Author Topic: LIVE: SpaceX Falcon 9 (Flight 2) - COTS-1 - Launch Updates - December 8, 2010 (Read 604120 times)

ugordan · « **Reply #260 on:** 12/08/2010 02:59 pm »

Quote from: Hauerg on 12/08/2010 02:57 pm

IIRC the tower hose was also on fire at launch #1, but not as spectacular as today.

It wented a lot of gas, but definitely didn't burst into flames like that. For a moment it looked like the vehicle itself was going.

tigerade · « **Reply #261 on:** 12/08/2010 02:59 pm »

Awesome job SpaceX!!! Beautiful Dragon sep!!! Good luck with the rest of the mission.

Robotbeat · « **Reply #262 on:** 12/08/2010 02:59 pm »

from twitter:
SpaceXMissions
Beautiful launch! Dragon is in orbit. Will provide status updates as available.
less than 10 seconds ago via web
On-orbit operations underway
2 minutes ago via web

Davidgojr · « **Reply #263 on:** 12/08/2010 03:00 pm »

Fantastic launch and webcast coverage! Congrats to SpaceX and the teams that have worked so hard. I can't wait to see how the rest of the day goes!

clongton · « **Reply #264 on:** 12/08/2010 03:00 pm »

Congrats to Space-X AGAIN!

craigcocca · « **Reply #265 on:** 12/08/2010 03:00 pm »

Does anyone know the dock/berth that the SpaceX recovery forces are operating from in Southern California? Would like to head out to Long Beach to see Dragon following recovery today if I can find out where they're operating from.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #266 on:** 12/08/2010 03:00 pm »

Forgot to note, this is like MECO after an orbiter's ride into orbit. Can post away now (only had housekeep during the updates or we get so many complaints etc).

Echo what Pete said. Will always be loyal to Shuttle, but that was very impressive and had the same nerves during ascent.

randomly · « **Reply #267 on:** 12/08/2010 03:01 pm »

I wonder if the reason they cut so much off the bell because if they cut anything off, the stiffening rings would no longer fit and they would have to fabricate new ones. So they just shortened it to the point where it wouldn't need a stiffening ring.

Mapperuo · « **Reply #268 on:** 12/08/2010 03:01 pm »

HD of the launch already online:

thomson · « **Reply #269 on:** 12/08/2010 03:01 pm »

From SpaceXMissions: "Dragon Separates from Falcon 9 and initializes propulsion".

e of pi · « **Reply #270 on:** 12/08/2010 03:01 pm »

Fantastic show from SpaceX, really glad I had today off classes anyway....

clongton · « **Reply #271 on:** 12/08/2010 03:01 pm »

Chris - any confirmation of Dragon recovery operations timetable?

antonioe · « **Reply #272 on:** 12/08/2010 03:02 pm »

Good operation, good recovery from anomalies, smooth flight. That's how things are done!

Congratulations.

- Antonio Elias

jimvela · « **Reply #273 on:** 12/08/2010 03:02 pm »

From SpaceX twitter:

Quote

On-orbit operations underway

Ben the Space Brit · « **Reply #274 on:** 12/08/2010 03:02 pm »

If we can say nothing else, we can now with justification say that Falcon-9 is robust enough to deliver payloads to orbit even if it is in a very jerry-rigged state.

beancounter · « **Reply #275 on:** 12/08/2010 03:03 pm »

Great effort SpaceX Team. Musk quoted successful launch at 90% - beat that, and 60% for Dragon return. Go Dragon!
Beat the second launch stat's as well. 1st launch - lotta luck!!?? 2 in a row, not so much, perhaps good system, processes after all. Gotta agree, looked solid right from the word GO.
Reallly exciting. Missed the first one live so this was doubly so.

echalone · « **Reply #276 on:** 12/08/2010 03:03 pm »

Congratulations SpaceX!!! Thank you for your great work towards commercial spaceflight

Looking forward to see it reenter...

By the way: Woah! I almost thought the thing blows up at the beginning... I assume some hydrogen plume fire from the refuling hose??

Zoomer30 · « **Reply #277 on:** 12/08/2010 03:03 pm »

No worries mates, the only thing the Falcon knows how to do is fly. And well I might add. The only bad thing is in a way you almost WANT stuff to go wrong on the early flights.....gives the engineers a good feeling when they know what to fix.

edkyle99 · « **Reply #278 on:** 12/08/2010 03:03 pm »

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 12/08/2010 02:53 pm

288 P
301 A

A touch early on the Mvac shutdown compared to the press kit numbers, and a slightly low perigee according to these preliminary numbers, but press kits sometimes are "approximations" and the orbit seems good enough for this mission.

Falcon 9 looks like a keeper.

- Ed Kyle

docmordrid · « **Reply #279 on:** 12/08/2010 03:04 pm »

SpaceXMissions: "On-orbit operations underway"