Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 - DSCOVR - SLC-40, Cape Canaveral - Feb 2015 - DISCUSSION THREAD  (Read 652561 times)


Offline Antares

  • ABO^2
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5181
  • Done arguing with amateurs
  • Liked: 371
  • Likes Given: 228
Aka Triana and Goresat
If I like something on NSF, it's probably because I know it to be accurate.  Every once in a while, it's just something I agree with.  Facts generally receive the former.

Offline Nomadd

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8840
  • Lower 48
  • Liked: 60430
  • Likes Given: 1305
 Despite the cracks from some about a $100 million screensaver, I always though that a publicly available, real time feed of the planet from that location would be one of the psychologically important accomplishments of the whole space program. There's just something about seeing it in real time that would give a lot of people a perspective they've never had.
 I was never sure if that feed was still a part of the mission.
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.

Offline Ronsmytheiii

  • Moderator
  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 23394
  • Liked: 1879
  • Likes Given: 1023

Offline Lurker Steve

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1420
  • Liked: 35
  • Likes Given: 9
This has been sitting in storage since  Nov 2001 ??  How much does NASA spend every year to store satellites it has built but never launched ?

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37440
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428
This has been sitting in storage since  Nov 2001 ??  How much does NASA spend every year to store satellites it has built but never launched ?


This is the only NASA one.  There is a thread on others with other organizations.
« Last Edit: 01/07/2013 06:37 pm by Jim »

Offline kevin-rf

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8823
  • Overlooking the path Mary's little Lamb took..
  • Liked: 1318
  • Likes Given: 306
If you're happy and you know it,
It's your med's!

Online AnalogMan

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3431
  • Cambridge, UK
  • Liked: 1602
  • Likes Given: 50
Update of launch date

Date Posted: 2013-03-13
Mission: DSCOVR
Change: Launch date advanced to NET 11/15/2014
Source: GSFC MCE Brad Johnson 3/13/2013

http://msdb.gsfc.nasa.gov/change_log.php

Offline a_langwich

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 735
  • Liked: 212
  • Likes Given: 48
DSCOVR goes to Sun-Earth L1...what's the orbital target for the Falcon 9 for this mission?  And then DSCOVR's thrusters take over, there's no other upper stage?

Offline guckyfan

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7438
  • Germany
  • Liked: 2332
  • Likes Given: 2891
DSCOVR goes to Sun-Earth L1...what's the orbital target for the Falcon 9 for this mission?  And then DSCOVR's thrusters take over, there's no other upper stage?

According to the pdf linked in post 3 DSCOVR will be sent on a trajectory to the L1 point by the launch vehicle. From there its the thrusters.

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

Online AnalogMan

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3431
  • Cambridge, UK
  • Liked: 1602
  • Likes Given: 50
Here is presentation on the Sunjammer payload made to the NASA Advisory Council Technology & Innovation Committee April 18, 2013.

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/743684main_NBarnes_Solar%20Sail_April%202013.pdf

(Copy also attached)

Offline douglas100

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2177
  • Liked: 227
  • Likes Given: 105
Thanks for the link. Sunjammer is pretty cool.
Douglas Clark

Offline Ben the Space Brit

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7206
  • A spaceflight fan
  • London, UK
  • Liked: 806
  • Likes Given: 900
So, they're launching one element to SEL-1 and Sunjammer will be released where? Simultaneously with the other payload? I wonder what the total payload mass is here that F9 is going to have to push through escape into a heliocentric orbit.


[edit]
Fixed typo
« Last Edit: 04/30/2013 01:23 pm by Ben the Space Brit »
"Oops! I left the silly thing in reverse!" - Duck Dodgers

~*~*~*~

The Space Shuttle Program - 1981-2011

The time for words has passed; The time has come to put up or shut up!
DON'T PROPAGANDISE, FLY!!!

Offline douglas100

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2177
  • Liked: 227
  • Likes Given: 105
So, they're launching one element to SEL-1 and Sunjammer will be released where? Simultaneously with the other payload? I wonder what the total payload mass is here that F9 is going to have to push through escape into a heliocentric orbit.

If you look at AnalogMan's link, you'll see that Sunjammer is launched mated with a "carrier" which has a considerable mass of hydrazine prop on board. A "wet" mass of 153 kg is given. Not sure if that is the mass of the carrier plus Sunjammer itself, but if it is, the carrier will be able to place Sunjammer on a very different trajectory from DISCOVR before the sail is deployed. My (probably wrong) BOTE calculation gives a delta V of almost 2 km per second for the system. So it's possible that Sunjammer may not be pushed through escape with DISCOVR. Pure speculation, though.
Douglas Clark

Offline StephenB

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 282
  • Liked: 17
  • Likes Given: 201
Thanks for the link. Sunjammer is pretty cool.
Wow, I didn't realize that Sunjammer has over 7X the surface area of the Japanese Ikaros sail.

Offline Danderman

  • Extreme Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10288
  • Liked: 699
  • Likes Given: 723
I am guessing that this 2014 flight would use Falcon 9 v1.1.

Offline Barrie

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 474
  • Planets are a waste of space
  • Liked: 242
  • Likes Given: 3815
Despite the cracks from some about a $100 million screensaver, I always though that a publicly available, real time feed of the planet from that location would be one of the psychologically important accomplishments of the whole space program. There's just something about seeing it in real time that would give a lot of people a perspective they've never had.
 I was never sure if that feed was still a part of the mission.

If 100 million people watch it, it is a $1 screensaver.

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37440
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428
So, they're launching one element to SEL-1 and Sunjammer will be released where? Simultaneously with the other payload? I wonder what the total payload mass is here that F9 is going to have to push through escape into a heliocentric orbit.


[edit]
Fixed typo

Less than a Delta II's capability.

Offline arachnitect

  • Member
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1553
  • Liked: 501
  • Likes Given: 759
I am guessing that this 2014 flight would use Falcon 9 v1.1.

1. Almost certainly yes.

2. Before someone brings up Jason-3, note that this launch was purchased by USAF, not NASA.

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
0