Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon I Launch III - Build-up Thread (Read 177364 times)

DaveS · « **Reply #300 on:** 07/30/2008 02:50 pm »

Quote from: Diagoras on 07/30/2008 02:44 pm

SpaceX.com has now removed their webcast tester. Second thoughts, or did someone put it up to soon?

Probably done with the testing. Remember, it wasn't the real webcast, just a test version.

amon · « **Reply #301 on:** 07/30/2008 02:53 pm »

I am seeing something that looks like it might be something being transmitted. Almost wonder if it is what a camera on Kwajalein sees in the middle of the night?

amon · « **Reply #302 on:** 07/30/2008 03:01 pm »

I take that back... there is now an actual test video sequence up.

JesseD · « **Reply #303 on:** 07/30/2008 04:13 pm »

And it's widescreen! :-} Here's hoping they have upgraded the cameras at the launch site! The quality at the last launch was pretty bad...

Hootz · « **Reply #304 on:** 07/30/2008 04:29 pm »

Yup

I'm hoping it's an impressive ride all the way to orbit.....

Chris-A · « **Reply #305 on:** 07/30/2008 04:33 pm »

I'm guessing the webcast video will be sent over satiate or fiber. Ether way, the bandwidth is going to be limited, considering where there located – the middle of nowhere.

Ronsmytheiii · « **Reply #306 on:** 07/30/2008 05:24 pm »

I cant seem to get the webcast going, I just get an error message

Are you guys using this link?

http://www.spacex.com/webcast.php

DaveS · « **Reply #307 on:** 07/30/2008 05:27 pm »

Quote from: Ronsmytheiii on 07/30/2008 05:24 pm

I cant seem to get the webcast going, I just get an error message

Are you guys using this link?

http://www.spacex.com/webcast.php

No. It's this one: http://www.spacex.com/testcast.php
Link to it is available on teh SpaceX front page. What you have there is the old webcast link.

Danderman · « **Reply #308 on:** 07/30/2008 06:04 pm »

The range opens up on Friday, ie in 2 days from today?

edkyle99 · « **Reply #309 on:** 07/30/2008 07:54 pm »

Quote from: Danderman on 07/30/2008 06:04 pm

The range opens up on Friday, ie in 2 days from today?

8/1/2008, 2300Z - 8/2/2008, 0400Z

Per MSDB

- Ed Kyle

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #310 on:** 07/30/2008 09:03 pm »

Ok, no launch date confirmation. They will only announce the countdown/time of launch a day before it occurs (explains PAO's silence). No assurances if it'll be Friday or not, could be, might not be (paraphrasing Elon - who's always been good enough to respond).

So might be worth us all keeping our eyes on the SpaceX site tomorrow...if nothing, probably not Friday, and so on.

Hockey07 · « **Reply #311 on:** 07/30/2008 09:35 pm »

Quote from: jabe on 07/08/2008 01:20 pm

Quote from: Chris-A on 07/08/2008 02:38 am
Too quiet, Elon spoke at the royal aeronautical society, nothing informative about Flight 3.
I read "somewhere" (I thought it was a post in this thread but can't find it) that there was to be an article in a texas paper/media this past weekend about Spacex and its future plans. Am I "losing it" or was it posted?
jb
BTW I hate getting old

I don't think I've seen the article posted yet, so here it is: http://www.kcentv.com/news/c-article.php?cid=1&nid=16144

toddbronco2 · « **Reply #312 on:** 07/31/2008 01:10 am »

Quote from: Hockey07 on 07/30/2008 09:35 pm

Quote from: jabe on 07/08/2008 01:20 pm
Quote from: Chris-A on 07/08/2008 02:38 am
Too quiet, Elon spoke at the royal aeronautical society, nothing informative about Flight 3.
I read "somewhere" (I thought it was a post in this thread but can't find it) that there was to be an article in a texas paper/media this past weekend about Spacex and its future plans. Am I "losing it" or was it posted?
jb
BTW I hate getting old

I don't think I've seen the article posted yet, so here it is: http://www.kcentv.com/news/c-article.php?cid=1&nid=16144

A week ago I was told that SpaceX was going to be doing a 9 engine cluster test tomorrow (Thursday). Has anybody else heard anything about this?

edkyle99 · « **Reply #313 on:** 07/31/2008 05:13 pm »

SpaceDev 7/30/08 Press Release (Apologies if this has already been posted).

"TrailBlazer Satellite in Launch Preparation"

http://www.spacedev.com/press_more_info.php?id=273

Another interesting bit of background here, on Nanosail D

http://atl.calpoly.edu/~bklofas/Presentations/DevelopersWorkshop2008/session6/4-NanoSailD-Sandy_Montgomery.pdf

reveals a planned orbit of 685 x 330 km x 9 deg inclination, with a "De-Orbit Period" listed as 5 - 14 days.

Drag, and a bit of solar pressure, will, apparently, de-orbit the solar sail in short order.

- Ed Kyle

Cretan126 · « **Reply #314 on:** 07/31/2008 05:24 pm »

Quote from: toddbronco2 on 07/31/2008 01:10 am

Quote from: Hockey07 on 07/30/2008 09:35 pm
Quote from: jabe on 07/08/2008 01:20 pm
Quote from: Chris-A on 07/08/2008 02:38 am
Too quiet, Elon spoke at the royal aeronautical society, nothing informative about Flight 3.
I read "somewhere" (I thought it was a post in this thread but can't find it) that there was to be an article in a texas paper/media this past weekend about Spacex and its future plans. Am I "losing it" or was it posted?
jb
BTW I hate getting old

I don't think I've seen the article posted yet, so here it is: http://www.kcentv.com/news/c-article.php?cid=1&nid=16144

A week ago I was told that SpaceX was going to be doing a 9 engine cluster test tomorrow (Thursday). Has anybody else heard anything about this?

Take a look at the last paragraph in the article linked in the post immediately prior to yours:
http://www.kcentv.com/news/c-article.php?cid=1&nid=16144

It implies they 9 engine test has slipped until September.

dunderwood · « **Reply #315 on:** 07/31/2008 06:14 pm »

That article is pretty much rehased info from earlier. All that really tells us is that as of the 5 engine test, the 9 engine test was planned for september.

STS Tony · « **Reply #316 on:** 07/31/2008 06:58 pm »

No sign of a launch date yet? Chris said Elon told him they would announce a day in advance, so if it's a 2300 UTC, they could announce later today for a Friday attempt?

iamlucky13 · « **Reply #317 on:** 07/31/2008 07:17 pm »

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 07/30/2008 09:03 pm

Ok, no launch date confirmation. They will only announce the countdown/time of launch a day before it occurs (explains PAO's silence). No assurances if it'll be Friday or not, could be, might not be (paraphrasing Elon - who's always been good enough to respond).

So might be worth us all keeping our eyes on the SpaceX site tomorrow...if nothing, probably not Friday, and so on.

Chris, you rock. Thanks for following up for us. Be sure to share our thanks for being so willing to respond next time you happen to communicate with him.

Did he mention what the determining factors might be on whether or not they countdown, aside from the weather forecast?

iamlucky13 · « **Reply #318 on:** 07/31/2008 07:25 pm »

Quote from: Cretan126 on 07/29/2008 06:35 pm

Quote from: tobi453 on 07/29/2008 04:14 pm
Falcon 1 is vertical, weather looks good:
http://www.kimbalmusk.com/weblog/2008/07/falcon-1-is-ver.html

It's interesting that the vehicle is vertical. Since this obstensibly a Responsive launch demo, I would think they would use their advertised roll-erect-launch scenario, not is the pad while vertical for a week or more.

Apparently that's not a requirement of the responsive launch demo, or maybe it can be demonstrated in a dry-run so as to not add any more handling risk to the actual payloads. The contract had some specific criteria which no doubt aren't exactly what first comes to mind when you think of "responsive launch." I guess if they meet those criteria, the AF is happy.

kevin-rf · « **Reply #319 on:** 07/31/2008 07:35 pm »

Quote from: dunderwood on 07/31/2008 06:14 pm

That article is pretty much rehased info from earlier. All that really tells us is that as of the 5 engine test, the 9 engine test was planned for september.

If you watch the video, you'll notice they fired up the engines three times that night, and implied (reporters words, not mine) that the first two firings where aborted tests. Kinda like the second flight. Says something for the Merlin, being able to be reset like that in such short order... I don't remember seeing any other articles about the three firings on the night of the five engine test.

(Chris, I've seen other SMF based forums with spell checkers... pretty please, poor webster has drilled his way to china and back by now).