OMG it's the SpaceX Party Thread!

[joncz]

Wow -

Space-bound and down, loaded up and trucking
We gonna do what they say can't be done
We've got a long way to go, and a short time to get there
I'm space-bound, just watch ol' Falcon run!

http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/05/spacex-dragon-takes-flight/?comments=1&post=22880359#comment-22880359

[Antares]

You should check his heart rate - it's clearly above 120 (watch his neck).

Sorry for such stupid first post

Actually, I liked it.  Remind me not to be at a poker table with you.

[edkyle99]

I wanted to point out that the 2012 launch count is no longer a shutout, as it is now:

PWR:  3  (two Delta 4 and 1/2 of two Atlas 5 launches)

"The Other Guys":  1

Or, if you are counting engines, it is:

PWR:  6

"The Other Guys":  10

That was a long 17 months though... 

 - Ed Kyle

[ugordan]

This guy would produce quite interesting video if only he had a way to track the vehicle through the telescope more smoothly. Still some unique, more "sideways" perspective on the launch. Kind of reminds me of the Apollo days.



He has some other launches on his channel as well, the OTV-1 launch showing unique plumage of the RD-180 would be my favorite, if not for the obnoxious music.

[peter-b]

Elon seems to be a pretty popular guy in Hawthorne. Bit of a "cult of personality" situation going on at SpaceX?



Then again, I guess I don't blame them, given that SpaceX is a product of his vision, determination and commitment...

[Lars_J]

ugordan,
Yep, the trail looks quite a bit longer and "Saturn V-ish" from that distance. Quite nice footage, apart from the shaking.

[mduncan36]

Elon seems to be a pretty popular guy in Hawthorne. Bit of a "cult of personality" situation going on at SpaceX?



Then again, I guess I don't blame them, given that SpaceX is a product of his vision, determination and commitment...

I think that says a lot right there. He doesn't have posters of himself hanging all over the place. Elon Musk has given the people in his work place a purpose and a personal connection to their work. That is a very rare thing in this day and along with a decent paycheck it means a lot. I can't complain about what I earn but it's very uninspiring work at an extremely uninspiring place with a real lack of leadership. At age 49 and very cynical it would change my life to have direction and a leader like that.

[Jason1701]

He's no Michael Scott.

[Lars_J]

I noticed the heavy (&atmospheric) smoke layer that was spreading around the pad just before launch - this video shows it well in the beginning:



Was this caused by the weather conditions? I don't recall seeing this much on the previous two launches.

[ugordan]

It's not smoke, it's vapor from the flame trench. Merlin chilldown vents a lot of cold GOX and that all goes out the trench exit. There was virtually no wind so it just stuck around there.

[Antares]

Extremely cold GOX venting into a saturated (morning) atmosphere -> H2O fog.  December (F9-2) and daytime (F9-1) would not be so saturated.

[Robotbeat]

Matt Sachtler ‏@mattsachtler SpaceX software engineer by day. SpaceX software engineer by night. All tweets are my own.

Tweeps, why have you not all been gratuitously linking our favorite video? #DragonLaunch

[Moe Grills]

OK! This is the thread to be on!
Serious posts entered, and lots of fun and good-humored posts too.

Hey! Some facts to pass on!

The essence of the late astronaut Gordo Cooper, as well as the Starship Enterprise engineer, Scotty, are now orbiting the earth afixed to the
orbiting FALCON 9 second stage.
  How long will FALCON 9 second stage orbit? Your guess is as good as mine.
As for Scotty? Hezza na orbit'n da earth with na dilithium crrrystals.
 
Also orbiting the earth now, onboard Dragon, are a nasty spider,
hopefully in a hermetically sealed container.
How do you perform an...arachnid transfer in orbit, from one container to another, without getting bit? 
 

And some 'experimental' wine are onboard too. 

Experimental wine? Who onboard the ISS is allowed to 'experiment'
with the stuff?
Nudge nudge wink wink.
NASA has a do not drink wine or beer in orbit policy
for its astronauts if I'm not mistaken. 

[dcporter]

What about vodka?

Not suggesting you could find any anywhere on the ISS...

[Moe Grills]

What about vodka?

Not suggesting you could find any anywhere on the ISS...

  LOL.

I wouldn't put it past the Russians to have stowed some onboard their
Progress craft.

[Rocket Science]

Faces today…

SpaceX      NASA    Capitol Hill 

Me

[dcporter]

What about vodka?

Not suggesting you could find any anywhere on the ISS...

  LOL.

I wouldn't put it past the Russians to have stowed some onboard their
Progress craft.

Liquid cargo weight 1,540 kg

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progress_(spacecraft)

[RocketEconomist327]

Faces today…

SpaceX      NASA    Capitol Hill 

Me

Not all on Capitol Hill are but some are.  And its fun to watch.

[Rocket Science]

Faces today…

SpaceX      NASA    Capitol Hill 

Me

Not all on Capitol Hill are but some are.  And its fun to watch.

Agreed…  But they make the most noise. It’s like watching a scene from the movie “Grumpy Old Men”… 

[majormajor42]

crap. Talk about steely eyed.

You should check his heart rate - it's clearly above 120 (watch his neck).

Sorry for such stupid first post

That video is not what I expected. Should definitely make the cut when they make The Movie 

Great first post too.

View looking at the pad, you can see debris being kicked out of the flame trench:

The sound in this video is incredible. Considering they remark about the guy yelling behind them and then they hear how loud it really gets. Wow! I gotta get to FL for one of these things. I like the "cu'mon" at :11 andthe frog(?) jumping through the water at :15 too.

Not sure if Chris B is reading this but I promised myself that I would finally join L2 on this day. I see it took almost 2 years for me to commit. Thanks for everything, I'm sure I will enjoy it.