Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 : Iridium NEXT Flight 4 : December 22/23, 2017 - UPDATES  (Read 100258 times)

Offline terryy

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I've been keeping track of the MECO velocities from all the webcasts that shows the speed gauge.  I was wondering if there would be a difference in speed at MECO for this Iridium launch due to no attempt at recovery.  And indeed there was:

Iridium-1 was 6,974 km/hr
Iridium-3 was 6,961 km/hr
Iridium-4 was 7,416 km/hr

There was no speed gauge displayed for the Iridium-2 launch.

Offline tyrred

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Congratulations SpaceX, Iridium, all NSFers involved... Good show!

Online abaddon

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Congratulations to SpaceX, finishing with a record year and more to come!  Missed the launch but all of the videos people are posting are truly spectacular.

Offline SciNews

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Iridium-4 satellites deployment

Online Targeteer

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30th Space Wing (Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.) 17 mins · Facebook

Falcon 9 Iridium-4 Successfully Launched

Team Vandenberg supported the successful launch of the fourth Iridium mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex-4 here Friday, Dec. 22, at 5:27 p.m. PST.

Col. Michael S. Hough, 30th Space Wing commander, was the space launch commander.

"What a way to end the year with the fifth Falcon 9 launch carrying the fourth set of Iridium satellites. This mission proves that Team V provides assured access to space and we do it safely and securely," said Hough. "It goes without saying that we can't accomplish this without great mission partners like SpaceX."
Best quote heard during an inspection, "I was unaware that I was the only one who was aware."

Offline William Graham

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Our precise liftoff time tonight is 17:27:34 PST (01:27:34 UTC).  It is an instantaneous launch window.

Was this the final launch time?

If so, the gap between the H-IIA and Falcon 9 launches turned out to be 72 seconds. Slightly longer we than expected earlier today, but still definitely the shortest time between two successful orbital launches ever, and within the margin of error to be the shortest time between two orbital launches full stop.

Offline Bubbinski

Congratulations SpaceX and Iridium for the successful launch and deployment tonight! Great to see 2 successful launches from both sides of the Pacific deploying 12 satellites (Iridium x10, Shikisai, SLATS) happen simultaneously too. 18 launches for SpaceX this year, here’s to many more in 2018 including FH and crewed launches, and I hope to attend at least one of them.

Corrected spelling
« Last Edit: 12/23/2017 02:41 am by Bubbinski »
I'll even excitedly look forward to "flags and footprints" and suborbital missions. Just fly...somewhere.

Offline catdlr

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SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch, Boostback, Landing Burn - Iridium-4 - 2017-12-22


Justin Foley
Published on Dec 22, 2017

The launch of SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base on December 22th, 2017. It carried 10 Iridium satellites. INCREDIBLE!! You can see the 1st stage shut down, stage separation, 2nd stage engine start, THE FAIRINGS! and their RCS thrusters, the first stage boost back burn started, AND the first stage landing burn!!




Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline catdlr

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Reused SpaceX Rocket From Vandenberg AFB Lights Up Night In LA


CBS Los Angeles
Published on Dec 22, 2017

A reused SpaceX rocket has carried 10 satellites into space from California, leaving behind it a trail of mystery and wonder.





Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline catdlr

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HEY SpaceX!! SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Launch


Ocampas O
Published on Dec 22, 2017

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex-4
Dec.22, 2017 at 5:27 p.m. PST.





Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline catdlr

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Santa Monica UFO 2017

Jessica Boda
Published on Dec 22, 2017

I took this around 5:30pm in Santa Monica, CA (12/22/2017). SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch from Vandenberg AFB... WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON HERE?  LEAVE ME YOUR OPINIONS AND THEORIES BELOW.



Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline catdlr

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December 22, 2017


ThePrincessnowy
Published on Dec 22, 2017

Space X’s 18th Falcon 9 rocket launch from Vandenburg Air Force Base tonight 12/22/17, seen from Los Angeles.





Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Quote
spacex As seen from SpaceX headquarters, Falcon 9 lifts off from Vandenberg AFB carrying 10 Iridium satellites to orbit. This marks the 18th and final launch of the year.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BdB8PijFp6f/

Offline catdlr

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Launch in 4K

SpaceX Iridium 4 Launch from Alhambra, CA

Doug Ellison
Published on Dec 22, 2017

DJI Mavic Pro from Alhambra, CA



Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline copper8

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Congratulations to SpaceX on a flawless launch to finish a record year!

Also congratulations and thanks to the Nasaspaceflight team for the excellent coverage.

Offline joek

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Congrats to Iridium, the crew at VAFB and SpaceX--and to the NSF team for the coverage.
Looking to all to see more of that Voodoo That You Do So Well.

Offline catdlr

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FALCON 9 IRIDIUM-4 SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED

From: 30th Space Wing Public Affairs, www.vandenberg.af.mil


VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Team Vandenberg supported the successful
launch of the fourth Iridium mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space
Launch Complex-4 here Friday, Dec. 22, at 5:27 p.m. PST.

Col. Michael S. Hough, 30th Space Wing commander, was the space launch
commander.

"What a way to end the year with the fifth Falcon 9 launch carrying the
fourth set of Iridium satellites. This mission proves that Team V provides
assured access to space and we do it safely and securely," said Hough. "It
goes without saying that we can't accomplish this without great mission
partners like SpaceX."

EDITOR'S COMMENTS

I've been watching Vandenberg launches since November 1967. Tonight's launch
was the most impressive one I've ever seen. It was spectacular.

If any of you obtained professional quality photos of the launch, please
send them to [email protected]. I may want to publish your
image on my Space Archive web site.

Brian Webb, Editor
Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline Flying Beaver

Looks like NRC Quest ended up loitering in the Stage 1 splashdown zone, and is headed back to port now (with souvenirs?).

Mr. Steven still sitting in the fairing recovery area (yellow dot).

www.marinetraffic.com

« Last Edit: 12/23/2017 05:20 am by Flying Beaver »
Watched B1019 land in person 21/12/2015.

Offline catdlr

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Launch spotted from TV News Helicopter in Phoenix Arizona...

Our chopper crew spots mysterious lights in sky

http://www.azfamily.com/clip/14002596/raw-video-what-in-the-heck-is-that-our-chopper-crew-spots-mysterious-lights-in-sky
Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline Rebel44

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Congratulations to everyone who was involved in this launch!

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