T minus 10 days to Iridium-4! All systems go at this point - encapsulating payloads now and rocket processing on track. Keeping an eye on CA fires, but so far not looking like a problem (but wishing them to end for Californians).
Static fire test of Falcon 9 complete—targeting December 22 launch of Iridium-4 from Vandenberg AFB in California.
My schedule, provided by SpaceX shows it as 5:27:23 PST...
T-4 days until #Iridium-4 takes flight! Launch is scheduled for 05:27:23 pm PST on Dec 22 (01:27:23 am UTC on Dec 23) with an instantaneous launch window. Live webcast will begin approximately 20 minutes before launch at spacex.com/webcast #IridiumNEXT #FlightProven #FriYay
Matt Desch confirms no booster recovery.https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/943153072850776064
HöchstErbaulich @HochstErbaulichHey @IridiumBoss will the Falcon 9 core for Iridium-4 be recovered? There are rumors that the first stage has no recovery equipment installed.Matt Desch @IridiumBossReplying to @HochstErbaulichNo, I understand it won't be
Quote from: Raul on 12/19/2017 03:22 pmMatt Desch confirms no booster recovery.https://twitter.com/IridiumBoss/status/943153072850776064 QuoteHöchstErbaulich @HochstErbaulichHey @IridiumBoss will the Falcon 9 core for Iridium-4 be recovered? There are rumors that the first stage has no recovery equipment installed.Matt Desch @IridiumBossReplying to @HochstErbaulichNo, I understand it won't be
SpaceX spokesperson confirms online discussions (and comments by @IridiumBoss ) there will be no attempt to land the Falcon 9 first stage on Friday’s launch. “These are case by case decisions and are based on mission requirements and the needs of our manifest.”
Hard to imagine that the data of a recovered booster isn't worth it by itself. Recovered Block 3 could be used as a FH side core as well. I'd speculate payload bound for orbit that requires a significant dogleg maneuver, lowering margin for landing too far. Just a guess ;-)
Wrong guess. ;-) We are polar and need no doglegs, thank you!
There were some speculations that the one satellite that is about to drift from Plane 2 to Plane 1 could do it a bit faster with a bit of help from Falcon 9. So this is not the case, right?
Interesting concept! But no.
T-0 Forecast: High pressure will build into the western CONUS in the wake of today’s cold frontal passage. The impact will be relatively dry northwesterly flow aloft, light surface winds with the loose pressure gradient and no marine layer clouds. Surface winds will be out of the northwest through north from 320-350 at 8-12 knots for T-0. Temperatures will range from 55-60F at T-0. Upper-level winds will be out of the northwest from 330 at 80 knots between 38,000 to 41,000 feet. And finally, the space weather indices for proton and x-ray flux are currently reading at background levels. The overall POV will be 0% with no areas of concern.
T-0 Forecast: High pressure continues to build into the western CONUS in the wake of yesterday’s cold frontal passage. The impact will be relatively dry northwesterly flow aloft, light surface winds with the loose pressure gradient and no marine layer clouds. Surface winds will be out of the northwest through north from 320-350 at 8-12 knots for T-0. Temperatures will range from 55-60F at T-0. Upper-level winds will be out of the northwest from 330 at 80 knots between 38,000 to 41,000 feet. And finally, the space weather indices for proton and x-ray flux are currently reading at background levels. The overall POV will be 0% with no areas of concern.