SpaceX COTS Demo 1 Updates

[Jim]

Arguing for their pricing being wrong is effectively arguing that.

You don't know the price of a launch and not talking ISS cargo

[joshcryer]

You don't know the price of a launch and not talking ISS cargo

I know the price of most of their contracts. So there's that.

[Jim]

It's surprising how many people here seem to think SpaceX wouldn't have done analyses on performance, trajectory, stability and control, thermal issues, structural issues, etc. 

The issue is doing all of those over night

[Jim]

I'm sure that NASA would not have authorised them to go if they weren't sure that the vehicle wouldn't fly safely. 

NASA has no say in it.

[Jim]

You don't know the price of a launch and not talking ISS cargo

I know the price of most of their contracts. So there's that.

No, you don't.  Were you on team that reviewed a Spacex proposal to NASA?

[joshcryer]

SpaceX CRS contract cost is public knowledge (as is Orbital). Are you saying that there are hidden costs? If so do you have evidence as such?

[Jim]

SpaceX CRS contract cost is public knowledge (as is Orbital). Are you saying that there are hidden costs? If so do you have evidence as such?

I am not talking ISS cargo.  There is little risk in each individual launch, when the cargo is made up of Tang, tee shirt and toilet paper.   I am talking about launching a several hundred million dollar spacecraft.

[joshcryer]

Oh, I thought comparing current providers at current pricing for similar services was a legitimate way to see if they had "similar prices" or not. How about commercial crew then? SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell guaranteed launches cheaper than the Russians. How about them apples? Are people not worth as much as several hundred million dollar spacecraft?

I really thought it was wiser to compare current scenarios rather than future, speculative scenarios which one cannot actually provide evidence for.

[joshcryer]

"SpaceX has discovered the root cause of the two small cracks in the aft end of the 2nd stage engine nozzle extension," the statement said. "A GN2 vent line caused fluttering of the the thinnest portion of the nozzle extension, creating the cracks. SpaceX engineers repaired the extension by trimming off the end where the cracks are located and corrected the root cause by diffusing the vent."

From SFN. Glad to know a root cause!

[Jim]

Oh, I thought comparing current providers at current pricing for similar services was a legitimate way to see if they had "similar prices" or not. How about commercial crew then? SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell guaranteed launches cheaper than the Russians. How about them apples? Are people not worth as much as several hundred million dollar spacecraft?

I really thought it was wiser to compare current scenarios rather than future, speculative scenarios which one cannot actually provide evidence for.

Commercial crew is a "future, speculative scenario". 

And I am talking current scenarios, the cost/price to contract one F9.

Give it up, you don't know what you are talking about.  Just keep guzzling the koolade.

[corrodedNut]

Let me get this straight, yesterday evening, SpaceX technicians on a crane, working  through a man-hole sized access hatch in the interstage, removed the bottom 4 feet of the nozzle extension while the vehicle was in the vertical position at the pad? They were able to remove this piece, it's not still in there, is it?

With the recent shuttle repairs as evidence, maybe this kind of pad work is common, I don't know. Frankly, I'm a little astounded (and a little worried too).

[racshot65]

Will they be filming the capsule returning / splashing down ?

[Mapperuo]

Has to be said.. Very impressive moustache on the right.

Webcast is much better this time.

[Kabloona]

Let me get this straight, yesterday evening, SpaceX technicians on a crane, working  through a man-hole sized access hatch in the interstage, removed the bottom 4 feet of the nozzle extension while the vehicle was in the vertical position at the pad? They were able to remove this piece, it's not still in there, is it?

With the recent shuttle repairs as evidence, maybe this kind of pad work is common, I don't know. Frankly, I'm a little astounded (and a little worried too).

If they were able to cut it off, they were able to cut it into small enough pieces to get it out of the interstage. And no, cutting off 4 feet of a nozzle extension on the pad is not common! Let's remember, though, that SpaceX has said this extension is not "needed" for performance on this flight...though, as I've said before, that statement begs the question why they didn't just remove it entirely. Maybe they didn't want to have to destack, which would have been more of a schedule hit.

[joncz]

In homage to Jim's commentary on SpaceX processes...

Coming into autosequence start, the abort process was read over the net, including the directive that the phrase, "Hold, hold, hold" would be announced over the countdown net.

So when the autosequence aborts at T- 2:50, what is announced over the countdown net?  "Abort, abort abort."

[Kabloona]

In homage to Jim's commentary on SpaceX processes...

Coming into autosequence start, the abort process was read over the net, including the directive that the phrase, "Hold, hold, hold" would be announced over the countdown net.

So when the autosequence aborts at T- 2:50, what is announced over the countdown net?  "Abort, abort abort."

Yeah, well, at least he didn't call "bailout, bailout, bailout!"

[go4mars]

Responding to reporters today about changes to the engine bell, Elon Musk had this to say about Falcon:
"She'll make point five past lightspeed. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid. I've made a lot of special modifications myself".

Did anyone ask if she can do the kessel run in less than 5 parsecs as a follow-on question? 

[Jim]

In homage to Jim's commentary on SpaceX processes...

Coming into autosequence start, the abort process was read over the net, including the directive that the phrase, "Hold, hold, hold" would be announced over the countdown net.

So when the autosequence aborts at T- 2:50, what is announced over the countdown net?  "Abort, abort abort.

And what do you say when crew is onboard?

[Robotbeat]

In homage to Jim's commentary on SpaceX processes...

Coming into autosequence start, the abort process was read over the net, including the directive that the phrase, "Hold, hold, hold" would be announced over the countdown net.

So when the autosequence aborts at T- 2:50, what is announced over the countdown net?  "Abort, abort abort.

And what do you say when crew is onboard?

"Can you hold it for another hour?"

[corrodedNut]

I think his point is "ABORT, ABORT, ABORT...no wait guys, don't pull the big handle that says....oops, too late"