SpaceX Falcon I Launch III - Build-up Thread

[zappafrank]

They will launch "soon".

They control PR / imagery for success.

Not in denial or ignorance. They know where the bear lies.

They will get it right this time.

And, if they don't, what then?

[Chris Bergin]

Elon was for the openness, but he is probably too busy to deal with PR himself. When was the last "Update"? Meanwhile, ton of things have happened.

-- Pete

Let's avoid representing Elon here - only Elon can do that - and remember every company is going to do things their own ways. For the record, I've always found SpaceX to be very open, especially via Elon himself (we've done about four interviews with him now - always open, always expansive, always informative).

Remember, he's under no obligation, with respect to the media. His responsibility is to his customers.

The only problem is their official site, which doesn't seem to update half as much as it probably should, but that's probably a staffing situation...we'll see what their new PR people are like. Anyway, I'll send off some e-mails and see where things stand with this launch.

[antonioe]

in an infinite universe anything is not only possible, but certain.   

 - Ed Kyle

Furthermore, there is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.

There is another theory which states this has already happened.

I was wondering how long it would take for somebody to come back with the correct line... congratulations!  Douglas Adams is probably smiling from his grave...

[synchrotron]

in an infinite universe anything is not only possible, but certain.   

 - Ed Kyle

Furthermore, there is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.

There is another theory which states this has already happened.

I was wondering how long it would take for somebody to come back with the correct line... congratulations!  Douglas Adams is probably smiling from his grave...

I, for one, live in perpetual fear of the time known as The Coming of The Great White Handkerchief.

[sdsds]

we'll see what their new PR people are like.

Outside the specialized field of space launches, there is general engineering wisdom about how best to go about slipping a schedule. It is seen as "more professional" to make less frequent but bigger slips rather than making more frequent and smaller slips. The challenge SpaceX currently faces is in deciding whether to slip now all the way into the window that runs from 29 August to 5 September. If they instead slip only to a date later in the window from 29 July to 6 August, and then are forced to slip again, they "lose face" twice.

[kraisee]

Stating it up front as a rumor only, but a birdie told me that the range is a bit of an issue for around the 29th.   He heard 'mid August'.

He thought they were messing Space-X around because they also keep delaying and delaying the approval to lay the concrete so Space-X can install all their equipment (currently in storage awaiting installation) at CCAFS.   Apparently the approvals are already 6 months late.

As I say, unconfirmed rumor only at this stage, but perhaps Chris can go digging.

Ross.

[Comga]

New update on Kimbal Musk's blog dated today: http://kwajrockets.blogspot.com/

"We're now 4 days away from the launch window for the Falcon 1 flight 3 vehicle, equipped with SpaceX's new Merlin 1C regeneratively cooled engine. Launch window is August 1-5, and launch will occur out of our favorite launch base in the world, Kwaj."

There are a few good new photos, too.

[Herb Schaltegger]

There are a few good new photos, too.

The caption of the first one misspells "fairing."   

[Comga]

There are a few good new photos, too.

The caption of the first one misspells "fairing."   

Aw, come on, Herb!  You are possibly worse than I am!  There are a lot more interesting aspects to the photo, which is SpaceX and others' hardware, than the misspelling, which is Kimbal's.  Things like the  minimum of cleanroom protocol, the 3M ESD station on the wall,  the accoustic blankets, the blunt end of the fairing, the details of the isogrid structure (Why is it so tall?), and the nanosats and Trailblazer.

If you want trivia did you notice that one of the tech is wearing a Falcon 9 shirt?

[clongton]

OMG. You guys have way too much time on your hands ;-)

[jimvela]

There are a few good new photos, too.

The caption of the first one misspells "fairing."   

I can't even begin to describe how much trouble I'd be in if I were found working on a payload, adapter, or fairing with bare hands and that much exposed street clothing and skin... 

Deep, deep trouble...

[Ronsmytheiii]

Note the blog states that the launch window starts on August 1, yet before it was July 29th...

[Chris Bergin]

SpaceX PAO are doing their best impression of NASA PAO with an inability to respond to e-mails. Will go direct to Elon later today.

[Chris-A]

I can't even begin to describe how much trouble I'd be in if I were found working on a payload, adapter, or fairing with bare hands and that much exposed street clothing and skin... 

Deep, deep trouble...

More like PC technician grade protection.
Intel is very strict in the fab, http://www.intel.com/pressroom/kits/manufacturing/fab32/photos.htm

ESD is no myth.

[Herb Schaltegger]

Aw, come on, Herb!  You are possibly worse than I am!  There are a lot more interesting aspects to the photo, which is SpaceX and others' hardware, than the misspelling, which is Kimbal's.  Things like the  minimum of cleanroom protocol, the 3M ESD station on the wall,  the accoustic blankets, the blunt end of the fairing, the details of the isogrid structure (Why is it so tall?), and the nanosats and Trailblazer.

If you want trivia did you notice that one of the tech is wearing a Falcon 9 shirt?

I'm a spelling pedant. What can I say?  I was the exception as an undergraduate engeering major: I actually got A's in English and took high-level humanities courses as electives.

That said, it looks like a staged photo op to me (possibly with mockup hardware but who knows).  I also have never seen a close-up of the "ferring" before.   The faceted shape is obviously easy to fab, but it makes for some interesting aerodynamics.  I'd love to see some visualizations in transonic and supersonic wind tunnels to see how the strong each of the shocks is.

[Jim]

 the details of the isogrid structure (Why is it so tall?),

so it can carry multiple secondaries

[toddbronco2]

There are a few good new photos, too.

The caption of the first one misspells "fairing."   

Aw, come on, Herb!  You are possibly worse than I am!  There are a lot more interesting aspects to the photo, which is SpaceX and others' hardware, than the misspelling, which is Kimbal's.  Things like the  minimum of cleanroom protocol, the 3M ESD station on the wall,  the accoustic blankets, the blunt end of the fairing, the details of the isogrid structure (Why is it so tall?), and the nanosats and Trailblazer.

If you want trivia did you notice that one of the tech is wearing a Falcon 9 shirt?

I wouldn't get too excited about the Falcon 9 shirt.  My friends who work for SpaceX gave away Falcon 1, Falcon 9, and Dragon shirts and hats to anybody who asked

[Comga]

I wouldn't get too excited about the Falcon 9 shirt.

Not excited in the least. Just wanted Herb to know I could find something even less significant than a spelling error.

[Comga]

I'm a spelling pedant. What can I say? 

That said, it looks like a staged photo op to me (possibly with mockup hardware but who knows).  I also have never seen a close-up of the "ferring" before.  

The faceted shape is obviously easy to fab, but it makes for some interesting aerodynamics.  I'd love to see some visualizations in transonic and supersonic wind tunnels to see how the strong each of the shocks is.

I am another engineer exception, on grammar and vocabulary, although my spelling is only acceptable now that I have spell checkers.  

Kimbal has made bigger errors, but he is a chef and a restaurateur, not a techie.  Let's just be grateful for the information and photos.

If one were to stage a photo one would do a much better job than this.  It is not a great advertisement for their ground handling.  I see no reason to doubt the authenticity of the image.  All visible aspects of the hardware are as seen elsewhere.

Note that for the Falcon 1e they have gone away from the biconic fairing to a more traditional ogive.  However, the biconic fairing worked on the second launch.

[Se Elmeri]

I'm a spelling pedant. What can I say?  I was the exception as an undergraduate engeering major: I actually got A's in English and took high-level humanities courses as electives.

Engeering, great! But...what is it?