Author Topic: SCRUB: SpaceX - Falcon I (Mk.II) NET March 19 (Read 205339 times)

Martin FL · « **Reply #280 on:** 03/19/2007 04:46 pm »

Hopefully the weather will hold for tonight, but it does look good for the rest of the window, so that's good.

josh_simonson · « **Reply #281 on:** 03/19/2007 05:18 pm »

I noticed in the holdown fire video that there was not a shroud around the engine. I thought shroud to keep salt air and flames out was going to be included on the new falcons to reduce the exposure to the environment and risk of fire?

cpooley · « **Reply #282 on:** 03/19/2007 05:35 pm »

Jimvela wishes for some cheaper way...

In work: see http://www.microlaunchers.com/ (currently being updated)
For a whole new way to approach this.

As long as "Big Space" rules, we stay on the ground, read of participation
by a few others.

We need a revolution like what microcomputers did for computers.

Charles Pooley

JesseD · « **Reply #283 on:** 03/19/2007 05:49 pm »

Quote

josh_simonson - 19/3/2007 2:18 PM

I noticed in the holdown fire video that there was not a shroud around the engine. I thought shroud to keep salt air and flames out was going to be included on the new falcons to reduce the exposure to the environment and risk of fire?

From Elon Musk via an earlier report on this site:

Quote

"One is the design improvements. A lot of corrosion protection improvements. We have fireproof blankets around the engine compartment; there is a kind of carbon fiber honeycomb panel, which is overlaid with aluminum tape down at the bottom of the engine compartment. We're blocking off the corners; the engine compartment is mostly sealed, and we're blocking it off with fireproof blankets, and then purging that compartment with nitrogen.

So even if a fire develops, it can't really attack the particularly vulnerable locations like the pneumatic system or the avionics or the engine bay. We want to be in the situation that even if a fire develops, the rocket just keeps going."

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #284 on:** 03/19/2007 06:34 pm »

http://www.rts-wx.com/satellite/loops/MTSAT-IR.shtml good link for a weather loop.

jimvela · « **Reply #285 on:** 03/19/2007 06:41 pm »

Quote

cpooley - 19/3/2007 12:35 PM

Jimvela wishes for some cheaper way...

In work: see http://www.microlaunchers.com/ (currently being updated)
For a whole new way to approach this.

As long as "Big Space" rules, we stay on the ground, read of participation
by a few others.

We need a revolution like what microcomputers did for computers.
Charles Pooley

Tiny vehicles and small launchers are well and good if all you want is to put a digicam into orbit or a hamsat (which is unfair to the ham operators, they've done some good work!).

Good luck building a privately financed space outpost with a nanovehicle- bulk commodities transport is still needed, because human beings are bulk consumers...

Aside from that, big spacecraft like a comsat have the size dictated by transmitter power and antenna requirements along with propellant for station keeping. Won't be seeing any of those flown as nanosats any time soon.

Now, for robotic exploration of the solar system and beyond, radical miniaturization makes a whole lot of sense, though once again many requirements are driven by the instrument or comms requirements and they end up sized the way they are because of physics. You won't be building a HiRISE instrument in the footprint of a camera phone...

I'll be rooting for anyone whom can make affordable access a reality, whether macro or micro.

Jackson · « **Reply #286 on:** 03/19/2007 06:51 pm »

Coming up on three hours to launch?

uko · « **Reply #287 on:** 03/19/2007 06:54 pm »

Yep.. only about three hours to go!

Go SpaceX! Go Falcon!

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #288 on:** 03/19/2007 07:18 pm »

SpaceX just sent this to us media types, very nice:

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #289 on:** 03/19/2007 07:27 pm »

Forecast:
MORNING FORECAST

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

KWAJALEIN FORECAST DISCUSSION

Weaknesses in the trade wind flow, due to the replacement of a ridge by another ridge near Wake Island, allowed for widespread shower activity across the RTS and vicinity late last night. With the majority of said shower activity now west of the atoll, localized areas of low-level convergence will continue to spark off isolated showers throughout the forecast period. Relatively dry air in the mid-levels will hinder the vertical development of showers, but an occasional moderate core will remain possible. –ddr

TROPICAL CYCLONE ACTIVITY IN THE USAKA WATCH AREA

None

WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES

None

TODAY

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Weather Forecast

Sunny with a 10% chance for showers.

High

88°F

Winds

NE-ENE at 8-14 knots with higher gusts near showers.

Sea Conditions Forecast

Open Ocean

Combined seas of 6-8 ft. NE swell of 6-7 ft. Wind waves of 1-3 ft.

Lagoon

1-3 ft waves, up to 4 ft near northern and eastern passes

josh_simonson · « **Reply #290 on:** 03/19/2007 07:27 pm »

Quote

JesseD - 19/3/2007 1:49 PM
Quote
josh_simonson - 19/3/2007 2:18 PM I noticed in the holdown fire video that there was not a shroud around the engine. I thought shroud to keep salt air and flames out was going to be included on the new falcons to reduce the exposure to the environment and risk of fire?
From Elon Musk via an earlier report on this site:
Quote
"One is the design improvements. A lot of corrosion protection improvements. We have fireproof blankets around the engine compartment; there is a kind of carbon fiber honeycomb panel, which is overlaid with aluminum tape down at the bottom of the engine compartment. We're blocking off the corners; the engine compartment is mostly sealed, and we're blocking it off with fireproof blankets, and then purging that compartment with nitrogen. So even if a fire develops, it can't really attack the particularly vulnerable locations like the pneumatic system or the avionics or the engine bay. We want to be in the situation that even if a fire develops, the rocket just keeps going."

I guess perhaps there is some sort of housing in the video, but it's not very big. I was expecting something more like this: "Atlas http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Atlas_V_rocket_raised.jpg/398px-Atlas_V_rocket_raised.jpg" />

shuttlepilot · « **Reply #291 on:** 03/19/2007 07:34 pm »

About 2 hours 30 minutes to planned T-0.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #292 on:** 03/19/2007 07:44 pm »

Moved up the forum for live coverage (better exposure).

BarryKirk · « **Reply #293 on:** 03/19/2007 07:51 pm »

Just took me a little while to find it. It wasn't in it's usually spot.

simonbp · « **Reply #294 on:** 03/19/2007 07:56 pm »

I'm not getting through to the webcast; is it overloaded?

Simon

JesseD · « **Reply #295 on:** 03/19/2007 07:59 pm »

The webcast doesn't begin until T-60:00, or an hour from now.

wannamoonbase · « **Reply #296 on:** 03/19/2007 08:17 pm »

Quote

Chris Bergin - 19/3/2007 4:44 PM

Moved up the forum for live coverage (better exposure).

Agreed, had be confused when I went to look for it, but I am excited to find it here and to be so close to T-0.

Go Falcon!

Question for anyone here: Any word on planned recovery for this 1st stage? I know it was intended for recovery but I haven't seen it positively spelled out in the prelaunch coverage.

hyper_snyper · « **Reply #297 on:** 03/19/2007 08:20 pm »

They were last year. I remember on the first attempt, they had to wait for the recovery boat to leave a restricted patch of ocean. Don't know about this attempt though.

JWag · « **Reply #298 on:** 03/19/2007 08:27 pm »

Quote

JesseD - 19/3/2007 3:59 PM The webcast doesn't begin until T-60:00, or an hour from now.

They've got a placeholder there now... sort of like the ads you see before the previews start in a theater.

edkyle99 · « **Reply #299 on:** 03/19/2007 08:35 pm »

Quote

Chris Bergin - 19/3/2007 3:18 PM

SpaceX just sent this to us media types, very nice:

They're aiming for a 330 x 685 km x 9 deg initial orbit, with deployment of a dummysat that only weighs 2 kg (!) only 10 seconds after the first second stage engine cutoff (SECO-1, which occurs at T+565 seconds, or 9 minutes 25 seconds). The NASA AFSS/LCT2 payload brings the total payload mass for this mission up to only 50 kg at most. Falcon 1 is supposed to be able to haul a few hundred kilograms to an orbit of this type. I'm surprised that the customer didn't want to prove the vehicle's payload capability.

At any rate, it appears that a second objective will be to restart the second stage at apogee in order to circularize the orbit at 685 km. That event could occur as early as about 45-50 minutes after liftoff, but a time hack isn't given in the press kit.

- Ed Kyle