Anyway, we can safely assume that not all of the 5 flights would be before 2013 but more like 1 Orbcomm flight every 12 months.
Between that and it would be nice for them to be able to test the block 2 Merlin several times on Falcon 1 before rolling the dice on a COTS flight.
Quote from: SpacexULA on 06/15/2010 05:44 pmBetween that and it would be nice for them to be able to test the block 2 Merlin several times on Falcon 1 before rolling the dice on a COTS flight.It wouldn't be any more dicey than the flight 11 days ago.
Quote from: simonth on 06/15/2010 05:31 pmAnyway, we can safely assume that not all of the 5 flights would be before 2013 but more like 1 Orbcomm flight every 12 months.Why would you assume such a low flight rate?
My only point is better to let a Falcon 1 carry the test risk than a Falcon 9, especially considering the payloads Falcon 9 will be carrying for the next few years.
They'll accumulate a couple of thousand seconds of firing time on an engine upgrade before committing it to flight, so the risk wouldn't really be that high, anyway. There are still remaining risks with the basic F9 vehicle that won't be completely settled until at least they have several flights under their belt.
Quote from: SpacexULA on 06/15/2010 06:02 pmMy only point is better to let a Falcon 1 carry the test risk than a Falcon 9, especially considering the payloads Falcon 9 will be carrying for the next few years.I still don't see the reason why anything other than a CRS flight should take the risk of flying the first Block 2. ...
Increased performance mainly due to engine improvements. IIRC the total first stage thrust of the block 1 was ~800,000 lb/ft while the block 2 is 1,110,000 lb/fthttp://www.spacelaunchreport.com/falcon9.html#config
Falcon 9 Block 2 (Merlin 1C+)2010 and Later
Why would you assume such a low flight rate? The Falcon 1 for Flight 5 was in Kwajalein 3 months after Flight 4 in August 2007, but was delayed due to integration issues. Hopefully they have grown past that and can get down to a 3/4 month gap between vehicles.
Well, we can struck this one off the 2015 launch manifest: according to a Taiwan newspaper it isn't going to launch till Q1 of 2016. Then again, this is the 1st EO satellite ever to be assembled in Taiwan, so it really needs more time...
Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 01/28/2015 03:31 pmWell, we can struck this one off the 2015 launch manifest: according to a Taiwan newspaper it isn't going to launch till Q1 of 2016. Then again, this is the 1st EO satellite ever to be assembled in Taiwan, so it really needs more time..."The satellite is expected to find the connection between ion concentration in the ionosphere and earthquakes."sounds like theyre testing the consipracy theories for the HAARP project lulzhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Frequency_Active_Auroral_Research_Program#Conspiracy_theories
The first Finnish satellite project, Aalto-1 3U cubesat, is being quoted in several Finnish media as launching December 2015 on SpaceX rocket carrying a remote sensing satellite and possibly a record amount of other cubesats. Could it be this launch? edit: It cannot be one of the SAOCOM sats, as the launch is quoted as being performed from Cape Canaveral, and both SAOCOMs on SpaceX:s manifest are from Vandenberg. The launch also might be the STP-2 launch, but that has been pushed back to 2016 for a long time now.
1.4. FORMOSAT-5 Satellite CharacteristicsThe FORMOSAT-5 satellite is expected to have the following characteristics: Mission Orbit: 720 km circular, sun synchronous Parking Orbit: 720 km circular, 98.28 degree inclination Satellite Lift-off (Wet) Weight: no more than 525 kg Mission Life: 5 years minimumSounds like Falcon 1e, good call Chris
Quote from: mtakala24 on 05/15/2015 10:53 amThe first Finnish satellite project, Aalto-1 3U cubesat, is being quoted in several Finnish media as launching December 2015 on SpaceX rocket carrying a remote sensing satellite and possibly a record amount of other cubesats. Could it be this launch? edit: It cannot be one of the SAOCOM sats, as the launch is quoted as being performed from Cape Canaveral, and both SAOCOMs on SpaceX:s manifest are from Vandenberg. The launch also might be the STP-2 launch, but that has been pushed back to 2016 for a long time now.Quote from: SpacexULA on 06/14/2010 01:16 am1.4. FORMOSAT-5 Satellite CharacteristicsThe FORMOSAT-5 satellite is expected to have the following characteristics: Mission Orbit: 720 km circular, sun synchronous Parking Orbit: 720 km circular, 98.28 degree inclination Satellite Lift-off (Wet) Weight: no more than 525 kg Mission Life: 5 years minimumSounds like Falcon 1e, good call ChrisFormosat-5 is going to sun-synchronous orbit. With initial parking orbit inclined at 98.28 degrees, Vandenberg is only possibility (unless they want to launch from Kwaj. )