FAILURE: SpaceX Falcon I Launch III - August 2

[William Barton]

Latest hi res image they've sent out:

I still find it odd that there are trees within 10-15 meters of the launch pad.

Is there a reason why they should cut them down? Trees in that environment aren't likely to catch fire and may make a decent windbreak for pad workers and the rocket.

To prevent a forest fire in case of an on-pad accident/explosion?

That's sort of like detering a burglary by blowing up your house. Seriously, even if you did manage to set the trees on fire, Omelek is a pretty little piece of real estate and what's growing there isn't really what you'd call a "forest." More like soaking wet shrubbery.

[manlymissileman]

Latest hi res image they've sent out:

Interesting, done on the cheep and less complicated when compared to even an Atlas V.

Invalid comparison.  Atlas V and Falcon 1 are in vastly different leagues.  Compare F1 and its pad with the Kosmos LV maybe (~2T to LEO)?  The complexity will grow exponentially for F9 which will be closer to an EELV's capabilities. (do you really think the 'old' companies don't want to cut costs and increase their profit margins?) 

[tobi453]

Pad preparations have been completed. Helium is filling and chilling nominally. Tanks have been purged.

http://spacex.com/webcast.php

[Ronsmytheiii]

anyone know the stream url for the webcast?  Want to get it up on VLC.

[edkyle99]

Latest hi res image they've sent out:

I still find it odd that there are trees within 10-15 meters of the launch pad.

Omelek is a tiny island, which is leased by the U.S., but belongs to the Republic of the Marshall Islands.  SpaceX had to file an environmental impact statement to use the place, agreeing to minimize changes to the natural plant life, etc.

 - Ed kyle

[tobi453]

 Countdown has begun! T- 2 hrs and counting. All systems go at this point.

[dunderwood]

Anyone else lose the webcast?

NM, it's back on.

[Lee Jay]

Latest hi res image they've sent out:

I still find it odd that there are trees within 10-15 meters of the launch pad.

Is there a reason why they should cut them down? Trees in that environment aren't likely to catch fire and may make a decent windbreak for pad workers and the rocket.

To prevent a forest fire in case of an on-pad accident/explosion?

That's sort of like detering a burglary by blowing up your house. Seriously, even if you did manage to set the trees on fire, Omelek is a pretty little piece of real estate and what's growing there isn't really what you'd call a "forest." More like soaking wet shrubbery.

I get it now - that picture Chris posted is of almost the entire island!

[NUAETIUS]

Does anyone have the list of events at all the t- and t+ points?  Example at t- what do they reload the oxygen? 

[Syntax]

i have lost the webcast now maybe there are too many connecting now?

[tobi453]

from the press kit:

Major Events T+secs T+hh:mm:ss Comments
Liftoff 0 0:00:00 Lift off of the Space Exploration Technologies Falcon 1 Launch Vehicle
carrying multiple payloads to orbit including three satellites.
Tower clear 4 0:00:04 Falcon 1 has cleared the tower
Transonic 56 0:00:54 Approaching Mach 1 - the vehicle is now supersonic
Max-Q 69 0:01:09 Approaching Max-Q - the time of maximum dynamic pressure on the
vehicle
Inertial Guidance 140 0:02:20 Vehicle switching to inerital guidance mode
Pressurize Stage 2 145 0:02:25 Stage 2 pressurizing.
MECO 158 0:02:38 Approaching Main Engine Cut-off - “MECO”
Stage Separation 159 0:02:39 Stage Separation confirmed
2nd Stage Ignition 163 0:02:43 2nd stage ignition confirmed
Past 100 km altitude 168 0:02:48 Falcon 1 has crossed the boundary into space - 100 km (62 miles)
Stiffener jettison 173 0:02:53 Kestrel nozzle stiffeners have been jettisoned
Fairing Separation 193 0:03:13 The two halves of the “nose cone” or fairing separate and fall away,
revealing the satellites to the vacuum of space.
Terminal Guidance 527 0:08:47 Vehicle is now in terminal guidance mode
Passing 7.5 km/s 574 0:09:34 Falcon 1 has reached orbital velocity - the first rocket privately
developed, liquid fuel rocket to achieve this milestone
SECO 577 0:09:37 Approaching 2nd stage engine cut-offf - “SECO”
Deploy Trailblazer 587 0:09:47 Coming up to deployment of the primary payload into orbit - The
Trailblazer spacecraft for the U.S. Department of Defense’s Operationally
Responsive Space Office.

[Zachstar]

i have lost the webcast now maybe there are too many connecting now?

Ya its cut for me too...

I just hope this new player is not going to fold when 1000 people watch it.

[Crispy]

do press get better access to the video than us?

[Ford Mustang]

Does anyone have the link to the mms:// ?  Or even a link to the feed source?

Thanks!

[Chris Bergin]

do press get better access to the video than us?

No, and they are struggling with the webcast, so it's not individual people.

[James Lowe1]

Webcast is problematic, so no need for large amounts of people to post the same thing. Remember, live update thread, got to be updates only.

[Chris Bergin]

[Chris Bergin]

45 minutes until the webcast starts. Looks like they've taken down the test...but are testing various shots, so we'll know better how things start in 45 minutes.

[dirkthefirst]

Does anyone have the link to the mms:// ?  Or even a link to the feed source?

The video isn't an mms file, it's an embedded video of some type, so I'm not sure there's any way to view it outside of the webpage.

I wouldn't try either, you'll just put additional strain on the server and make it more likely to break again.

[Ford Mustang]

Does anyone have the link to the mms:// ?  Or even a link to the feed source?

The video isn't an mms file, it's an embedded video of some type, so I'm not sure there's any way to view it outside of the webpage.

I wouldn't try either, you'll just put additional strain on the server and make it more likely to break again.

Without a feed source, I cannot record this launch for the NASASpaceFlight Archive, so I figure I'd ask.