SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon CRS SpX-1 MISSION GENERAL DISCUSSION

[spacetraveler]

Many cargo/satellite launch vehicles rely on solids, the presence of which massively complicate an abort. For an abort of the all-liquid F9 isn't it possible the range might simply terminate thrust, rather than destroy the vehicle? Wouldn't that create an environment where the Dragon separation motors could detach the capsule from the trunk without exposing the interior cargo to off-nominal g forces?

I don't think the engines have remote control. I believe the only remote system on the vehicle is the FTS.

[Jim]

Many cargo/satellite launch vehicles rely on solids, the presence of which massively complicate an abort. For an abort of the all-liquid F9 isn't it possible the range might simply terminate thrust, rather than destroy the vehicle?

No and Mmst do not.  Solids are not the reason for destruct charges.  Liquid vehicles like Delta IV and Atlas V have them to disperse propellants.

[Jim]

1. I take your main point: "old space" doesn't do it that way. But is SpaceX different, especially when it's launching Dragon on F9?

2. Wouldn't that create an environment where the Dragon separation motors could detach the capsule from the trunk without exposing the interior cargo to off-nominal g forces?

1.  No, it has nothing to do with "old space", it has to do with protecting the public.

2.  No, the sep system does not provide enough distance

[spectre9]

Thanks Chris good time for a launch.

Monday morning for me 

Dragon been seen yet?

[jacqmans]

FALCON 9 LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

 SpaceX security regulations require that media representatives
attending this event be U.S. citizens.

REMOTE CAMERA SETUPS

SpaceX security regulations require that news media representatives
participating in any activity inside the pad be U.S. citizens.

I thought by now, foreign media would be welcome, but still not..... 

[Robotbeat]

FALCON 9 LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

 SpaceX security regulations require that media representatives
attending this event be U.S. citizens.

REMOTE CAMERA SETUPS

SpaceX security regulations require that news media representatives
participating in any activity inside the pad be U.S. citizens.

I thought by now, foreign media would be welcome, but still not..... 

There's aerospace hardware all over the place, they'd have to hide it all and provide extra security if they allowed foreigners, impacting their operations. ITAR is eyeTAR, I agree, but it makes some sense in this case.

[Ben the Space Brit]

FALCON 9 LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

 SpaceX security regulations require that media representatives
attending this event be U.S. citizens.

REMOTE CAMERA SETUPS

SpaceX security regulations require that news media representatives
participating in any activity inside the pad be U.S. citizens.

I thought by now, foreign media would be welcome, but still not..... 

Would any bus taking you to the pad have to go by LC-37B, LC-41 or the DoD spacecraft handling facilities? That alone might be a cause for security restrictions.

[jacqmans]

FALCON 9 LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

 SpaceX security regulations require that media representatives
attending this event be U.S. citizens.

REMOTE CAMERA SETUPS

SpaceX security regulations require that news media representatives
participating in any activity inside the pad be U.S. citizens.

I thought by now, foreign media would be welcome, but still not..... 

There's aerospace hardware all over the place, they'd have to hide it all and provide extra security if they allowed foreigners, impacting their operations. ITAR is eyeTAR, I agree, but it makes some sense in this case.

  What would be the difference between US media and foreign media

[jacqmans]

FALCON 9 LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

 SpaceX security regulations require that media representatives
attending this event be U.S. citizens.

REMOTE CAMERA SETUPS

SpaceX security regulations require that news media representatives
participating in any activity inside the pad be U.S. citizens.

I thought by now, foreign media would be welcome, but still not..... 

Would any bus taking you to the pad have to go by LC-37B, LC-41 or the DoD spacecraft handling facilities? That alone might be a cause for security restrictions.

And why can I as foreign media go to launches of Atlas and Delta rockets... I would see that to then... I can even drive my own car to go to remote camera set up for ULA launches... So what SpaceX does makes no sense at all.... They have to let Foreign media in at some point since this is an INTERNATIONAL space station flight !!!

[manboy]

FALCON 9 LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

 SpaceX security regulations require that media representatives
attending this event be U.S. citizens.

REMOTE CAMERA SETUPS

SpaceX security regulations require that news media representatives
participating in any activity inside the pad be U.S. citizens.

I thought by now, foreign media would be welcome, but still not..... 

Would any bus taking you to the pad have to go by LC-37B, LC-41 or the DoD spacecraft handling facilities? That alone might be a cause for security restrictions.

And why can I as foreign media go to launches of Atlas and Delta rockets... I would see that to then... I can even drive my own car to go to remote camera set up for ULA launches... So what SpaceX does makes no sense at all.... They have to let Foreign media in at some point since this is an INTERNATIONAL space station flight !!!

International partners aren't funding it.

[jacqmans]

FALCON 9 LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

 SpaceX security regulations require that media representatives
attending this event be U.S. citizens.

REMOTE CAMERA SETUPS

SpaceX security regulations require that news media representatives
participating in any activity inside the pad be U.S. citizens.

I thought by now, foreign media would be welcome, but still not..... 

Would any bus taking you to the pad have to go by LC-37B, LC-41 or the DoD spacecraft handling facilities? That alone might be a cause for security restrictions.

And why can I as foreign media go to launches of Atlas and Delta rockets... I would see that to then... I can even drive my own car to go to remote camera set up for ULA launches... So what SpaceX does makes no sense at all.... They have to let Foreign media in at some point since this is an INTERNATIONAL space station flight !!!

International partners aren't funding it.

They take international cargo up....

[woods170]

FALCON 9 LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

 SpaceX security regulations require that media representatives
attending this event be U.S. citizens.

REMOTE CAMERA SETUPS

SpaceX security regulations require that news media representatives
participating in any activity inside the pad be U.S. citizens.

I thought by now, foreign media would be welcome, but still not..... 

Would any bus taking you to the pad have to go by LC-37B, LC-41 or the DoD spacecraft handling facilities? That alone might be a cause for security restrictions.

And why can I as foreign media go to launches of Atlas and Delta rockets... I would see that to then... I can even drive my own car to go to remote camera set up for ULA launches... So what SpaceX does makes no sense at all.... They have to let Foreign media in at some point since this is an INTERNATIONAL space station flight !!!

International partners aren't funding it.

They take international cargo up....

But that does not make the cargo-mission international. It's a cargo mission being carried out under the US obligations to ISS. So, it's a US mission, regardless of what cargo is on-board. Same applies to cargo missions of ATV and HTV. Those are European and Japanese cargo-flights, despite the fact that they carry cargo from just-about all participating nations.

(Un)fortunately, ESA is a little more consistent in it's policies regarding near-pad photography. They allow exactly nobody to set up near-pad set-ups, except the people of CSG and their in-house photographer 

[Robotbeat]

FALCON 9 LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

 SpaceX security regulations require that media representatives
attending this event be U.S. citizens.

REMOTE CAMERA SETUPS

SpaceX security regulations require that news media representatives
participating in any activity inside the pad be U.S. citizens.

I thought by now, foreign media would be welcome, but still not..... 

There's aerospace hardware all over the place, they'd have to hide it all and provide extra security if they allowed foreigners, impacting their operations. ITAR is eyeTAR, I agree, but it makes some sense in this case.

  What would be the difference between US media and foreign media

The State Department believes there's a difference between US citizens and non-US citizens. That's the difference.

[Prober]

FALCON 9 LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

 SpaceX security regulations require that media representatives
attending this event be U.S. citizens.

REMOTE CAMERA SETUPS

SpaceX security regulations require that news media representatives
participating in any activity inside the pad be U.S. citizens.

I thought by now, foreign media would be welcome, but still not..... 

Would any bus taking you to the pad have to go by LC-37B, LC-41 or the DoD spacecraft handling facilities? That alone might be a cause for security restrictions.

And why can I as foreign media go to launches of Atlas and Delta rockets... I would see that to then... I can even drive my own car to go to remote camera set up for ULA launches... So what SpaceX does makes no sense at all.... They have to let Foreign media in at some point since this is an INTERNATIONAL space station flight !!!

now your in the downside of "commercial"......SpaceX can make their own rules.

[Robotbeat]

FALCON 9 LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

 SpaceX security regulations require that media representatives
attending this event be U.S. citizens.

REMOTE CAMERA SETUPS

SpaceX security regulations require that news media representatives
participating in any activity inside the pad be U.S. citizens.

I thought by now, foreign media would be welcome, but still not..... 

Would any bus taking you to the pad have to go by LC-37B, LC-41 or the DoD spacecraft handling facilities? That alone might be a cause for security restrictions.

And why can I as foreign media go to launches of Atlas and Delta rockets... I would see that to then... I can even drive my own car to go to remote camera set up for ULA launches... So what SpaceX does makes no sense at all.... They have to let Foreign media in at some point since this is an INTERNATIONAL space station flight !!!

I think the SpaceX press event (if it's like any of their other ones) includes stuff inside their hangar, which has eye-tar-sensitive stuff all over.

It sucks, though.

[jacqmans]

I think the SpaceX press event (if it's like any of their other ones) includes stuff inside their hangar, which has eye-tar-sensitive stuff all over.

It sucks, though.

Yea sure, and why was it possible to see everything inside the hangar in July 2011, even for foreign media, and get close to the Falcon rocket, and photograph everything you would like ..... And now they say we are not welcome anymore...that is the strange part of it....

[Robotbeat]

I think the SpaceX press event (if it's like any of their other ones) includes stuff inside their hangar, which has eye-tar-sensitive stuff all over.

It sucks, though.

Yea sure, and why was it possible to see everything inside the hangar in July 2011, even for foreign media, and get close to the Falcon rocket, and photograph everything you would like ..... And now they say we are not welcome anymore...that is the strange part of it....

They made a mistake?

[Ben the Space Brit]

I suppose it could be something specifically about this flight, although what could be visible from the base of the pad that would be a security risk is beyond my knowledge.

[ugordan]

Yea sure, and why was it possible to see everything inside the hangar in July 2011, even for foreign media, and get close to the Falcon rocket, and photograph everything you would like ..... And now they say we are not welcome anymore...that is the strange part of it....

Have you contacted anyone about this? To the effect of why "Social media users selected to attend the SpaceX launch will be given the same access as journalists in an effort to align the access and experience of social media representatives with those of traditional media." when clearly social media are allowed to be non-U.S. AND be allowed on site:
"International social media users without U.S. citizenship must apply for credentials to cover the prelaunch and launch activities by Wednesday, Sept 26. "


http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/sep/HQ_12-336_Social_Media_Accred.html

Complaining about it here won't change anything.

[mduncan36]

I suppose it could be something specifically about this flight, although what could be visible from the base of the pad that would be a security risk is beyond my knowledge.

Take your engineer hat off and put your American lawyer hat on. It only has to be vaguely worded somewhere. Doesn't have to make sense.