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#200
by
mgeagon
on 22 Nov, 2017 06:27
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I think the term "core" in this context means the center booster. I agree that until customers start using high-energy returned boosters in a single stick launch, Falcon Heavy might be the only avenue to reuse some of the flight proven block 3s and 4s. It seems economically unlikely that all three boosters in the Demo 2 mission will be block 5s.
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#201
by
Formica
on 08 Dec, 2017 17:58
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Spaceflight Now has updated their launch schedule, putting STP-2 NET June 2018.
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#202
by
Jakusb
on 01 Jan, 2018 18:05
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Spaceflight Now has updated their launch schedule, putting STP-2 NET June 2018.
Isn’t the most likely reason the much later launch of FH-Demo? 6 months to:
- review all launch data
- review all FH Demo hardware (safely landed in one piece)
- adjust design where needed
- build brand new improved block 5 center core
- build OR convert 2 side cores
All given a successful flight of FH Demo...
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#203
by
IanThePineapple
on 01 Jan, 2018 18:11
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Spaceflight Now has updated their launch schedule, putting STP-2 NET June 2018.
Isn’t the most likely reason the much later launch of FH-Demo? 6 months to:
- review all launch data
- review all FH Demo hardware (safely landed in one piece)
- adjust design where needed
- build brand new improved block 5 center core
- build OR convert 2 side cores
All given a successful flight of FH Demo...
I'm wondering whether they'll reuse the center core and perhaps the two side cores.
If not I'd guess they'd convert two B4 cores for boosters, and 1 B5 for center. Just a guess.
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#204
by
gongora
on 01 Jan, 2018 18:19
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The vehicle for this flight should be all new Block 5 cores.
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#205
by
IanThePineapple
on 01 Jan, 2018 18:44
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The vehicle for this flight should be all new Block 5 cores.
Ah, nice!
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#206
by
cscott
on 14 Feb, 2018 18:46
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We have a date! NET April 30, with two month window stretching to June.
STP-2 is scheduled for a window from April until June and Arabsat is confirmed to be second launching Falcon Heavy, according to NASA's budget released today (Page 537).
As I think I've mentioned before, I've got tickets to this launch courtesy of the Lightsail Kickstarter years and years ago, so I've started clearing my schedule!
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#207
by
gongora
on 14 Feb, 2018 18:54
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We have a date! NET April 30, with two month window stretching to June.
STP-2 is scheduled for a window from April until June and Arabsat is confirmed to be second launching Falcon Heavy, according to NASA's budget released today (Page 537).
As I think I've mentioned before, I've got tickets to this launch courtesy of the Lightsail Kickstarter years and years ago, so I've started clearing my schedule!
Well, that was the schedule when FH Demo was going to fly in December... If this is still the third FH then unlikely it flies in that window. If it swaps places with Arabsat 6A then it would still be possible (but probably not April, I'm guessing F9 Block 5 doesn't even debut until mid-April.)
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#208
by
pb2000
on 14 Feb, 2018 19:42
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Well, that was the schedule when FH Demo was going to fly in December... If this is still the third FH then unlikely it flies in that window. If it swaps places with Arabsat 6A then it would still be possible (but probably not April, I'm guessing F9 Block 5 doesn't even debut until mid-April.)
Does the STP-2 contract stipulate new cores? If not, it might be possible to launch 6A and assuming full recovery be ready to launch again in ~6 weeks, if Elon's gas and go model pans out.
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#209
by
gongora
on 14 Feb, 2018 20:48
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Well, that was the schedule when FH Demo was going to fly in December... If this is still the third FH then unlikely it flies in that window. If it swaps places with Arabsat 6A then it would still be possible (but probably not April, I'm guessing F9 Block 5 doesn't even debut until mid-April.)
Does the STP-2 contract stipulate new cores? If not, it might be possible to launch 6A and assuming full recovery be ready to launch again in ~6 weeks, if Elon's gas and go model pans out.
The contract we've seen is almost 6 years old and has been amended multiple times since then. We really don't know for sure what's in it now. I would assume new cores.
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#210
by
Star One
on 14 Feb, 2018 20:55
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We have a date! NET April 30, with two month window stretching to June.
STP-2 is scheduled for a window from April until June and Arabsat is confirmed to be second launching Falcon Heavy, according to NASA's budget released today (Page 537).
As I think I've mentioned before, I've got tickets to this launch courtesy of the Lightsail Kickstarter years and years ago, so I've started clearing my schedule!
Well, that was the schedule when FH Demo was going to fly in December... If this is still the third FH then unlikely it flies in that window. If it swaps places with Arabsat 6A then it would still be possible (but probably not April, I'm guessing F9 Block 5 doesn't even debut until mid-April.)
Elon indicated that the single stick block 5 debut flight would be in a couple of months.
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#211
by
vaporcobra
on 14 Feb, 2018 21:21
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Well, that was the schedule when FH Demo was going to fly in December... If this is still the third FH then unlikely it flies in that window. If it swaps places with Arabsat 6A then it would still be possible (but probably not April, I'm guessing F9 Block 5 doesn't even debut until mid-April.)
Elon indicated that the single stick block 5 debut flight would be in a couple of months.
In this context, I think STP-2's launch date is going to be highly contingent on the launch of Arabsat 6A, which will in essence be the debut of an entirely new iteration of Falcon Heavy derived from Block 5. If SpaceX is also required to build an entirely new Block 5 Falcon Heavy for STP-2 on top of the new vehicle for Koreasat, late 2018 may be a more realistic launch window.
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#212
by
gongora
on 14 Feb, 2018 23:01
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#213
by
cebri
on 15 Feb, 2018 08:12
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Really considering flying from Europe to watch this.
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#214
by
macpacheco
on 15 Feb, 2018 13:20
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Given that FH side cores are interchangeable with F9 cores, FH launch contracts that stipulate new cores will be handled building the 3 new cores, launching the set, then giving the side boosters interstages and launching them as F9 cores.
And if Arabsat accepts reused cores, it could launch with two previously flown F9 cores as side boosters.
It seems SpaceX will end up with 3 or 4 FH center cores, enough to launch to a long while.
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#215
by
Jakusb
on 22 Feb, 2018 02:38
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With ArabSat-6A delayed to end-of-2018, will STP-2 be the 2nd FH and still aiming june 2018?
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#216
by
cscott
on 22 Feb, 2018 06:33
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With ArabSat-6A delayed to end-of-2018, will STP-2 be the 2nd FH and still aiming june 2018?
Where is this information on ArabSat 6A coming from? I can't find it here on NSF.
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#217
by
Paul_G
on 22 Feb, 2018 06:48
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With ArabSat-6A delayed to end-of-2018, will STP-2 be the 2nd FH and still aiming june 2018?
Where is this information on ArabSat 6A coming from? I can't find it here on NSF.
I saw this mentioned on Twitter. A search for Arsbsat 6a returned this article which says testing un
http://satelliteprome.com/news/lockheed-martin-completes-assembly-on-arabsat-6a/During the trip from Denver to Sunnyvale, Arabsat-6A was housed in a “mobile cleanroom,” which keeps the satellite secure and in pristine condition, free of virtually any specks of dust and contaminants that could damage its precision electronics.
In California, the satellite will undergo multiple tests to ensure it is fit for flight. The satellite will be blasted with sound, exposed to extreme heat and cold, and subjected to a total vacuum to simulate what it will endure during its launch and operations in space. The testing will be completed and the satellite ready for delivery to the launch site by the end of the year.
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#218
by
soltasto
on 03 Mar, 2018 01:03
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#219
by
Demidrol
on 03 Mar, 2018 08:09
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There were some mentions about an ISAT demonstrator as part of the STP-2 mission. But now I can't find any information about it. So are they still going to launch the ISAT on FH?