SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon CRS-3 SpX-3 PROCESSING/Pre-LAUNCH UPDATES

[rpapo]

Back up a sec, you sure the legs didn't cause the slip?

The official reason (and a believable one) was transportation problems due to the foul weather.

[oiorionsbelt]

Looks like they got something from these slips at least, as previously it was not certain CRS-3 will have legs at all.

Back up a sec, you sure the legs didn't cause the slip?

Not sure, but Elon specifically said he wouldn't delay this flight because of the legs. He also said Dragon was the pacing item.

[Elvis in Space]

Looks like they got something from these slips at least, as previously it was not certain CRS-3 will have legs at all.

Back up a sec, you sure the legs didn't cause the slip?

Not sure, but Elon specifically said he wouldn't delay this flight because of the legs. He also said Dragon was the pacing item.

Given the weather situation here in the typically sunny South over the last two months I could easily believe  road conditions were an issue. Trying to find two or three days that could be counted on for clear weather as well as clear roads all the way would have been a real challenge at times. Keep in mind that we are not well equipped to deal with ice and snow unlike our brothers to the north.

[Tmcelroy]

Although Spacex builds the FRAMS. For US, Japan and Europe payloads. They vary slightly depending on customer needs. Basically an EVA space pallet!!
Very cool indeed

[sublimemarsupial]

Elon tweet with an image of the landing legs being attached to the F9 first stage in Florida.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/437761896028975104/photo/1

[anderp]

This has already been posted in the discussion thread, but it's still an update.

From Elon's twitter ( https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/438378373027360768 ) all 4 legs are now attached to the first stage.

[Chris Bergin]

And another article - with SpaceX answering our questions this time - on the legs and such. Not all about CRS-3, but obviously working linking here.

Will give it a standalone thread on SpaceX general:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/02/spacex-crs-3-landing-legs-plan-first-stage-recovery-ambitions/

Remember, this is an update thread, use discussion threads for discussion....

[Fuji]

http://amsat-uk.org/2014/03/03/mass-launch-of-437-mhz-satellites/

The largest ever launch of 437 MHz satellites is planned for March 16 at 0841 UT when 128 Sprite satellites will fly on the SpaceX Falcon 9 CRS 3 mission to be deployed into a 325×315 km 51.5 degree inclination orbit.

Each Sprite has a microcontroller, radio, and solar cells and is capable of carrying single-chip sensors, such as thermometers, magnetometers, gyroscopes, and accelerometers.

The 200 Sprites are carried in a 3U CubeSat called KickSat. They are stacked atop a spring-loaded pusher and secured by a nichrome burn wire system.

Due to the low orbit Sprites will have a short lifetime before they reenter the atmosphere and burn up. In the best-case scenario the orbital lifetime could be six weeks but realistically it may be considerably shorter depending on atmospheric conditions.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

http://amsat-uk.org/2014/03/03/mass-launch-of-437-mhz-satellites/

The largest ever launch of 437 MHz satellites is planned for March 16 at 0841 UT when 128 Sprite satellites will fly on the SpaceX Falcon 9 CRS 3 mission to be deployed into a 325×315 km 51.5 degree inclination orbit.

Each Sprite has a microcontroller, radio, and solar cells and is capable of carrying single-chip sensors, such as thermometers, magnetometers, gyroscopes, and accelerometers.

The 200 Sprites are carried in a 3U CubeSat called KickSat. They are stacked atop a spring-loaded pusher and secured by a nichrome burn wire system.

Due to the low orbit Sprites will have a short lifetime before they reenter the atmosphere and burn up. In the best-case scenario the orbital lifetime could be six weeks but realistically it may be considerably shorter depending on atmospheric conditions.

Does that mean that Johnathan et al. who records launches needs to fill in 200+ entries for this launch? Do the Sprites count as individual satellites? 

(I don't think this has happened anytime in history, as there hasn't been any such small active satellites been launched before)

[kevin-rf]

(I don't think this has happened anytime in history, as there hasn't been any such small active satellites been launched before)

Project westford, but that was just thousands of metal needles.

[jg]

(I don't think this has happened anytime in history, as there hasn't been any such small active satellites been launched before)

Project westford, but that was just thousands of metal needles.

Passive, rather than active.  Even more fun, they went looking for needles with a Haystack...

Who says that technical people don't have a sense of humor? :

[Skyrocket]

Does that mean that Johnathan et al. who records launches needs to fill in 200+ entries for this launch? Do the Sprites count as individual satellites? 

(I don't think this has happened anytime in history, as there hasn't been any such small active satellites been launched before)

This is a nightmare for satellite tracking - both for physical tracking the payloads and aslo for keeping the history records.

[Ben the Space Brit]

How big is Sprite cluster going to be? It occurs to me that you could just define the spherical area in which the picosats are all going to be and call that an area of avoidance.

[Comga]

This is the Updates thread. 
There is a Discussions thread for that purpose, but perhaps someone would want to start one specifically on the Sprites.

[jacqmans]

March 5, 2014
MEDIA ADVISORY M14-040


NASA Coverage Set for March 16 SpaceX Mission to Space Station


The next SpaceX cargo mission to the International Space Station under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract is scheduled to launch Sunday, March 16, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The company's Falcon 9 rocket, carrying its Dragon cargo capsule, will lift off at 4:41 a.m. EDT. NASA Television coverage of the launch begins at 3:45 a.m. If for any reason the launch is postponed, the next launch opportunity is Monday, March 17 at 4:19 a.m., with NASA TV coverage beginning at 3:15 a.m.

The mission, designated SpaceX-3, is the third of 12 SpaceX flights contracted by NASA to resupply the space station. It will be the fourth trip by a Dragon capsule to the orbiting laboratory.

The capsule will be filled with almost 5,000 pounds of scientific experiments and supplies. The Dragon will remain attached to the space station's Harmony module for more than three weeks, and splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California on April 17 with more than 3,500 pounds of experiment samples and equipment returning from the station.

NASA will host a prelaunch news conference at 1 p.m., Saturday, March 15, at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, followed by a SpaceX science and technology cargo news conference at 2 p.m. Both briefings will be carried live on NASA TV and the agency's website.

If launch occurs March 16, NASA TV will provide live coverage Tuesday, March 18, of the arrival of the Dragon cargo ship to the International Space Station. Grapple and berthing coverage will begin at 5:45 a.m., with grapple at 7 a.m. Berthing coverage begins at 9:30 a.m.

Media may request accreditation to attend the prelaunch news conferences and launch online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

The deadline for U.S. media to apply for accreditation is March 10. The deadline has passed for international media to apply.

Media credentials will be valid for mission activities from launch through splashdown at Kennedy and at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

For more information about media accreditation, contact Jennifer Horner at 321-867-6598.

For an updated schedule of prelaunch briefings, events and NASA TV coverage items, visit:

http://go.nasa.gov/1dsh9dp

For NASA TV schedule and video streaming information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

For video b-roll and other International Space Station media resources, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/stationnews

For launch countdown coverage, NASA's launch blog and more information about the mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/spacex

For more information about the International Space Station, research in low-Earth orbit, NASA's commercial space programs and the future of American spaceflight, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/exploration

[Chris Bergin]

Per L2 Static Fire is aiming for a T-0 of 1pm Local, with a four hour window. Depends on local rollout weather to make Friday.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

So......where's the rocket? It's a new day at the Cape..... 

[Bargemanos]

I picture of Falcon with legs on the stand would indeed be nice .  [being patient..  ]

[woods170]

So......where's the rocket? It's a new day at the Cape..... 

I can imagine it depends on the wind speed. Predictions is for 4-5 on the Beaufort scale gusting up to 6 in the afternoon. POP is 20%

[ChefPat]

So......where's the rocket? It's a new day at the Cape..... 

I can imagine it depends on the wind speed. Predictions is for 4-5 on the Beaufort scale gusting up to 6 in the afternoon. POP is 20%

The weather site I use has gusts in 14 to 17 mph range, mostly cloudy until noon & patchy clouds after that. 7% chance of rain until 10 am & zero after that.