LIVE: SpaceX Falcon 9 (Flight 2) - COTS-1 - Launch Updates - December 8, 2010

[Mapperuo]

I think this has been a bit overplayed. It wasn't as bad as the Delta IV T-0 fireballs we've seen in the past. It's definitely worth refining (as ULA seems to have done recently with Delta IV), but I doubt this caused enough damage to be the long pole in the pad flow.

No, it hasn't been over played.  launch vehicles don't have fireballs on the umbilical towers

If all Space X have to worry about is a fireball regarding a hose with this entire test, They have done very well. *thumbs up*

[Rocket Guy]

Oh and the guy on CNN has never seen a rocket...ever....

Sigh...Walter Cronkhite and Jules Bergman are rolling over in their graves right now

The "guy on CNN", John Zarella, has probably seen a hundred launches live by now.

[Kabloona]

The whole nozzle thing was over played by the press, the way they tell it the guys were out there with a pair of wire cutters and a tape mesure to make sure it was round....probably a bit more precise than that.  And it was just the extension anyways, not really "needed"

Well, the word "overplayed" implies a basic level of understanding and an intent to exaggerate. I don't know which "press" you're referring to, but I doubt any of them were familiar with niobium nozzle extensions in the first place. And, in truth, I'm not aware of any large launch vehicle that ever had 4 feet of a nozzle extension cut off on the pad.

Even some people on this forum who know a thing or two about rocket engines did a double-take when it was reported that they had just cut off 4 feet of the nozzle extension. So, yeah, it was a bit sporting...

[Space Pete]

Hi-res launch photos are now starting to come online at the KSC Media Gallery!

http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm

[Chris Bergin]

90 minutes from splashdown based on current projections. They are go for re-entry.

[Jim]

I think this has been a bit overplayed. It wasn't as bad as the Delta IV T-0 fireballs we've seen in the past. It's definitely worth refining (as ULA seems to have done recently with Delta IV), but I doubt this caused enough damage to be the long pole in the pad flow.

No, it hasn't been over played.  launch vehicles don't have fireballs on the umbilical towers

If all Space X have to worry about is a fireball regarding a hose with this entire test, They have done very well. *thumbs up*

No, this plays into refurb costs

[Halidon]

I think this has been a bit overplayed. It wasn't as bad as the Delta IV T-0 fireballs we've seen in the past. It's definitely worth refining (as ULA seems to have done recently with Delta IV), but I doubt this caused enough damage to be the long pole in the pad flow.

No, it hasn't been over played.  launch vehicles don't have fireballs on the umbilical towers

Neither did this one. Some residual RP came out the end of the hose after disconnect and flash-burned while in a semi-aerosol cloud.

[joshcryer]

Falcon 9 COTS Demo 1 is so far 100% successful and all people can talk about is a tiny fireball that hardly did anything.

[clarkeo]

I think this has been a bit overplayed. It wasn't as bad as the Delta IV T-0 fireballs we've seen in the past. It's definitely worth refining (as ULA seems to have done recently with Delta IV), but I doubt this caused enough damage to be the long pole in the pad flow.

No, it hasn't been over played.  launch vehicles don't have fireballs on the umbilical towers

If all Space X have to worry about is a fireball regarding a hose with this entire test, They have done very well. *thumbs up*

No, this plays into refurb costs

Jim point is that they have A LOT to celebrate about, having to repaint the strongback and or replace some hoses is a relatively minor issue. Crack a smile mate they're doing an amazing thing we should be celebrating.

[Robotbeat]

Anyone know what talon Pods  are?  Sounds very promising that they are receiving telemetry from the first stage still must mean that its relatively intact. Cant wait for pictures.

Agreed! This is an incredibly interesting launch! Only the second launch of a new rocket, with live pictures of the staging events from on-board cameras, a bunch of cube-sats, first-stage (potential) recovery (a first for a liquid rocket!), and a capsule (which may eventually carry crew, though not this exact one) in orbit... waiting to reenter and splashdown! Just awesome!

And Josh: That's just Jim. He doesn't like Kool Aid. I don't blame him. He's one of those indispensable voices of reason.

[robertross]

A little late to the game due to lunch...but

Congrats SpaceX!!!!

The launch looked amazing.

[Davidgojr]

I think this has been a bit overplayed. It wasn't as bad as the Delta IV T-0 fireballs we've seen in the past. It's definitely worth refining (as ULA seems to have done recently with Delta IV), but I doubt this caused enough damage to be the long pole in the pad flow.

No, it hasn't been over played.  launch vehicles don't have fireballs on the umbilical towers

If all Space X have to worry about is a fireball regarding a hose with this entire test, They have done very well. *thumbs up*

No, this plays into refurb costs

Always seeing the glass half full, eh?  This is a minor issue in comparison to the successful launch and can likely be fixed fairly easily next time.

[JayP]

I think this has been a bit overplayed. It wasn't as bad as the Delta IV T-0 fireballs we've seen in the past. It's definitely worth refining (as ULA seems to have done recently with Delta IV), but I doubt this caused enough damage to be the long pole in the pad flow.

No, it hasn't been over played.  launch vehicles don't have fireballs on the umbilical towers

If all Space X have to worry about is a fireball regarding a hose with this entire test, They have done very well. *thumbs up*

It could be a bit concerning depending on "why" the combustible fluid got dumped into the air in the first place. If it was because a fitting fell off of (or was pulled off) the end of the line as it seperated from the vehicle, that would be a problem.

[Space Pete]

Falcon 9 launch NASA TV coverage - in HD!

[iamlucky13]

Thank you for the coverage guys. I decided to sleep in so I could be more effective at work...where I am now reading this thread.

One comment from the audio if anybody knows any details.

A couple seconds before MECO 1, someone called out "Stage 2 M-Vac chilling in" or something similar.

I assume this is a helium purge/cooldown? Does this vent out the interstage?

[yg1968]

Looking very good so far. Sources note one of the Dracos has failed - within tolerance. Internally they are seeing video at SpaceX, shame they aren't streaming it.

Out of curiosity, what does failing within tolerance mean? It means that it's not a big deal?

[Chris Bergin]

Looking very good so far. Sources note one of the Dracos has failed - within tolerance. Internally they are seeing video at SpaceX, shame they aren't streaming it.

Out of curiosity, what does failing within tolerance mean? It means that it's not a big deal?

Yes sir. Built in redundancy.

[gospacex]

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=36606091

video of launch.  Now I see the fireball by the umbilicals at T-0 that you guys are talking about.  Wow.

It ignited while F9 was barely ~10 meters above the pad. Here is the first video frame where hose (?) ignites

[Antares]

I assume this is a helium purge/cooldown? Does this vent out the interstage?

Educated guess: LOX bleeding through the engine, going out either a turbopump drain or through the chamber to chill the LOX flow passages.  Most likely vented out the interstage, but potentially just dumping into the interstage (and then quickly dispersed at separation).

If you listen to the countdown prelaunch, they make the same call for the first stage engines.

[SM4_Engineer]

This may be a repeat but there are photos from orbit on SpaceX's Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/SpaceX?v=wall#!/photo.php?fbid=10150339052290131&set=a.10150303260090131.563831.353851465130