SpaceX Falcon 9 : Formosat-5 : SLC-4E Vandenberg : Aug 24, 2017 : DISCUSSION

[Michael Baylor]

SpaceX's biggest challenge now is not getting too complacent. It's almost scary how routine everything feels.

[Lar]

... I am starting to think they should repaint the droneship names in the opposite direction

you mean mirrored? upside down? if THAT'S their biggest worry all is pretty awesome!

[TrueBlueWitt]

Do we know why it looks like they've gone back to the coated AL grid fins?

From what little we got to see.. it looked like Landing with the new Ti ones had some issues... too much drag?  Don't think they ever released video for that one.

Any idea when and if they resurface?

[Ronsmytheiii]

Thanks LC-39A and 4E; welcome back 40... join the party.

The OTV-5 (X-37B) Launch is going from LC-39A, LC-40 wont be up and running until the next launch from the east coast.

[gospacex]

Even if SpaceX will have no more successful launches this year, they launched more than Arianespace this year: Ariane only has 11 launches (8 done, 3 yet to perform).

[old_sellsword]

Do we know why it looks like they've gone back to the coated AL grid fins?

From what little we got to see.. it looked like Landing with the new Ti ones had some issues... too much drag?  Don't think they ever released video for that one.

Any idea when and if they resurface?

The probably have a backlog of old fins and are using them on low-energy missions instead of throwing them away.

They need the Titanium fins for FH, we’ll definitely see them again.

This isn’t so much them “going back” to the old fins, it’s more that they introduced the new ones before they were out of old ones.

[Norm38]

It's a "use to depletion" cutover. Happens all the time.

[Pulpstar]

Seemed like the highest duration flight time for a first stage yet. Release high up or with alot of vertical velocity ?

Checking against the entry burn started when the others were landing (It was longer than the longest one from that particular montage) !

[c3infinity]

Passing the 5-minute mark now.

First stage should have passed its apogee by now.

Still looks like it is going up... apogee soon, but probably about twice as high as "normal" LEO or GTO launch. Very lofted trajectory.

From my semi-local vantage point, it very much appeared to go straight up until first stage cutoff when I lost track in the bright sky. I was not able to pick out the re-entry burn.

[Michael Baylor]

Even if SpaceX will have no more successful launches this year, they launched more than Arianespace this year: Ariane only has 11 launches (8 done, 3 yet to perform).

1. Ariane can do two missions in one launch with the Ariane 5 dual payload capability.
2. If SpaceX had no more successful launches this year, customer satisfaction would be down for SpaceX and up for Ariane.

20-22 successful missions this year would be a huge win for SpaceX, but lets not get excited until that's accomplished. 

[russianhalo117]

Even if SpaceX will have no more successful launches this year, they launched more than Arianespace this year: Ariane only has 11 launches (8 done, 3 yet to perform).

1. Ariane can do two missions in one launch with the Ariane 5 dual payload capability.
2. If SpaceX had no more successful launches this year, customer satisfaction would be down for SpaceX and up for Ariane.

20-22 successful missions this year would be a huge win for SpaceX, but lets not get excited until they are there yet. 

F9 can do dual and missions but not at the same mass and injection orbit, but F9 Block-5 and FH out perform A5-ECA with ample room for even higher M-1D thrust uprating and throttle range if SpaceX ever wanted to.

[AncientU]

Even if SpaceX will have no more successful launches this year, they launched more than Arianespace this year: Ariane only has 11 launches (8 done, 3 yet to perform).

2017 versus the main competition launchers: Ariane 5(4) + Atlas V(4) + Delta IV(1) + Proton(2) < Falcon 9(12)

Note:
Landed Boosters: Ariane 5(0) + Atlas V(0) + Delta IV(0) + Proton(0) < Falcon 9(9)

[macpacheco]

Do we know why it looks like they've gone back to the coated AL grid fins?

From what little we got to see.. it looked like Landing with the new Ti ones had some issues... too much drag?  Don't think they ever released video for that one.

Any idea when and if they resurface?

They will probably use / reuse the AL fins on low energy flights until they're all too worn out, then move to all Titanium fins.
Given the fairly low % of LEO flights, this could go on until 2019.

We could see Block IV and Block V launches with old grid thins for a while.

[envy887]

Even if SpaceX will have no more successful launches this year, they launched more than Arianespace this year: Ariane only has 11 launches (8 done, 3 yet to perform).

1. Ariane can do two missions in one launch with the Ariane 5 dual payload capability.
2. If SpaceX had no more successful launches this year, customer satisfaction would be down for SpaceX and up for Ariane.

20-22 successful missions this year would be a huge win for SpaceX, but lets not get excited until they are there yet. 

F9 can do dual and missions but not at the same mass and injection orbit, but F9 Block-5 and FH out perform A5-ECA with ample room for even higher M-1D thrust uprating and throttle range if SpaceX ever wanted to.

FH>A5>F9 Blk 5, at least for GTO where most of the commercial money is right now.

[sghill]

Does that landing leg look right to you guys?

It looks fine to me... Perhaps you can tell us what you see?

I guess it's the camera parallax on that right leg.

[M.E.T.]

Even if SpaceX will have no more successful launches this year, they launched more than Arianespace this year: Ariane only has 11 launches (8 done, 3 yet to perform).

1. Ariane can do two missions in one launch with the Ariane 5 dual payload capability.
2. If SpaceX had no more successful launches this year, customer satisfaction would be down for SpaceX and up for Ariane.

20-22 successful missions this year would be a huge win for SpaceX, but lets not get excited until they are there yet. 

F9 can do dual and missions but not at the same mass and injection orbit, but F9 Block-5 and FH out perform A5-ECA with ample room for even higher M-1D thrust uprating and throttle range if SpaceX ever wanted to.

FH>A5>F9 Blk 5, at least for GTO where most of the commercial money is right now.

Are you referring to reusable F9 Block 5? Because on Wikipedia Arriane 5's stated GTO payload capability is around 10500kg, whereas the expendable F9 Block 5 is supposed to achieve around 13000kg to GTO if I'm not mistaken.

[ZachS09]

M.E.T., the 13k to GTO for Falcon 9 Block 5 applies to the expendable version.

A bunch of performance is taken away for the reusable version.

[tvg98]

Even if SpaceX will have no more successful launches this year, they launched more than Arianespace this year: Ariane only has 11 launches (8 done, 3 yet to perform).

1. Ariane can do two missions in one launch with the Ariane 5 dual payload capability.
2. If SpaceX had no more successful launches this year, customer satisfaction would be down for SpaceX and up for Ariane.

20-22 successful missions this year would be a huge win for SpaceX, but lets not get excited until they are there yet. 

F9 can do dual and missions but not at the same mass and injection orbit, but F9 Block-5 and FH out perform A5-ECA with ample room for even higher M-1D thrust uprating and throttle range if SpaceX ever wanted to.

FH>A5>F9 Blk 5, at least for GTO where most of the commercial money is right now.

Are you referring to reusable F9 Block 5? Because on Wikipedia Arriane 5's stated GTO payload capability is around 10500kg, whereas the expendable F9 Block 5 is supposed to achieve around 13000kg to GTO if I'm not mistaken.

I'm pretty sure it's actually 8300 kg, especially since I don't see how they can double their performance with Block 5 (in its reusable form of course).

[abaddon]

The expendable F9 B5 is supposed to be a bit over 8 tonnes to GTO, as per SpaceX's own website.

[M.E.T.]

M.E.T., the 13k to GTO for Falcon 9 Block 5 applies to the expendable version.

A bunch of performance is taken away for the reusable version.

Sorry, I wasn't clear with my question. I'm well aware of that. I was querying why Arriane 5 (which is also expendable) is stated to be able to lift more to GTO than the F9 Block 5. Unless the F9 Block 5 referred to is the reusable version.