Author Topic: LIVE: SpaceX Falcon 9 (Flight 2) - COTS-1 - Launch Updates - December 8, 2010 (Read 546758 times)

Herb Schaltegger · « **Reply #600 on:** 12/08/2010 06:15 pm »

Quote from: dad2059 on 12/08/2010 06:12 pm

Now the champagne bottles can be uncorked.

Congratulations SpaceX, may this be the first of many.

And maybe, on to Mars.

Somewhere, Bob Heinlein smiles knowingly...

Nah, RAH is saying, "What took you all so damned long?"

Congrats to the entire SpaceX team. This is a seriously cool and important event in spaceflight history.

Avron · « **Reply #601 on:** 12/08/2010 06:15 pm »

Recovery in two oceans at the same time on the same day from the same launch.. when has that append before,.. Need new on recovery... ... looking forward to confirmation...

Kaputnik · « **Reply #602 on:** 12/08/2010 06:15 pm »

What a relief- well done to all at SpaceX!
(Frustratingly, I had to head out to work at T-7 minutes! And only got back to the computer as they were doing retrofire... now to go catch up the rest of the thread...)

edkyle99 · « **Reply #603 on:** 12/08/2010 06:15 pm »

Quote from: StuffOfInterest on 12/08/2010 06:11 pm

Quote from: Robotbeat on 12/08/2010 06:10 pm
Quote from: DaveJ576 on 12/08/2010 06:10 pm
Quote from: DaveJ576 on 12/08/2010 06:04 pm
The first American splashdown since the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, 24 July 1975!

Actually, is this the first American parachute recovery of any spacecraft since 24 July 1975?
(no, you have Stardust, Genesis)
Corona?

KH-9 "Big Bird" HEXAGON film return capsules were in service until the mid 1980s.

- Ed Kyle

craigcocca · « **Reply #604 on:** 12/08/2010 06:15 pm »

Quote from: Orbiter on 12/08/2010 06:14 pm

Lets get this thing manned one day!

Orbiter

We haven't yet found out what Elon's "secret" cargo on Dragon was. Maybe it was Elon himself...

Robotbeat · « **Reply #605 on:** 12/08/2010 06:15 pm »

twitter:
"NASA
The SpaceX post-mission news conference is scheduled for 3:30 pm EST and will be carried on NASA TV. http://www/nasa.gov/ntv"

Celebrimbor · « **Reply #606 on:** 12/08/2010 06:15 pm »

I kind of missed the action but catching up here.

Great day!

Lee Jay · « **Reply #607 on:** 12/08/2010 06:16 pm »

Hey, Chris. How hammered were your servers for the last half hour?

Lars_J · « **Reply #608 on:** 12/08/2010 06:16 pm »

Also, add another 10 to the list of successfully flown Merlin engines.

(And a 100% record for the 22 flown Merlin 1C's so far?)

Jim · « **Reply #609 on:** 12/08/2010 06:16 pm »

Quote from: edkyle99 on 12/08/2010 06:15 pm

Quote from: StuffOfInterest on 12/08/2010 06:11 pm
Quote from: Robotbeat on 12/08/2010 06:10 pm
Quote from: DaveJ576 on 12/08/2010 06:10 pm
Quote from: DaveJ576 on 12/08/2010 06:04 pm
The first American splashdown since the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, 24 July 1975!

Actually, is this the first American parachute recovery of any spacecraft since 24 July 1975?
(no, you have Stardust, Genesis)
Corona?

KH-9 "Big Bird" HEXAGON film return capsules were in service until the mid 1980s.

- Ed Kyle

Gambit was the last program

Alpha Control · « **Reply #610 on:** 12/08/2010 06:17 pm »

I was going to wait for Chris B. to turn off the seatbelt sign before I posted my congrats ("you are now free to move about the cabin"

) but what the heck! I'll join in too!

This is a fantastic day for spaceflight, for the American "can do" spirit! Just terrific news all the way around.

For me, the last half-hour it felt like the end of "Apollo 13". Will the capsule appear after the heat of reentry? I was on the edge of my seat, waiting for the words 'main chutes deployed'. It was indeed a thrilling moment!

vt_hokie · « **Reply #611 on:** 12/08/2010 06:17 pm »

Quote from: craigcocca on 12/08/2010 06:15 pm

We haven't yet found out what Elon's "secret" cargo on Dragon was. Maybe it was Elon himself...

LOL!

milresol · « **Reply #612 on:** 12/08/2010 06:18 pm »

When they started the program, I thought the whole COTS thing was going to be a "slush fund" for Constellation. You know, you set out unrealistic goals that private companies couldn't meet (the whole Kistler thing seemed to reinforce that notion, in my mind)...then NASA would say, well, these guys didn't meet their milestones, so we have this $500M sitting here...guess will have to use it to speed up Constellation and get a real (read as "government") system up there. Glad to be proven wrong!

mpthompson · « **Reply #613 on:** 12/08/2010 06:18 pm »

I hope some politicians with some common sense are watching in Washington DC. Development of a manned version needs to be fast-tracked so access to LEO can be purchased and NASA manned spaceflight can set it's sites on more interesting things.

telomerase99 · « **Reply #614 on:** 12/08/2010 06:18 pm »

I love koolaide! go spacex!!!

racshot65 · « **Reply #615 on:** 12/08/2010 06:18 pm »

Congrats to all involved and thanks to those who covered it here

Hopefully we'll see videos / pictures of the capsule in the ocean at the press conference

Antares · « **Reply #616 on:** 12/08/2010 06:19 pm »

If I weren't stuck in meetings, I'd be crying tears of joy.

DaveJ576 · « **Reply #617 on:** 12/08/2010 06:19 pm »

A note of caution here... I watched the ASTP recovery on TV and it nearly went south before they got her on the recovery ship. Lets hope the rest of the day goes well too!

dad2059 · « **Reply #618 on:** 12/08/2010 06:20 pm »

Quote from: Herb Schaltegger on 12/08/2010 06:15 pm

Quote from: dad2059 on 12/08/2010 06:12 pm
Now the champagne bottles can be uncorked.

Congratulations SpaceX, may this be the first of many.

And maybe, on to Mars.

Somewhere, Bob Heinlein smiles knowingly...

Nah, RAH is saying, "What took you all so damned long?"

Congrats to the entire SpaceX team. This is a seriously cool and important event in spaceflight history.

LOL.

Yup, no doubt!

brihath · « **Reply #619 on:** 12/08/2010 06:20 pm »

Amazing....simply amazing. I have a good friend whose son works at SpaceX at the Cape. I am so happy for them and for SpaceX. What a moment!

Thanks, Chris and fellow NSF posters for the updates. It made me feel like I was there.