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

[Rocket Science]

I noted the time line for crewed flight during the last press conference with Elon. He stated that crewed fights were about 2.5 years away compared with 5 years for NASA. Gwynne mentioned 2015 so they are all lined up with their comments. It would be interesting to see a crewed SpaceX test flight in 2015 and if NASA were to reconsider their timeline. Of course that is if they win…

[JimO]

What's the chance of ground/airborne viewers
seeing the backlit booster plumes of the Falcon-9
during its climb into orbit Saturday morning?
 
Launch is at 4:55 AM EDT.
Sunrise at the Cape is at 6:30 EDT.
Up the coast it's even earlier -- New Bern, North Carolina, is 6:02 AM.
At orbital altitude there ought to be LOTS of sunlight.
 
Also, where will first sunrise occur? From the last launch, the
folks in eastern Australia got a major sky spectacle with a
spinning spiral, as the fuel dumped. Who will see it this time?

Also, we have a series of pre-dawn ISS visuals over Houston, I
expect to be outside for every one until berthing.

[Chris Bergin]

I don't want this turning into a Jay Barbee thread, but I'll say this much, he's done it all and knows his stuff. I'd rather have him there than someone asking fluff questions.

Anyhoo, live thread still several hours away.

[Ronsmytheiii]

a couple of images from Mr Pearlman's FB page (with permission)

[extide]

Is there a time specified for the launch yet? It would be handy to have this in one of the first posts of one of these threads. Thanks!

[mr. mark]

4:55am US eastern time Saturday just hours away now.

[bbliss]

Reporter stating Mike Griffin negative comment about SpaceX.
...
Ms Shotwell says she doesn't concentrate on negative comments.
...
Very confident and professional from Ms Shotwell! The Griffin question sidestep was classy.

I missed the conference and couldn't find the answer elsewhere -- can someone elaborate on what exactly former Administrator Griffin said re: SpaceX?  I'm just curious, and I think other people might be, too.  Thanks!

[krytek]

Very good international coverage for this flight, lots of interest.

[dbhyslop]

What's the chance of ground/airborne viewers
seeing the backlit booster plumes of the Falcon-9
during its climb into orbit Saturday morning?
 
Launch is at 4:55 AM EDT.
Sunrise at the Cape is at 6:30 EDT.
Up the coast it's even earlier -- New Bern, North Carolina, is 6:02 AM.
At orbital altitude there ought to be LOTS of sunlight.
 
Also, where will first sunrise occur? From the last launch, the
folks in eastern Australia got a major sky spectacle with a
spinning spiral, as the fuel dumped. Who will see it this time?

Also, we have a series of pre-dawn ISS visuals over Houston, I
expect to be outside for every one until berthing.

I'm curious about this, too.  My local sunrise is 5:20 AM near Cape Cod.  I could reliably see MECO on night shuttle flights, but I'm wondering if it will be too light to bother tomorrow morning.

[mrmandias]

Thanks for the press conference coverage, gentlemen.

[manboy]

Reporter stating Mike Griffin negative comment about SpaceX.
...
Ms Shotwell says she doesn't concentrate on negative comments.
...
Very confident and professional from Ms Shotwell! The Griffin question sidestep was classy.

I missed the conference and couldn't find the answer elsewhere -- can someone elaborate on what exactly former Administrator Griffin said re: SpaceX?  I'm just curious, and I think other people might be, too.  Thanks!

Something about SpaceX not even bring dirty laundry to the ISS yet let alone crew. The pre-launch conference will probably be on one of NASA's youtube channels by tomorrow.

[Chandonn]

Is there a time specified for the launch yet? It would be handy to have this in one of the first posts of one of these threads. Thanks!

There will be a launch specific thread soon.  Chris always has all pertinent data on the first post.

[rdale]

What's the chance of ground/airborne viewers
seeing the backlit booster plumes of the Falcon-9
during its climb into orbit Saturday morning?
 
Launch is at 4:55 AM EDT.
Sunrise at the Cape is at 6:30 EDT.
Up the coast it's even earlier -- New Bern, North Carolina, is 6:02 AM.
At orbital altitude there ought to be LOTS of sunlight.
 
Also, where will first sunrise occur? From the last launch, the
folks in eastern Australia got a major sky spectacle with a
spinning spiral, as the fuel dumped. Who will see it this time?

Also, we have a series of pre-dawn ISS visuals over Houston, I
expect to be outside for every one until berthing.

I'm curious about this, too.  My local sunrise is 5:20 AM near Cape Cod.  I could reliably see MECO on night shuttle flights, but I'm wondering if it will be too light to bother tomorrow morning.

If only there was a viewing thread, where this sort of discussion has been taking place (since it has nothing to do with launch preps )

[Comga]

a couple of images from Mr Pearlman's FB page (with permission)

In the first image the visible engine bell looks like blue fabric.  Is that a wrapping that comes off before launch?

[ugordan]

Is that a wrapping that comes off before launch?

It's removed before flight.

[rerickson]

I wonder why blue for that engine wrapper, instead of sticking with the NASA color code of red for remove-before flight? Standards are worth propagating... (or does blue have an existing use?)

Is that a wrapping that comes off before launch?

It's removed before flight.

[Go4TLI]

I wonder why blue for that engine wrapper, instead of sticking with the NASA color code of red for remove-before flight? Standards are worth propagating... (or does blue have an existing use?)

Is that a wrapping that comes off before launch?

It's removed before flight.

There's nothing magical about the color choice.  NASA does not always use red either, elephant hide for instance to protect any number of critical components. 

This is simply a cushiony engine cover to protect the bell from damage

[oiorionsbelt]

Back to the PreLaunch news conference for just a second. SpaceX 'firsts' were listed by Allen Lindenmoyer then a little later Ms Shotwell mentioned they had never made a T-0.
So if they launch in the near instantaneous window tomorrow morning that will be another first for SpaceX

[AnalogMan]

Reporter stating Mike Griffin negative comment about SpaceX.
...
Ms Shotwell says she doesn't concentrate on negative comments.
...
Very confident and professional from Ms Shotwell! The Griffin question sidestep was classy.

I missed the conference and couldn't find the answer elsewhere -- can someone elaborate on what exactly former Administrator Griffin said re: SpaceX?  I'm just curious, and I think other people might be, too.  Thanks!

Something about SpaceX not even bring dirty laundry to the ISS yet let alone crew. The pre-launch conference will probably be on one of NASA's youtube channels by tomorrow.

John44 has already posted his video link to the pre-launch conference earlier in this very thread:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=28808.msg899338#msg899338

[Chris Bergin]

William's filed his launch preview (and it's a good one!!) so one hour to get set up for publish and then the live thread...then a nap...then up two or three hours before launch