SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1 - Thaicom 6 - DISCUSSION THREAD

[ChrisWilson68]

Also, I watched the CASSIOPE launch in person at VAFB and I could see the RCS thruster pulses from the first stage after stage separation through my small binoculars.  That was in full daylight, so it definitely wasn't just twilight conditions that made that visible for SES-8.

[cuddihy]

Also, I watched the CASSIOPE launch in person at VAFB and I could see the RCS thruster pulses from the first stage after stage separation through my small binoculars.  That was in full daylight, so it definitely wasn't just twilight conditions that made that visible for SES-8.

Florida rarely has that clear a sky due to humidity. The California inversion is why you were able to see that in daylight.

[Lars_J]

This discussion (while interesting) doesn't really concern Thaicom-6. We should move it to the CRS-3 discussion thread.

[Danderman]

No date set yet as of this moment.

[Ben the Space Brit]

I heard that Thaicom-6 had been shipped but has it arrived at the Cape yet? If so, is it at SLC-40 or is it still at the pre-integration processing (Astrotech?)?

[Zed_Noir]

I heard that Thaicom-6 had been shipped but has it arrived at the Cape yet? If so, is it at SLC-40 or is it still at the pre-integration processing (Astrotech?)?

I thought SpaceX handles the processing after the spacecraft arrive at CCAFS.

[Ben the Space Brit]

I think it's odd that SpaceX haven't even mentioned a target date. My opinion is this is indicative of horse-trading going on behind the scenes between SpaceX and the Eastern Range about maybe squeezing in the launch in the last few days of the year. As a gesture of goodwill, SpaceX aren't officially mentioning any such target dates to avoid the impression of putting pressure on Eastern Range officials.

Remember: Maintenance shut-downs do over-run schedule on occasion. Having a launch scheduled soon after the scheduled end date might put undue pressure on the maintenance teams too.

[kevin-rf]

My opinion is this is indicative of horse-trading going on behind the scenes between SpaceX and the Eastern Range about maybe squeezing in the launch in the last few days of the year.

Or the horse trading is between the SpaceX engineers on when they will actually be ready to launch.

[rcoppola]

Sometimes the lack of something is evidence of something else.

In this case, no announced date speaks to just how much they want to squeeze in another go before 2013 is out. Otherwise, they'd just grab any date they could in January and move on. Of course: IMO.

[Joffan]

Sometimes the lack of something is evidence of something else.

In this case, no announced date speaks to just how much they want to squeeze in another go before 2013 is out. Otherwise, they'd just grab any date they could in January and move on. Of course: IMO.

I'm sure that SpaceX will also want to preserve schedule margin ahead of CRS-3, which would argue for keeping the launch for Thaicom 6 as early as reasonably possible.

I'm not sure that the calendar year has any great relevance though, except to NSF poll devotees.

[aero]

Well the SpaceX engineers in Florida do have to make all of the hardware mods needed/discovered during the Cassiope and SES-8 campaigns. None of the fixes for those mods could have trickled back to Hawthorne and been incorporated into the production vehicles in time for Thiacom.

In fact, how long do we think any/all mods needed for problems discovered at a particular launch will take to work their way into production? I know, it depends. But I'm asking about Falcon 9 v1.1, both stages, and more particularly about Cassiope, SES-8 and Thiacom - 6.

Maybe this post should be in a SpaceX General Section thread?

[Lars_J]

The upper stage fixes done for SES-8 sounded pretty small or non-invasive (mostly involving moving or adding insulation), so I don't think that will push the schedule much.

[rcoppola]

Well the SpaceX engineers in Florida do have to make all of the hardware mods needed/discovered during the Cassiope and SES-8 campaigns. None of the fixes for those mods could have trickled back to Hawthorne and been incorporated into the production vehicles in time for Thiacom.

In fact, how long do we think any/all mods needed for problems discovered at a particular launch will take to work their way into production? I know, it depends. But I'm asking about Falcon 9 v1.1, both stages, and more particularly about Cassiope, SES-8 and Thiacom - 6.

Maybe this post should be in a SpaceX General Section thread?

Other then second stage hardware mods for engine restart, which I imagine would already have been worked into Thiacom 2nd stage, what other "hardware mods" are we talking about? There was some GSE clean-up needed but I"m not aware of additional F9 design issues that would require serious hardware mods?

[beancounter]

Well the SpaceX engineers in Florida do have to make all of the hardware mods needed/discovered during the Cassiope and SES-8 campaigns. None of the fixes for those mods could have trickled back to Hawthorne and been incorporated into the production vehicles in time for Thiacom.

In fact, how long do we think any/all mods needed for problems discovered at a particular launch will take to work their way into production? I know, it depends. But I'm asking about Falcon 9 v1.1, both stages, and more particularly about Cassiope, SES-8 and Thiacom - 6.

Maybe this post should be in a SpaceX General Section thread?

Other then second stage hardware mods for engine restart, which I imagine would already have been worked into Thiacom 2nd stage, what other "hardware mods" are we talking about? There was some GSE clean-up needed but I"m not aware of additional F9 design issues that would require serious hardware mods?

None.  Sounded like a nominal mission to me but there may have been something in the telemetary that hasn't been revealed.  Conspiracy theorists go for your life   

[Zed_Noir]

Have a wild idea. If the ISS cooling issues requires a contingency flight to bring up EMUs, parts, etc. Can SpaceX refurbished a used Dragon and use the Thiacom 6 LV & the CRS-3 Dragon trunk for such a flight?

[Jim]

Have a wild idea. If the ISS cooling issues requires a contingency flight to bring up EMUs, parts, etc. Can SpaceX refurbished a used Dragon and use the Thiacom 6 LV & the CRS-3 Dragon trunk for such a flight?

What is wrong with the existing CRS-3 Dragon?

[Xspace_engineerX]

Have a wild idea. If the ISS cooling issues requires a contingency flight to bring up EMUs, parts, etc. Can SpaceX refurbished a used Dragon and use the Thiacom 6 LV & the CRS-3 Dragon trunk for such a flight?

IIRC the cooling issue actually makes it dubious that a spacecraft could actually dock with that part of the station.

Antares/Cygnus are ready to go if needed, but can't go until early january when the problem is fixed.

The CRS-3 Dragon (Dragon 5) isn't actually done yet. I don't know about the trunk status.

In any case, spares for pretty much everything are on board the station.

[Zed_Noir]

Have a wild idea. If the ISS cooling issues requires a contingency flight to bring up EMUs, parts, etc. Can SpaceX refurbished a used Dragon and use the Thiacom 6 LV & the CRS-3 Dragon trunk for such a flight?

What is wrong with the existing CRS-3 Dragon?

Nothing wrong, if it's available.

[411rocket]

Have a wild idea. If the ISS cooling issues requires a contingency flight to bring up EMUs, parts, etc. Can SpaceX refurbished a used Dragon and use the Thiacom 6 LV & the CRS-3 Dragon trunk for such a flight?

What is wrong with the existing CRS-3 Dragon?

Nothing, aside from the electrical mods (waterproofing & freezer requirements) + resultant testing, may need to be hastened. But then NASA, may have already asked them, after this problem occured. As this Dragon is slated to have a EMU fixture in it anyways.  I do not think, there will be another pump unit, ready for launch in the trunk section in time though. As it sounds like, it is the same type of unit changeout, as earlier this year. So they may need more spares soon.

It would be a real PITA, to get any failed pump units goundside. Depess Dragon, open side or main hatch (demating req for main) put pump unit into Dragon. This would preferably in a sealed bag, could a crew transfer bag be large enough? Close & secure hatch, re-mate if needed & repress Dragon. There will be more to it, of course, but this is the only way I can think of, without hauling it through the station itself. Might be better, to send up another Dragon later, for failed ORUs, if it comes down to it.

But probably, we will soon be having Pad Thai for Launch, unless NASA needs things sooner.

[uko]

Interesting.. there was a post in this thread earlier today about SpaceX requesting a specific date and window for Thaicom launch from the Eastern Range.
That post and some replies to it have been now removed. I wonder why.. because it was false information or because it was information that should not have been released to public yet