LIVE: Falcon 9 Flight 1 Maiden Flight - June 4, 2010

[Lars_J]

Looks like the F9 2nd stage and Dragon were spotted over Australia one hour after launch!
Image here: http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201006/r579019_3626738.jpg

Here is an article from Australia that sensationalizes this as a potential UFO sighting: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/05/2919095.htm

I would expect that the 2nd stage re-ignition or prop venting caused the clearly visible spiral formation.

There is a funny quote from the article, though:

A privately-owned rocket launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida on its first test flight is believed to be responsible.

But Doug Moffett from UFO Research NSW says he has a few problems with this theory.

"Firstly, the time of the launch was 18.45 GMT, which translates to 4.45am EST, the duration of the flight was 9 minutes 38 seconds - this is a full hour before the reported sightings," he said.

"Secondly, where was the glow from the boosters or from the friction created by the craft moving through the atmosphere, where was the tail of the rocket?

"Thirdly, why would anyone launch a rocket on a maiden test flight with a trajectory that would take it over the most heavily populated parts of Australia?

"And how big must this rocket have been to be seen so clearly, at the same time, over such a vast distance?"

LOL... So much for UFOlogist knowledge of orbital mechanics and spaceflight.   

[MP99]

Don't want to start a new thread for a couple pictures, so I'll just put these here. I wasn't able to make it to the launch today due to last minute family problem, but these were provided to me and permission given for posting by Alan Walters - Photograher, visit his website for some other fantastic space shots.

http://awaltersphoto.com/

Bingo - knew somewhere today I'd find my new desktop pic.

Many thanks to the source for sharing.

cheers, Martin

[ugordan]

I was also impressed by the plume convergence on the first stage.  From the long-range tracking cameras one could hardly tell there were multiple engines firing.

You're impressed with turbulence?

Actually, what he might have meant is the engine thrust vectors weren't nearly as divergent as the photos during the static fire suggested they'd be, I wasn't expecting it either. There weren't really *obvious* multiple plumes with outer nozzles canted outboard like seen in Saturn Ib or Zenit, it was more like a Soyuz launch.

Of course at altitude they all just merge into one turbulent flow.

[dafixer]

Don't want to start a new thread for a couple pictures, so I'll just put these here. I wasn't able to make it to the launch today due to last minute family problem, but these were provided to me and permission given for posting by Alan Walters - Photograher, visit his website for some other fantastic space shots.

http://awaltersphoto.com/

Thanks, currently have one of those as my desktop! 

Me too!
What a great day yesterday! Go SpaceX!

[Jim]

I don't see any spacex on that site.

[MikeMi.]

So Jim, where You put Demo 1 flight in the summer?

[MP99]

Falcon 9 is no longer a paper rocket

NASA just got a Delta II replacement.

Will need more history than 1 launch, but a good and necessary first step. In the meantime, expect more Minotaur launches.

One flight was all NASA needs to use.  They already are on contract. 

I'm not sure whether that means they were already on contract before the launch, or that this successful launch activates some clause in their COTS or CRS contracts.

AFAICT all of SpaceX's launch COTS milestones relate to the three COTS demos (F9 #002, 003 & 004), but not any preceding Falcon 9 launches.

I'm having more trouble finding anything relating to CRS contracts / milestones. Does your comment relate to CRS?

cheers, Martin

[Jim]

I'm not sure whether that means they were already on contract before the launch, or that this successful launch activates some clause in their COTS or CRS contracts.

Referring to the NLS contract, the more important one.

[lsullivan411]

I don't see any spacex on that site.

He'll probably work on getting them on site over the weekend, so keep looking.

[8900]

Falcon 9 with 9 Merlin 1c has engine out reliability
Falcon 9 with single Merlin 2 has no engine out reliability
design 1 may be better in this sense

[cro-magnon gramps]

I don't see any spacex on that site.

http://awaltersphoto.com/Space/SpaceX-Falcon-9/12437649_frzZh#890461262_WdcTy

it was buried under the category, SPACE ;-)

Cheers

PS to avoid sticker shock, don't go to different categories of prints; this is no "Amateur Photographer"

[ugordan]

I don't see any spacex on that site.

http://awaltersphoto.com/Space/SpaceX-Falcon-9/12437649_frzZh#890461262_WdcTy

it was buried under the category, SPACE ;-)

It wasn't there earlier, though.

[cro-magnon gramps]

I don't see any spacex on that site.

http://awaltersphoto.com/Space/SpaceX-Falcon-9/12437649_frzZh#890461262_WdcTy

it was buried under the category, SPACE ;-)

It wasn't there earlier, though.

guess I got lucky for a change LOL, now where is that lottery ticket

btw, watched the recording from the VAB and still got goosebumps from the video, to paraphrase C. Bolden, this is a game changer I was monitoring 3 sites during the launch and aftermath, and on the Space Vidcast chat, at least 5 Russians began chatting in Russian; this will be a game changer for the Russian Space industry if Elon can keep costs low; ain't capitalism grand

   want to say thanks to Chris for a great site here, so many others have devolved into extremist rants ;( congradulations on 5 years of excellence, and to SpaceX for marking this month with a wonderful candle now where's the cake ;0

Cheers

[edkyle99]

It appears that Falcon 9 may have been visible over eastern Australia in the pre-draw sky as a rotating spiral while on its way to completing its first orbit.

The times of the sightings, direction and speed of travel, etc, all seem to correlate nicely between eyewitness reports and the predicted position of Falcon 9 (see below).

Orbital Elements:
DRAGON/FALCON 9 R/B     
1 36595U 10026A   10155.91803255  .00078673  32520-5  10000-3 0    41
2 36595  34.4959  40.7086 0023426 215.5471 255.2519 16.05715940    20

Pass for Sydney, Australia:
Location: Sydney (151.1949° E, 33.8883° S)
Time zone: UTC

Time                Satellite              Azm  Elv  Mag Range S.Azm S.Elv
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2010-06-05 19:40:45 DRAGON/FALCON 9 R/B  290.7 15.0  ecl   823  72.5 -14.9
2010-06-05 19:42:06 DRAGON/FALCON 9 R/B  339.2 24.5    ?   580  72.4 -14.7
2010-06-05 19:43:27 DRAGON/FALCON 9 R/B   27.6 15.1    ?   824  72.2 -14.4

Here is a link to ABC New article of the sighting (included photos):
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/05/2919095.htm

Armature video of the sighting can be found here:
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201006/r579024_3626764.asx

Perhaps the "spiral" appearance may offer some clues to the reason rotation / roll observed late in the flight?

The appearance and timing of this "spiral" might coincide with a Merlin Vacuum restart, but the reported 2-3 minute duration doesn't match this idea.  The spiral suggests either that the roll control issue was related to the Merlin burn and that a second burn was occurring during the video, or, if the spiral was not imaged during a burn, that the stage was unable to control the roll even after the Merlin shut down.  The stage should have been able to revert to three-axis stable flight because it is supposed to have a three-axis cold-gas reaction control system.  Observers might have been seeing LOX venting from a rolling stage.

It would make sense for a restart to occur over Australia, where tracking assets are available.

 - Ed Kyle

[ugordan]

The appearance and timing of this "spiral" appears consistent, to my eyes, with a Merlin Vacuum restart.  The spiral suggests either that the roll control issue was related to the Merlin burn and that a second burn was occurring during the video, or, if the spiral was not imaged during a burn, that the stage was unable to control the roll even after the Merlin shut down. 

I'm of the opinion a MVac exhaust plume during operation would not be that constrained, also the burn was way too small for this. It might be propellant blowdown after the MVac restart (attempt ?) and with an already tumbling stage. Even if there was attitude control during the coast and restart (something I'm increasingly wondering about), it was probably shutdown at that point.

[edkyle99]

I'm of the opinion a MVac exhaust plume during operation would not be that constrained, also the burn was way too small for this. It might be propellant blowdown after the MVac restart (attempt ?) and with an already tumbling stage. Even if there was attitude control during the coast and restart (something I'm increasingly wondering about), it was probably shutdown at that point.

Yes, I'm tending to think now that this was just LOX venting (or maybe leaking!) from a spinning-out-of-control stage.  In an operational flight, the stage must be able to regain control of itself for coasts.  We don't know, however, if this stage was fitted with an active RCS.  I can't think of a reason not to have an active RCS for such an "all-up" flight. 

 - Ed Kyle

[Retired Downrange]

CNN reported that NASA in conjuction with SpaceX launched the first private jet Falcon 9 on Friday, June 4. I'm going with CNN, since NASA does have contracts in place with SpaceX. I also used Wikipedia Falcon 9 as an information resource and previous interviews I personally observed with Elon Musk.

CNN reported it, so it HAS to be true.

    Someone should probably let Dassault know about their new product line!
                             -Alex

Obviously journalism no longer up to high standards ... 

...or boundaries

Private rocket Falcon 9 launches successfully
Submitted by Sarika Valecha on Sat, 06/05/2010 - 15:33


The private rocket of California-based SpaceX, Falcon 9 has been launched successfully on Friday from Cape Canaveral. Such private jets can make space travel not so exclusive and unique.

The new generation 180-foot rocket has propelled a model Dragon capsule into earths orbit about 160 miles above ground. The rocket might be ready to take space travelers to the International space Station starting next year.

http://www.stockwatch.in/private-rocket-falcon-9-launches-successfully-26691
---------
  sigh...


and NASA "in conjuction" no less

I think you may have cleaned out some of the references to this Chris, removing this is quite understandable, but I just wanted to share it.

It makes me, once again, VERY appreciative of this NSF site and the knowledge which is shared here.

[Ben the Space Brit]

Uneducated Guesses/Theories

I have a couple of possible explanations for the roll during the upper stage burn. 

1) We all saw the violent 90-degree roll the vehicle made at launch and the flame from the LOX line as it dropped away (probably the residual GOX igniting the hot exhaust gasses and burning away).  I wonder if the roll tore the lox hose connection loose and it was still attached the vehicle.  During the ascent, the valve may have loosened (it was never suppose to remain closed with the hose attached in flight, after all) and oxygen started leaking out, creating a slight off-axis thrust from the partially-open valve.

2) IIRC, the Merlin turbopump exhaust feeds into the engine bell.  Maybe that was creating a spiraling gas flow through the expansion nozzle, creating a slight rolling impulse.

[corrodedNut]

Uneducated Guesses/Theories

I have a couple of possible explanations for the roll during the upper stage burn. 

1) We all saw the violent 90-degree roll the vehicle made at launch and the flame from the LOX line as it dropped away (probably the residual GOX igniting the hot exhaust gasses and burning away).  I wonder if the roll tore the lox hose connection loose and it was still attached the vehicle.  During the ascent, the valve may have loosened (it was never suppose to remain closed with the hose attached in flight, after all) and oxygen started leaking out, creating a slight off-axis thrust from the partially-open valve.

2) IIRC, the Merlin turbopump exhaust feeds into the engine bell.  Maybe that was creating a spiraling gas flow through the expansion nozzle, creating a slight rolling impulse.

The MerlinVac turbopump exhaust is actuated for roll control, you could see it swiveling during flight.

I think (and this is just my opinion) that there was a leak related to the umbilical issue and it leaked all the way to orbit. Possibly causing the roll issue and/or the "spiral" phenomenon.

[ugordan]

I think (and this is just my opinion) that there was a leak related to the umbilical issue and it leaked all the way to orbit. Possibly causing the roll issue and/or the "spiral" phenomenon.

Then why didn't the roll control nozzle compensate? It vectored just once during the entire burn, just at the beginning IIRC. It would be one thing if it vectored hardover and that still wasn't enough to overcome the roll torque, but what appears to have happened is no action. The torque didn't appear to be that strong, it just built up a significant rate over the burn duration. I don't think any real upper stage flies with *no* roll torque whatsoever.