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

[Retired Downrange]

# drogue chutes deployed 39 minutes ago via web

# Recovery crew has put the floats on the Dragon already. 4 minutes ago via web


Thirty five minutes from drogue deploy to installing floats!

On Target I would say!

[Dave G]

Could this secret payload be some kind of living creature (a mouse?), just to prove the capsule is genuinely able to sustain life?

That would be another "first".

Interesting...  I could see them doing something like that.

[Avron]

And if you lost a post, remember, it's never personal. We try and keep it as tidy as possible, and I know we'll of missed some things, but for the record I personally do not see ANYTHING wrong with people being excited about space flight.

There was one post that I wish wasn't removed or at least I wish I took a screenshot! 

As for my little contribution to increasing the noise-to-signal ratio:

I. am. speechless.

the 'Yes' one?

[asmolenski]

Chris, congrats on the site and handling the traffic.  As for the noise, sometimes should be welcome, especially in moments like this and most of the post remained on topic (with a few exceptions). Shows the excitement of the moment (as long as it's limited to the truly major events.)

Outside of here, on my Twitter feed and FB and such, the amount of excitement and interest was higher than I expected, but still lower than I would love to have seen.  (#SpaceX was a top 5 trending topic on Twitter for most of the mission time!)

I just hope that the media gives this the attention it deserves; however, I'l going to hazard a guess it will get nothing more than a quick passing as 'just another' launch by local stations and maybe a little more on the national level.  I hope I'm wrong.

Anyway, Space X, Falcon 9 and Dragon, congrats on a job well done and on the beginning of a new age in space travel/exploration. 

Let's hope that I'm right that all these commercial ventures lead to competition, and that as usual, the competition will breed further innovation.

[butters]

They absolutely smashed this one out of the ballpark.

I don't know how anyone could rationalize not proceeding with COTS-D or similar funding to expedite Dragon Crew at this point, but I suspect they'll find a way...

[stockman]

Could this secret payload be some kind of living creature (a mouse?), just to prove the capsule is genuinely able to sustain life?

That would be another "first".

Interesting...  I could see them doing something like that.

With the ramifications from PETA if it failed on the line?? I doubt it.. way too risky to turn anotherwise great technical acheivement into a PR nightmare in the press...

[Dave G]

Any word on the recovery of the first stage?

I was wondering the same thing.

[YesRushGen]

There was one post that I wish wasn't removed or at least I wish I took a screenshot! 

As for my little contribution to increasing the noise-to-signal ratio:

I. am. speechless.

The one I wish wasn't removed was Jim's "Yes!!!" post. I saw it, and it was gone upon the next refresh.

[spacester]

I'm thinking the secret cargo can only be one thing.

"No Magic Dragons were harmed during this spaceflight, and Puff himself will be available for a press conference tomorrow".

[nickyp]

Absolutely top stuff from SpaceX and NASA.  Finally a positive note to end the year on after all of the political wrangling all year!

Once it gets crewed and Boeing get their capsule up and running, the USA should have a substantial arsenal of crewed spacecraft for LEO access.  Excellent stuff!

[mrhuggy]

Could this secret payload be some kind of living creature (a mouse?), just to prove the capsule is genuinely able to sustain life?

That would be another "first".

I doubt they would get away with a live cargo unless it was a volunteer. More likley a object of some kind maybe the Cylon that SpaceX has at Hawthorn factory. Or may be a model of the space shuttle, ares or jupliter.

[MikeMi.]

Congratz to SpaceX. We are following steps of that company also from Poland. Whata great day for astronautic

[Lars_J]

SpaceXer:

Recovery crew has put the floats on the Dragon already.

Now where are the pictures!!! (sorry for my eagerness)

[spacetraveler]

There was one post that I wish wasn't removed or at least I wish I took a screenshot! 

As for my little contribution to increasing the noise-to-signal ratio:

I. am. speechless.

The one I wish wasn't removed was Jim's "Yes!!!" post. I saw it, and it was gone upon the next refresh.

Haha, I didn't know that was removed. I saw it too. Jim, it's ok you can tell us how you really feel. 

[Space Lizard]

Could this secret payload be some kind of living creature (a mouse?), just to prove the capsule is genuinely able to sustain life?

That would be another "first".

Interesting...  I could see them doing something like that.

With the ramifications from PETA if it failed on the line?? I doubt it.. way too risky to turn anotherwise great technical acheivement into a PR nightmare in the press...

Maybe that's why Elon said he would tell only in case of success...

[rnc]

There was one post that I wish wasn't removed or at least I wish I took a screenshot! 

As for my little contribution to increasing the noise-to-signal ratio:

I. am. speechless.

The one I wish wasn't removed was Jim's "Yes!!!" post. I saw it, and it was gone upon the next refresh.

I saw that too :-) Jim is ever the steely eyed rocket man :-)

[kaa]

Could this secret payload be some kind of living creature (a mouse?), just to prove the capsule is genuinely able to sustain life?

That would be another "first".

Dragonflies ?

[Immersive]

Is Spacex receiving any USN support for recovery ops?  Do they plan on having that support when the vehicle is crewed?

[kevin-rf]

Could this secret payload be some kind of living creature (a mouse?), just to prove the capsule is genuinely able to sustain life?

That would be another "first".

Lets see, 3:30 NASA presser, they must have flown some arsenic based life to prove it can survive in space

[Dappa]

Could this secret payload be some kind of living creature (a mouse?), just to prove the capsule is genuinely able to sustain life?

That would be another "first".

Dragonflies ?

Hirundinidae