SpaceX COTS Demo 1 Updates

[Kabloona]

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

With 3+ years until crewed flight, I think he has sufficient time to learn...

[TimL]

"Let me put it this way, Mr. Amor. The 9000 series is the most reliable computer ever made. No 9000 computer has ever made a mistake or distorted information. We are all, by any practical definition of the words, foolproof and incapable of error."

[joncz]

And what do you say when crew is onboard?

Aboard, aboard, aboard.

? 

[hernick]

Jump out! Jump out! Jump out!

[Robotbeat]

And what do you say when crew is onboard?

Aboard, aboard, aboard.

? 

What do you say when the Swedish Chef is aboard and that happens?

[TimL]

I thought the whole point of this automated process was to ensure "the passengers" don't have a big handle to pull...and inadvertently abort a multi-million dollar launch because they're just passengers and not pilots?

[Halidon]

I really appreciated the little live mini-interview SpaceX did just before the countdown resumed for attempt #2. Good information presented in an open and friendly manner.

[KSC Engineer]

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.

Jim I agree.  It is amazing the people who come on this site and argue as if they have all the data.  I don't know everything but when I make a point - its is based on 30 years of experience at the Cape, MSFC and Houston.  I have no ax to grind with any person or launch system.  I truly hope SpaceX is very successful just as I do for Atlas, Delta and two more shuttle flights.  The US needs SpaceX to service ISS and for that I am very supportive.  What irritates me are these "know it all" arm chair engineers who hide behind their monitors and argue stupid stuff all day.  I pointed some things out yesterday that the armchairs didn't like so they attack the sender when they run out of facts then want me to be more specific so they can attack those items - on and on with the koolaid.    Gets old trying to come and reason with good people who have real knowledge.  In some cases the airchairs are probably smart engineers on a specific system and believe that they have all the knowledge all the way to WDC.  I know I did when I was a young engineer at the Cape.   What they don't realize is they don't understand how things work a few levels above.   

[Zoomer30]

Might be a bit early but WUHOO 2 for 2. All this Falcon 9 knows how to do is make orbit every time. Wonder if they stlill had that abrupt roll at t zero like the last time.

[Zoomer30]

I think SpaceX learned from the last launch that they NEED good press and PR as much as a good flight. Not keeping CNN informed of the countdown the last time cost them z bit of exposure (I know they have to keep some stuff secert)

[Aeroman]

No roll to speak of, just a little fireball on the pad from what looks like an external hose leak or something (just guessing).

[Ben the Space Brit]

Significantly, upper stage guidence and control worked perfectly as far as I could see.  There also wasn't vapour venting from the vent just to the left and above the steering nozzle either.  They definately fixed a lot of stuff on this one.

[jongoff]

I really appreciated the little live mini-interview SpaceX did just before the countdown resumed for attempt #2. Good information presented in an open and friendly manner.

Unfortunately I missed that part.  One of the three on-air personalities was a good friend of mine, Kevin (K-Bro) Brogan.  He was the guy who designed the Kestrel engine during SpaceX's early days. 

~Jon

[JohnFornaro]

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.

The published contracts have a lot of asterisks in them.  Many in the the areas of price.  Do you have inside knowledge?

Elon to Gwynne:  How many times have I told you not to sign contracts with any asterisks?

[Mader Levap]

A blind squirrel gets the nut sometimes.

I am usually lurker and I am nothing more than interested space enthusiast. I also am sorry for pulling something from previous day.

What caused me to do this is Jim reputation and his statement here. I am concerned, because I see here very serious disrepancy.

Why? So many people, Jim included, constantly say (rightly so) that rocket science is literally very hard. Yet we have statement about company, that pulled off now four successful flights in row, that it is "blind squirrel".

Is space and rocketry so easy that anyone can launch successfully four times in row by blind luck?

With all due respect, Jim, but I do not think so. You cannot eat cake and have cake. Thats all.

[Crispy]

I really appreciated the little live mini-interview SpaceX did just before the countdown resumed for attempt #2. Good information presented in an open and friendly manner.

Unfortunately I missed that part.  One of the three on-air personalities was a good friend of mine, Kevin (K-Bro) Brogan.  He was the guy who designed the Kestrel engine during SpaceX's early days. 

~Jon

Please congratulate him on his excellent engine designing, and his moustache

[JohnFornaro]

As they say, where you stand depends on where you sit.

Too excellent.  From where I sit, the first "sputnik" moment was on the first launch when they started F9, shut it down, then started it up again.  Now they gotta guy out there with a Sawzall?  "Take a couple of inches off that nozzle, Jackson."

That's confidence.  And I like it.

Is space and rocketry so easy that anyone can launch successfully four times in row by blind luck?

With all due respect, Jim, but I do not think so. You cannot eat cake and have cake. Thats all.

Now that's a first post for ya.

[KSC Engineer]

Good news:  part of a group of nano-satellites commonly known as the Grey Whale mission and Cubesat has deployed and are communicating.

[Lars_J]

Good news indeed - Is there a link/page somewhere with more information about these payloads and their missions?

[Space Lizard]

Are we still talking about two NRO Colony 1 cubesats, two LANL cubesats and a single SMDC-ONE cubesat, or did I miss something?