheduled for 2017, they'll have done all the pad static fires, maybe even flown used for a paying customer?  They can take 6 engines off if they like.  And if a used first stage is going to suffer a failure, what better way to test Dragon's ability to handle the unexpected?

Is there any benefit to not using a used stage for this test?

Offline wannamoonbase

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Re: SpaceX conducts tanking test on In-Flight Abort Falcon 9
« Reply #62 on: 05/09/2016 06:57 pm »
Now that first stage recovery has potential to be routine (don't count your first stages until they land), I wonder if they'll find themselves with a spare used stage they'd prefer to use instead?  A brand new stage would be best used for a paying customer who demands it, yes?

With the test scheduled for 2017, they'll have done all the pad static fires, maybe even flown used for a paying customer?  They can take 6 engines off if they like.  And if a used first stage is going to suffer a failure, what better way to test Dragon's ability to handle the unexpected?

Is there any benefit to not using a used stage for this test?

I think using a recovered staged with a few engines removed is a winning idea. 

They may have a good sized stock pile of used stages by the end of this year.
Wildly optimistic prediction, Superheavy recovery on IFT-4 or IFT-5

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