SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon COTS Demo (C2+) PRE LAUNCH UPDATES (PART 2)

[robertross]

Okay, I'm really pumped now. I just found out there are two sighting opportunities for me to see Dragon on Sunday & Tuesday! Yay! 

[rickl]

Okay, I'm really pumped now. I just found out there are two sighting opportunities for me to see Dragon on Sunday & Tuesday! Yay! 

Weather permitting, I'm going to go outside after first stage separation and try to see it passing by under powered flight.  I saw two Shuttle launches like that, but I'm sure the single MVAC will be much fainter than the 3 SSMEs.

[robertross]

Okay, I'm really pumped now. I just found out there are two sighting opportunities for me to see Dragon on Sunday & Tuesday! Yay! 

Weather permitting, I'm going to go outside after first stage separation and try to see it passing by under powered flight.  I saw two Shuttle launches like that, but I'm sure the single MVAC will be much fainter than the 3 SSMEs.

That's cool. No chance for me with that.

Just seeing the ISS pass overhead on a clear night gives one a strange sense: pride, awe...

I don't know how I'll feel with Dragon, probably expectation, anticipation, concern, and most of all: relief (that it has finally come to this moment).

The occasion is beyond what most of the population could imagine: the potential for the dawn of a new age.

(yeah yeah, that already happened with the safe return of the first Dragon flight, but this is bigger: it has a destination and a tangible purpose)

I encourage everyone with clear skies to check for an orbital pass (if & when it launches) and just ponder this day and age we live it: it could be changing.

[Fuji]

COTS 2 Mission Presskit
http://www.spacex.com/downloads/COTS-2-Press-Kit-5-14-12.pdf

[kirghizstan]

Okay, I'm really pumped now. I just found out there are two sighting opportunities for me to see Dragon on Sunday & Tuesday! Yay! 

Weather permitting, I'm going to go outside after first stage separation and try to see it passing by under powered flight.  I saw two Shuttle launches like that, but I'm sure the single MVAC will be much fainter than the 3 SSMEs.

That's cool. No chance for me with that.

Just seeing the ISS pass overhead on a clear night gives one a strange sense: pride, awe...

I don't know how I'll feel with Dragon, probably expectation, anticipation, concern, and most of all: relief (that it has finally come to this moment).

The occasion is beyond what most of the population could imagine: the potential for the dawn of a new age.

(yeah yeah, that already happened with the safe return of the first Dragon flight, but this is bigger: it has a destination and a tangible purpose)

I encourage everyone with clear skies to check for an orbital pass (if & when it launches) and just ponder this day and age we live it: it could be changing.

So I should be able to see this being in Massachusetts?  Now if I only knew where and exactly when to look

[robertross]

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/skywatch.cgi?country=United+States

[skymech231]

Hi I am new here.  Is SpaceX going to attempt recovery again? Are there chutes installed?

[oiorionsbelt]

Not on this flight, no chutes.

[Jason1701]

Hi I am new here.  Is SpaceX going to attempt recovery again? Are there chutes installed?

F9 core 003 lacks parachutes and cork TPS. They have given up on parachuting the vehicle into the ocean, and are concentrating on the boost-back program for the future.

[Ronsmytheiii]

not the greatest weather for rollout:

[Robotbeat]

Okay, I'm really pumped now. I just found out there are two sighting opportunities for me to see Dragon on Sunday & Tuesday! Yay! 

Weather permitting, I'm going to go outside after first stage separation and try to see it passing by under powered flight.  I saw two Shuttle launches like that, but I'm sure the single MVAC will be much fainter than the 3 SSMEs.

That's cool. No chance for me with that.

Just seeing the ISS pass overhead on a clear night gives one a strange sense: pride, awe...

I don't know how I'll feel with Dragon, probably expectation, anticipation, concern, and most of all: relief (that it has finally come to this moment).

The occasion is beyond what most of the population could imagine: the potential for the dawn of a new age.

(yeah yeah, that already happened with the safe return of the first Dragon flight, but this is bigger: it has a destination and a tangible purpose)

I encourage everyone with clear skies to check for an orbital pass (if & when it launches) and just ponder this day and age we live it: it could be changing.

So I should be able to see this being in Massachusetts?  Now if I only knew where and exactly when to look

It's on the NASA app, if you have a smartphone (at least, it's on the iPhone version).

[AdamH]

I have never missed a SpaceX launch and I never intended to. I will however be camping and will miss the live launch. Will someone make sure to record the live event in it's entirety? That would be amazing!

[Nascent Ascent]

Minor point...  After looking at the press kit does anyone think the Dragon logo looks...amateurish.  Compared to the SpaceX company logo or the F9 logo the Dragon one looks like it was drawn by a Dungeon and Dragons playing kid.

[psloss]

C'mon, folks -- there's a discussion thread:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=28486.0

[Ben the Space Brit]

Per L2. LRR gave a GO for launch on Saturday morning.

I'm sufficiently a geek that, when I read that, I saw in my head the big countdown timer at the LC-39 viewing area suddenly start counting down.

[Chris Bergin]

Last day for this thread. Launch day thread starts very early tomorrow.

The excellent William Graham is writing the article to lead, ETA late night GMT.

[input~2]

Information from NOTAM

A0615/12 [...] - QWMLW ER OP X0022
THIS OPERATION MUST LAUNCH AT 1205190855, THERE IS NO EXTENDED
WINDOW AND THE OPERATION HAS A LESS THAN NORMAL HAZARD WINDOW.
LAUNCH HAZARD AREA 1 WINDOW IS 1205190855 TO 1205190902.
LAUNCH HAZARD AREA 2 WINDOW IS 1205190855 TO 1205190926.
IN THE EVENT OF A MALFUNCTION BOTH AREAS WILL BE CLOSED 0855-0927.
FLIGHTS SHOULD PLAN DEPARTURES/ENROUTE TIMING TO AVOID THE HAZARD
AREAS FROM 0855 TO 0927. FLIGHTS THAT DO NOT MEET THESE TIMES WILL
RECEIVE A REROUTE AROUND THE AIRSPACE WHICH WILL EXCEED ANY DELAY
TIME REQUIRED TO MEET THE HAZARD PERIOD.[...]

Navigational warning

240/12(11,12,26).
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
ROCKETS.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 190855Z TO 190928Z MAY,
ALTERNATE 220744Z TO 220817Z MAY
IN AREAS BOUND BY:
A. 28-38N 080-37W, 28-41N 080-35W,
29-33N 079-39W, 30-50N 078-14W,
31-30N 077-25W, 31-28N 077-22W,
30-33N 078-20W, 29-41N 079-15W,
28-37N 080-21W, 28-29N 080-23W,
28-29N 080-33W.
B. 34-39N 073-41W, 34-56N 073-34W,
35-14N 073-16W, 35-29N 072-45W,
35-29N 072-31W, 35-23N 072-28W,
35-13N 072-30W, 34-51N 072-49W,
34-38N 073-09W, 34-32N 073-35W.
C. 33-54N 074-38W, 34-09N 074-42W,
34-30N 074-38W, 35-09N 074-17W,
35-44N 073-36W, 36-05N 072-48W,
36-15N 071-59W, 36-29N 071-34W,
36-39N 071-03W, 36-30N 070-52W,
36-10N 071-02W, 35-48N 071-27W,
34-51N 071-56W, 34-16N 072-31W,
33-52N 073-16W, 33-43N 073-54W,
33-42N 074-24W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 220917Z MAY.

[psloss]

More references --

Launch hazard area:
http://www.patrick.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-120406-076.pdf

Restricted airspace map:
http://www.patrick.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-120406-075.pdf

[Ronsmytheiii]

No pictures yet, but confirmation that Falcon 9 is vertical:

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with its Dragon spacecraft was stood vertical on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex-40 at CCAFS, Fla.

https://twitter.com/#!/NASAKennedy

[psloss]

L-1 forecast out now from the 45th Weather Squadron:
http://www.patrick.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070716-028.pdf

No substantial changes; 30% chance of weather violation at liftoff time tomorrow.  Primary concern is still the Cumulus Cloud Rule.